EVERETT, Wash. (AP) -- Boeing successfully completed "stall tests" for the 787 as part of the initial testing program for the aircraft, the company said Friday.
The testing went "very well and there were no surprises," 787 Chief Pilot Mike Carriker said in a statement.
The Chicago-based airplane manufacturer said the testing is intended to test the reaction of the airplane in a rare in-flight stall. A stall is defined as flying so slowly that the airplane is no longer generating lift.
During stall maneuvers pilots use a process to slow the airplane down at precise increments to the point where it shakes dramatically, Boeing said, resulting in forces of 1.5 times the force of gravity.
Boeing has poured billions of dollars into developing the family of the sleek blue-and-white 787 jetliners, which feature radical departures from other planes in design to make the planes quieter, lighter and less fuel-thirsty. The initial flight of a 787 took place last month, two years behind schedule as the program has been plagued by parts problems and other delays.
Boeing Co. shares fell 65 cents, or 1 percent, to $61.91.
