Boeing's 787 first test flight by year-end

Boeing's troubled 787 Dreamliner is on track for a first test flight towards the year-end, but tough financial conditions may hold back orders for its range of commercial planes.

The 787, at least 14 months behind its original schedule, should fly in the fourth quarter and be delivered from the third quarter of 2009, Scott Carson, chief executive of Boeing's commercial planes unit, said at the Farnborough Air Show.

That repeated Boeing's last timetable, issued in April when it announced the third delay on the programme due to persistent production problems.

Despite airlines struggling in the face of surging oil prices, Boeing has seen no cancellations and only a "handful" of deferrals of orders from existing customers, Carson said yesterday. He did acknowledge the credit crunch as a "potential constraint" on future orders.