Boeing delays 787 delivery date again

Boeing has postponed the delivery date of the Boeing 787 for the first of its new airliners for the third quarter of 2011.

Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
 © William T Shemley on airliners.net

This is due to an on board electrical fire during a test flight on November 9th 2010. Boeing said that the new schedule gave it time "to produce, install and test updated software and new electrical power distribution panels".


“This revised timeline for first delivery accommodates the work we believe remains to be done to complete testing and certification of the 787,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. “We’ve also restored some margin in the schedule to allow for any additional time that may be needed to complete certification activities,” Fancher said.


The plane, already three years overdue hoping to make the first deliveries in May 2008 has been plagued with problems. The first deliveries of the aircraft were meant to be to All Nippon Airways of Japan next month.


The news had been widely anticipated by markets, and the company's share price rose slightly at the start of New York trading following the announcement.


However the problems with Dreamliner have damaged Boeing's reputation. Qatar airways head for example said the company had "very clearly failed" with the new plane.




Since the flight tests began at the end of 2009 the 6 test aircraft have accumulated over 2,500 hours between them. Let's hope that it wasn't a complete waste of time.

Boeing 787-8 taken from 787flgihttest.com

Sources: ATW online
               BBC news
               Reuters.com
               787flighttest.com