Dreamliner test flight
 

I mean, what else you gonna do on an 18 hour shakedown.

Boeing 787-8 'Endurance Flight' Flies Dreamliner Test Pattern - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

That's cool. When I was flight test operations manager at Hawker-Beechcraft, one of our 4000 test teams did a Hawker logo as part of their test regime.

How would they do this with regard to Air Traffic Control? I can see how they programmed the flight path but would ATC let them fly their own navigation for 17 hours? Some of the flight was at 43,000. I wonder if clearance was the reason?

I'd at least throw in a bunch of zero-g parabolas. Maybe even an unsanctioned aileron roll to pay homage to Tex and the now departing 747... :D

controllers are pretty accommodating I am sure they filed a flight plan with way points so they knew the route and up at fl430 there's not much traffic, the higher a jet flies generally the more fuel efficient

Vomit comet!