The need was identified during the recent regularly scheduled tests on the full-scale static test airplane. Preliminary analysis indicated that flight test could proceed this month as planned. However, after further testing and consideration of possible modified flight test plans, the decision was made late last week that first flight should instead be postponed until productive flight testing could occur.
First flight and first delivery will be rescheduled following the final determination of the required modification and testing plan. It will be several weeks before the new schedule is available. The 787 team will continue with other aspects of testing on Airplane #1, including final gauntlet testing and low-speed taxiing. Work will also continue on the other five flight test aircraft and the subsequent aircraft in the production system.
Scott Carson, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes said a team of experts has already identified several potential solutions.
"Consideration was given to a temporary solution that would allow us to fly as scheduled, but we ultimately concluded that the right thing was to develop, design, test and incorporate a permanent modification to the localized area requiring reinforcement. Structural modifications like these are not uncommon in the development of new airplanes, and this is not an issue related to our choice of materials or the assembly and installation work of our team," Carson said.
Boeing's financial guidance will be updated to reflect any impact of these changes when the company issues its second quarter 2009 earnings report in July.
Boeing will hold a conference call with Carson, Pat Shanahan, vice president and general manager of Airplane Programs, and Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program, to discuss the 787 program today at 10:00 a.m. EDT, 7:00 a.m., PDT. A webcast of that call will be accessible at www.boeing.com. Webcast: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-eventDetails&c=85482&eventID=2290129
Contact:
Yvonne Leach, Communications, 206-854-5027
Lori Gunter, Communications, 206-931-5919
Rob Young, Investor Relations, 312-544-2140
SOURCE: Boeing
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Airbus announced the first delay in June 2005 and notified airlines that
delivery would slip by six months for A380.The first A380 with redesigned
wiring harnesses achieved power-on in April 2008, with a 31/2 month delay.
On 13 May 2008 Airbus announced reduced deliveries for the years 2008
and 2009. Airbus reported that will deliver 18 A380s in 2009.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a mid-sized, wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner currently under development by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It will carry between 210 and 330 passengers depending on variant and seating configuration. Boeing stated that it will be more fuel-efficient than earlier Boeing airliners and will be the first major airliner to use composite materials for most of its construction. Boeing's development of the 787 is also innovative in the collaborative management approach with suppliers.
The September 11, 2001 attacks upended the global airline market. Airlines could not justify large capital expenditures, and increased petroleum prices made them more interested in efficiency than speed. The worst-affected airlines, those in the United States, were considered the most likely customers of the Sonic Cruiser. Boeing offered airlines the option of using the airframe for either higher speed or increased efficiency, but the high projected airframe costs caused demand to slacken further. Boeing canceled the 747X once Airbus launched production of the Airbus A380, and switched tracks by offering an alternative product, the 7E7 (currently- 787).
Boeing has stated that it is likely to develop another version, the longer 787-10, with seating capacity between 290 and 310. This proposed model is intended to compete with the planned Airbus A350-900.
The 787-10 would supersede the 777-200ER in Boeing's current catalog and could also compete against the Airbus A330-300 and A340-300. Boeing was meeting with potential customers to set 787-10 characteristics in 2007.
This
variant has not yet been officially launched by Boeing, but Mike Bair,
at that time head of the 787 Program, stated that "It's not a matter of
if, but when we are going to do it... The 787-10 will be a stretched version
of the 787-9 and sacrifice some range to add extra seat and cargo capacity."
June
17, 2009, Final assembly has begun on the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner
destined for delivery to launch customer ANA (All Nippon Airways) of Japan.
ANA and Boeing launched the 787 program with a firm order for 50 of the all-new composite jetliner. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2010.
 Pictured from left to right are: Kinichiro Suetsugu, manager - ANA U.S. Engineering; Takeo Kikuchi, general manager – ANA U.S. Engineering; Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager – 787 program and Mike Fleming, director of Services and Support – 787 program. |
The 787 Dreamliner has 865 orders from 56 airlines, making it the fastest-selling all-new jetliner in aviation history.
 |
Reported
by catch4all.com, Sandra Englund: June 23rd, 2009
Sources:
wikipedia
Boeing