Boeing said it has completed the last testing planned before the long-awaited first flight of the 787 Dreamliner, which is expected sometime this month. The airframer completed high-speed taxi tests on the first 787, the last in a series of functional tests planned in preparation for first flight. "Our pilots told me the airplane performed beautifully," said Mike Delaney, vice president and chief project engineer for the 787. "We’re going through and analyzing the data to ensure we’re ready for first flight. From evaluations we’ve done so far, everything looks good." During the testing, the airplane reached a top speed of approximately 130 knots, and the pilots lifted the nose gear from the pavement.