Production flaws could delay deliveries of 787 Dreamliner jets, says Boeing

*Carrier discloses 3 separate production flaws have been discovered

*The issue could make it necessary for regulatory officials to inspect roughly 900 of the jets

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect
Leading aircraft manufacturer Boeing has said the three production flaws discovered in the past year could delay deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner.

The aviation giant is said to have been developing the jetliner as an alternative to its much troubled 737 MAX model.

It was gathered that the latest flaws, which were discovered in February and disclosed Tuesday, September 8, involved the 787’s horizontal stabiliser (also known as the tail).

Boeing said that during the fabrication process, some of the parts were “clamped with greater force than specified, which could result in improper gap verification and shimming.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters, that the issue could make it necessary for officials to inspect roughly 900 of the jets in the process.

Report indicates that the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Tuesday it “is investigating manufacturing flaws affecting certain Boeing 787 jetliners.The agency continues to engage with Boeing.”

Hitherto, the company was said to have attempted to revive its business and win back public support, following two deadly crashes that led to the carrier’s 737 MAX being grounded globally few years back.

The aviation company has set out to posit its 787 Dreamliner as its primary “cash cow” in the wake of the crashes, since consumers will likely remain hesitant to board Boeing’s 737 MAX jet for some time.

The FAA recently stated that it was also investigating two other issues in some of the carrier’s 787 Dreamliner’s besides the tail flaw.

It is too soon to tell if these flaws will warrant new inspections, said FAA officials.

ConsumerConnect recently reported that Boeing discovered an issue in the manufacturing process of eight of its successful widebody 787 Dreamliner noted for a long haul and comfort.

An early diagnosis had indicated that the problem stems from two distinct manufacturing issues in the join of certain 787 aftbody (at back of aircraft) fuselage sections.

In a statement, the company stated that the discovery, in combination, “result(s) in a condition that does not meet our design standards.”

Production of the 787 Dreamliner has reportedly slowed considerably since the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, primarily because there was little travel being done internationally since then.

Long-haul flights have typically been where the aircraft shines due to its comfort and fuel efficiency, report said.

The 787 Dreamliner was temporarily grounded in 2013 when its lithium batteries created fires, and a whistleblower brought up potential safety issues with the plane in 2019.

Boeing’s problems extend much further than this latest issue with its 787 Dreamliner, report said.