It looks like Boeing will be slipping the first flight of the 787 until September.

Boeing management is saying that, “But delivery of the first 787 to All Nippon Airways in May 2008 remains possible, (Boeing CEO Jim) McNerney says, even if the already compressed flight test schedule shortens to seven months.”

I discussed this possibility earlier (also here), and said that it was likely that there would be delays in deliveries.

It’s coming to light now because Boeing has a different culture from Aribus, which had similar problems with its A340, and as a result tends to be more upfront about such things.