Boeing has suspended deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft after another fuselage-related issue recently surfaced. The manufacturer calls this a “mistake” made during testing, and is confident that there are no immediate threats to the operating fleet.
Recall that earlier Boeing suspended deliveries of 787s for more than a year due to manufacturing shortcomings. The current situation immediately led to a drop in the company's shares by almost 3 percent.
Boeing temporarily halted deliveries of its Dreamliners after it was revealed that the components of their fuselage needed further examination. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not hide: deliveries will not be resumed until it is fully satisfied with the explanations of quality experts. The agency also said it is working with Boeing on a list of actions that may be required for newly delivered aircraft.
Boeing, in turn, issued a statement explaining the problem: “In reviewing the certification records, Boeing discovered an error made by our supplier. The issue is related to the forward pressurized bulkhead of the 787. We have notified the FAA and have suspended shipments of the 787 until we complete the necessary analysis and close the documentation.
The manufacturer assured that the operated fleet has no immediate safety problems. Boeing is in contact with customers and will continue to follow FAA guidance. According to those responsible, the suspension will affect short-term deliveries, but “will not affect the fulfillment of production forecasts and annual deliveries.”
The latest statement reminded experts of the pause in deliveries that recently occurred with the Boeing 787 aircraft. Shipment of Boeing 787 to customers was stopped by the FAA in May 2021 after manufacturing flaws were revealed, and the regulator had concerns about the methods and quality of its own inspections. Boeing. Then, in February 2022, the FAA banned Boeing from self-certifying 787s.
This led the FAA to take over the airworthiness of each individual 787, just as it did with all Boeings. 737 MAX since resuming deliveries after the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes.
Boeing has not delivered a single Dreamliner for over a year, affecting the plans of several airlines around the world, from American Airlines in the US to Vistara in India.
The aircraft manufacturer finally resumed production in August 2022 with another 787 handed over to American Airlines and very quickly ramped up its delivery schedule to over 30 aircraft per month.
At a press conference , dedicated to the financial results of the company, confirmed the information that it will take some time to ramp up Dreamliner production. However, Boeing still hopes to deliver 70-80 new aircraft to customers this year.
