787 Encounters Setback
November 4th, 2008
In a report by my colleague, Geoffrey Thomas at ATWOnline, he notes that the 787 has encountered a setback in its quest to take to the skies, with Boeing Commercial Airplanes seemingly only just recovered from the IAM strike that crippled production for two months.
The full story can be found here.
“Boeing recently discovered some fasteners on the 787 airplanes in Everett were incorrectly installed and do not conform to specifications. The fasteners themselves were fine. We alerted our structural and pre-integration partners to also inspect the units they have in production. Some partners did find some installation non-conformances as well.
Less than 3 percent of fasteners installed to date are non-conforming. We’ll remove and replace all of them. Boeing will replace the fasteners on airplanes in Everett and the partners who found non-conformances will do the work at their home locations prior to shipment.
We will not know the full impact of this on our schedule until 787 production fully resumes and we complete our strike recovery assessment. We do not yet have a date for the completion of the assessment,” said company spokeswoman Mary Hanson in a statement released today.
Image courtesy of Boeing
Given that the 787 Dreamliner uses a unique, monolithic composite fuselage structure, the overall number of fasteners on the airplane is greatly reduced compared to traditionally built airplanes.
Back in July, the fourth test 787 fuselage was damaged at an assembly plant in South Carolina when wrong fasteners were installed.
With much of the first 787 essentially having arrived at Everett without any systems installed, this first example has taken longer to assemble and complete than subsequent 787’s arriving into the factory.
It is hoped that as production gets into full swing over the coming weeks and months that the delivery of additional sections will be easier to integrate and avoid travelled work which has hampered the first few 787’s which will take part in the certification programme.
It is now widely accepted that first flight will likely take place in 2009 given the day-for-day slippage due to the IAM strike and that deliveries will commence in early 2010.
Sphere: Related ContentEntry Filed under: 787 Dreamliner, 787 First Flight, Air Transport, Air Travel, Airlines, Airplane, Airplane Order, Airplanes, Airport, Aviation, Boeing, Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing 747-8F, Boeing 747-8I, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777F, Boeing 787, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 787 Order, Boeing 787 Orders, Boeing 787 Premiere, Boeing 787 Rollout, Boeing 787-10, Boeing 787-3, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing Commercial Airplanes
7 Comments Add your own
1. Breakout | November 4th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Is this problem restricted to just the first 787 or to those 5 jets currently in Everett?
2. Chas | November 4th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Is the issue from fasteners installed by Boeing or its partners?
3. FleetBuzz Editorial.com | November 4th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Seems the fastener issue pertains to both suppliers/Boeing and all 5 787’s currently in production.
4. DonS | November 4th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Just a guess - wrong fastener installation by type and kind is most likely due to
1) Outside vendors-suppliers of major assemblies
2) The phony handling methods of fasteners used on the 787 wherein they are kitted and handed to the mechanic by outside vendor/contract personnel
What boeing mis-management on the 787 refused to acknowledge is that airplanes are NOT automobiles, wherein only a few standard types of fasteners are used, and traceability and responsiblity are almost non- existant.
Keep in mind that in most cases, the installation mechanic must sign off that he/she installed the right fastener in the right place and that it had the right coating, the right length, etc.
Most of the outside suppliers, and for certain the low paid ‘ delivery ” people simply do not have the training or the realization that a visual substitute may not be the right material or coating or an extra 1/8 or 1/16th in length. And from what i’ve heard, they do not have to sign off or truly be accountable.
The cubicle types and McNearney should be reminded that AAA towing does not dispatch to 40 K feet, and that 3m brand duct tape is not a suitable repair.
5. Trike | November 4th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
What’s with these fasteners? “Given that the 787 Dreamliner uses a unique, monolithic composite fuselage structure, the overall number of fasteners on the airplane is greatly reduced compared to traditionally built airplanes” … yet this is not the first time fasteners have been an issue. Pretty pathetic really. I expect more for Boeing.
6. keesje | November 4th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
I think it is on the first 20 shipsets.
7. FleetBuzz Editorial.com | November 5th, 2008 at 4:48 am
No, its just the airplanes in Everett
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