First Flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner

The long awaited maiden flight of the 787 Dreamliner occured this morning in Everett, WA, to the cheers of thousands of spectators. The flight is expected to last about five and a half hours.

The mid-sized, wide-body, twin-engine Dreamliner is made of lightweight composite materials, such as carbon fiber-reinforced resin, which results in using 20 percent less fuel. It can seat between 290 - 330 passengers, depending on the variant.

So far, so good for the inaugural flight, which follows delays that have put the Dreamliner program more than two years behind schedule. The aerospace giant has booked 810 orders for the next-generation Dreamliner. Japan Airline, Air India, Al Nippon and United have placed the largest orders so far.