Originally Posted by
Huck
New aircraft at Boeing are given a ~1 hour test flight by Boeing pilots.
They are not acceptance-tested by Fedex test crews. Don't know why - that's how it used to be done.
Not quite right. Boeing first flight, B-1, is about 3 hours. They refly if there are any flight related squawks. After they sign it off, FDX Capt flys left seat with a Boeing pilot in right seat and they fly the complete B-1 flight again. Refly again until there are no more flight squawks. Plane is then ferried back to MEM where the HUD and a few other minor mods are done. That takes about 7 days. Then it is flown again to align the EFVS and verify the HUD is working properly. Then to the line.