Boeing’s ambitious plans for its Dreamliner 787 aircraft have been put to the test with numerous delays. The 787 promises to save up to 20% on fuel making flights cost less for the airlines and producing less pollution in the environment.

According to Reuters the 787 is still on track for a first flight in Q4 of 2008 despite its latest setback. This time the problem causing delays in the aircraft is the software that controls the braking system. Pat Shanahan, general manager of the 787 program told Reuters, “It's not that the brakes don't work, it's the traceability of the software. I'm confident it will be done. It's General Electric.”

General Electric subcontracted work on the brake control and monitoring system for the 787 to Hydro-Aire, which is part of engineering company Crane. Crane has offered no comment on the delay. Boeing maintains that the software for the brake control and monitoring system works, it’s simply that the ability to verify the brake software operates wasn’t built into the software, which is needed for the software to pass inspection.

The brake control software isn’t the only issue Boeing is still battling with on the 787 project. Shanahan says that more work is still needed on the mid-body of the first 787 and that Boeing is still dealing with parts shortages for aircraft wing components. The last major issue with the 787 had to do with the design of the wing box.

Boeing says that another test 787 known as Airplane 4 is also having delays. The fuselage of the aircraft has not yet been delivered to the final assembly plant. Shanahan says that the delay doesn't threaten the flight test schedule, but is eating into extra time built into the schedule.

The Dreamliner has seen many previous delays -- it was originally scheduled to take flight in August 2007.  The finished production aircraft were supposed to be delivered to customer in early 2008, now Boeing says they will be delivered in 2009 at the earliest.