Why did Boeing delay the test flight of the 787 Dreamliner again?
Boeing Co. again postponed the first flight of its much-delayed 787 Dreamliner due to a structural flaw that executives said was small, but which further dents the company’s credibility and could hurt the new jet’s future profitability. On Tuesday, Boeing said it had identified problems with the aircraft body near where the wings are attached — a discovery that would delay test flights and delivery dates to dozens of customers for an unspecified amount of time. Boeing’s Dreamliner program was already running nearly two years behind schedule. Sources: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124576258516441545.
Boeing Co. again postponed the first flight of its much-delayed 787 Dreamliner due to a structural flaw that executives said was small, but which further dents the company’s credibility and could hurt the new jet’s future profitability. On Tuesday, Boeing said it had identified problems with the aircraft body near where the wings are attached — a discovery that would delay test flights and delivery dates to dozens of customers for an unspecified amount of time. Boeing’s Dreamliner program was already running nearly two years behind schedule. With the plane’s latest delay, it is unclear when Boeing will finally fly the 787 or deliver the airplane to its first scheduled customer, Japan’s All Nippon Airways Co. In a statement, ANA chastised Chicago-based Boeing for not providing guidance on an updated delivery schedule. The setback will likely cost the company millions of dollars in penalties and concession to customers who have ordered the plane. “It’s going to take some years of high-v
Boeing Delays 787 Dreamliner Test Flight Again Boeing Tuesday said the first test flight of its long-delayed 787 Dreamliner would be postponed again, a move sure to disappoint investors and customers who have ordered the revolutionary carbon-composite aircraft. Boeing Headquarters In a statement, the No. 2 planemaker did not give a new date for the first flight or the first delivery, which also would be rescheduled. The aircraft, already two years behind its original schedule, was to fly for the first time in the second quarter of 2009. Boeing said it delayed the test flight to reinforce an area within the side-of-body section of the aircraft. “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,” Scott Carson, chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in a statement. Boeing shares [BA 43.87 -3.03 (-6.46%) ] fell sharply on the N
