NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The first Boeing 787 manufactured in South Carolina has taken off on a test flight.
The aircraft took off shortly after noon Wednesday in North Charleston for a flight scheduled to last about four hours. Six Boeing employees were onboard. The aircraft spent about 45 minutes on the taxiway for several tests, including the brakes.
The aircraft has been purchased by Air India.
It’s the first plane manufactured at the $750 million assembly plant that opened last summer.
By the end of this year, the company plans to have four planes completed. Boeing hopes to be producing about three-and-a-half planes a month by the end of 2013. The speedy, light aircraft are made partly from composite material of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic.
