Boeing flew the second 787 (ZA002) from Seattle to Victorville, Calif., yesterday, the first time the new twinjet has left Washington state for a landing elsewhere.

The expansion of 787 flight test operations out of state comes as Boeing prepares to fly the fourth aircraft (ZA003) and win type inspection authorization (TIA) from the FAA. This milestone, expected by the end of March, will clear the way for the start of certification tests.

Confirmation of progress toward TIA and first flight of ZA003,­ expected next weekend, ­was given by Boeing Commercial Aircraft President James Albaugh speaking at a JP Morgan investors conference on March 9. In his comments, Albaugh also said that Boeing has eaten into its two-month flight test contingency buffer by about two weeks.

Boeing’s ambitious flight test and certification schedule calls for first deliveries to launch carrier ANA in the fourth quarter and is built on round-the-clock air and ground tests involving a core fleet of four Rolls-Royce- and two General Electric-powered 787s.

Balancing this, however, Boeing has reported “robust” performance from engines and systems on ZA001 and ZA002, giving the company optimism that it will achieve the necessary test rate with the remaining fleet.

ZA002 is the first of up to three 787 test aircraft expected to be based temporarily out of Victorville where the 747-8 flight test effort will soon be located.

The use of Victorville for 787 testing emerged early in January, when local planning documents first revealed Boeing’s intentions. In those documents, it was stated that Victorville would reap about $150,000 in landing and fuel fees, and that the local economy might potentially benefit from the associated spending of up to 300 test team employees.

The ZA002 test team, which is focusing on propulsion, systems, avionics and stability and control work, will make the most of Southern California’s clear skies and the airport’s 11,050-foot runway.

Boeing is expected to begin two days of system gauntlet tests on ZA003, the cabin and interior systems test focus, today. The gauntlet phase signals that the upcoming first flight of ZA003 should occur around March 14, assuming no glitches crop up this week.

The first 787 (ZA001) is continuing flutter tests, while ZA004 remains on the ground following its first and only flight to date. Tests are focused on an updated version of the flight control system software, as well as the engine-indicating and crew-alerting system.

Albaugh said the 787 production rate has now climbed to two per month and will reach 2.5 per month in August on its way to a 10-month target by the end of 2013. The Everett assembly line will be augmented by aircraft from Charleston, S.C., which is expected to deliver its first 787 in the first quarter of 2012.