SEATTLE (AP) - Boeing Co. said Thursday that results from a recent test on a 787 fuselage section matched computer predictions, eliminating the need for some physical tests.
Boeing unveiled its first 787 in early July, but is still working to get that plane ready for its maiden flight.
During last month's test, Boeing dropped a 10-foot-long fuselage section made of carbon-fiber composites from a height of 15 feet to simulate the impact of an emergency landing.
The company is not releasing detailed test results because it considers the information proprietary.
But because results matched what Boeing's engineers had predicted, the company can model various crash scenarios using computational analysis rather than performing more tests on actual pieces of the plane, Boeing spokeswoman Lori Gunter said.
The 787 is the first large commercial jetliner made mostly from carbon fiber-reinforced plastics, which are lighter and sturdier than aluminum. However, they are also more brittle and less shock absorbent.
The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered Boeing to prove that the 787 is as crashworthy as an aluminum plane.
The recent test was the final in a series of three. The two others also confirmed Boeing's computational analysis, the company said.
Boeing initially hoped to begin flight tests in late August, but announced Wednesday that the first 787 won't fly until mid-November or mid-December, primarily because of complications in assembling the first plane and finalizing flight-control software.
Boeing shares closed up 36 cents at $96.20 Thursday.
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