Originally Posted by
golfyankeesierra
But why are they still doing these test in the first place?
I thought the airplane should have been flying already, if it only wasn’t for engine troubles beginning this year?
Apparently the tests were overdue already. Boeing is not telling everything here.
CFD has improved dramatically so things may change soon, but traditionally the final loads required for the ultimate load tests are only available after test flights.
All tests which clear the aircraft for first flight are purely based on calculated loads, and traditionally those required adjustment through flight testing.