Perfectly serious. Last time I saw IPA 001 it was VERY close to completion, and that was before Il Presidente Tonio declared that it must fly THIS YEAR. A normally reliable source at BAE Warton told me that they were shooting for 6/16 December for the first flight. I can't remember which he said, and it wasn't appropriate at the time to scribble a note of it, while journo chums had expected it on 6 December.
It's supposed to be delivered this year, too!