The first 787 Dreamliner demonstration wing box is test-ready at Boeing's developmental center in Seattle, Wash. The box represents two thirds of the all-new airplane's wing span and is full-scale in size. It will be used to demonstrate the structural integrity of the design, gather data required for certification of the airplane and validate the repair methods that have been developed for the materials being used on the 787.
It took approximately 18 months to build the test fixture and all of the associated structure.