For the first time, a passenger jetliner with a body and wings made of super-hardened plastics took wing Tuesday, a milestone that promises to usher in a new era in aviation. A crowd of 12,000 workers and dignitaries lining Paine Field in Everett, Wash., watched as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner roared down the runway, lifted its nose into the air and then flew north as two chase planes trailed. The plane circled over the Puget Sound for three hours, as 787 chief pilot Michael Carriker and co-pilot Randy Neville tested the 787's state-of-the-art wing and electronics systems in a series of turns, climbs and descents. Production problems had delayed the maiden voyage by more than two years. The mid-sized 787 is designed to fly as far as Boeing 727 jumbos while consuming about 20 percent less fuel, enabling carriers to economically link smaller cities.

- Chicago Tribune