Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner passenger aircraft has successfully completed its first test flight in the US.

波音新787梦想者客机在美国成功完成首次试飞。

The three-hour flight started and finished from Everett, near Seattle. It had been due to last longer, but the plane landed early amid heavy rain.

The 787 project had been delayed by two-and-a-half years following a series of hitches套结，挂钩, including design problems.

Boeing has pegged² its hopes to the Dreamliner, which promises to be one of the world's most fuel-efficient planes.

The two test pilots carried out a number of basic system checks, including testing the landing gear and flaps.

"The airplane responded just as we expected," said Randy Neville, one of the pilots. "It was a joy to fly."

The take off起飞 and landing was watched by several hundred Boeing employees, industry guests and aircraft enthusiasts³爱好者.

BBC correspondent Rajesh Mirchandani, who was in Everett to witness the Dreamliner's first take off and landing, said the plane has passed one "crucial milestone⁴".

"There were cheers as the sleek圆滑的 jet, painted in blue and white, lifted off from a cold, damp潮湿 airfield," he said.

"Afterwards some of the Boeing employees said they felt a sense of excitement and relief."

The Dreamliner will now go into nine months of continuous testing, with six planes flying around the clock全天候.

'Revolutionary project'

The Dreamliner has attracted some 840 orders from all over the globe, although some have been cancelled because of the delays.

Its popularity is partly thanks to its lightweight design. Made of carbon and titanium钛, it should reduce fuel consumption as well as save on maintenance costs维修费用.

The design aims to make the plane nimble敏捷的，聪明的 and able to fly long distances without refuelling.

Howard Wheeldon, a transport analyst⁶ with BGC Partners, told the BBC World Service that it was a revolutionary project which would reshape aviation航空业.

"This is an aircraft that changes the whole basis of flying, because of the equipment onboard," he said.

"In terms of the cost of operation this is an 80% composite material aircraft, with 35 tonnes of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic, so it is a light aircraft - which means it burns less fuel."

Its arch-rival, Airbus, also has a lightweight craft in development. Its A350 plane will also be made primarily from carbon-composite materials.

Airbus is also targeting a different market with its giant A380, a craft that can carry far larger numbers of passengers although it is limited to flying to those airports that are equipped for the double-decker aircraft.