Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner passenger aircraft has successfully completed its first test flight in the US.

The three-hour flight started from Everett, north of Seattle, and the plane landed at Boeing Field, just south of Seattle.

The 787 project had been delayed by two-and-a-half years following a series of hitches, including design problems.

Boeing has pegged its hopes to the Dreamliner, which promises to be one of the world's most fuel-efficient planes.

The two test pilots carried out a number of basic system checks, including testing the landing gear and flaps.

"The airplane responded just as we expected," said Randy Neville, one of the pilots. "It was a joy to fly."

The take off and landing was watched by several hundred Boeing employees, industry guests and aircraft enthusiasts.

BBC correspondent Rajesh Mirchandani, who was in Everett to witness the Dreamliner's first take off, said the plane had passed one "crucial milestone".

"There were cheers as the sleek jet, painted in blue and white, lifted off from a cold, damp airfield," he said.

"Afterwards some of the Boeing employees said they felt a sense of excitement and relief."

The Dreamliner, which is powered by Rolls-Royce engines designed in the UK, will now go into nine months of continuous testing, with six planes flying around the clock.

'Revolutionary project'

The Dreamliner has…

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