Second Boeing P-8I Aircraft Completes First Flight

Boeing today announced that the second P-8I aircraft for the Indian Navy completed its initial flight on July 12. During the test, the aircraft, a derivative of the Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 commercial airplane, landed over two hours later. The P-8I is the second of eight long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft Boeing is building for India. "The program is on plan and the Indian Navy is excited for the P-8I to join its fleet," said Leland Wight, P-8I program manager for Boeing. During the flight, Boeing test pilots performed airborne systems checks and took the P-8I to a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet prior to landing. Boeing will begin mission systems installation and checkout work on the aircraft in the coming weeks.