787 maintenance
One of Boeing's big selling points for the 787--its maintenance plan that promises lower operating costs because of fewer trips to the maintenance shop--has received FAA approval.
The FAA Maintenance Review Board has accepted Boeing's premise that the wide use of corrosion and fatigue resistant composites in the airframe and the new airplane's highly integrated systems architecture will require fewer of the time-consuming inspections and less maintenance than current generation aircraft, such as the 767.
In all, Boeing expects the 787 to save 30% in direct cash operating expenses over 767-era airplanes. In many cases, maintenance schedule intervals are twice as long for the 787.
For instance, the first external structural inspection for a 787 is set at six years of normal service rather than just three years for the 767. Similarly, the first internal structural inspection is planned at 12 years, rather than six on the 767.
The Maintenance Review Board's approval is part of the aircraft certification process. First flight is expected in the second quarter of 2009 and first 787 deliveries in 2010. Both are about two years behind the original schedule.
Photo: Boeing
This is what FAA said so Boeing can sell this aircraft but the reality is that there will be more smaller checks that has to be conducted which will require more additional manpower and more training,now itself Boeing has found problems and once aircraft in service more problems are anticipated,so if the engineering think they can reduce manpower good luck to them,