U.K. SUBS.
21st Mar 2008, 03:58
It's not looking too good for JQ. This article is in Aviationweek so judge by yourself.
By Michael Mecham and Guy Norris
Boeing has confirmed comments by International Lease Finance Corp. Chairman and CEO Steven Udvar-Hazy that the 787's composite center wing box has needed redesign, but it is not addressing his larger concern about whether the changes will further delay the program or greatly complicate the chance of producing a larger version to counteract the Airbus A350XWB.
Program sources indicated to Aviation Week that Boeing has affixed stiffeners to restore the structural integrity to the spars on the existing center wing box. The change was necessitated by a weight increase in the aircraft. Stress tests indicated the composite units were failing below design target.
"It is a normal part of the development of a new airplane to discover need for improvements and that is what we are experiencing on the 787," the company said in a statement. "The robust test process in place on the 787 program has confirmed the majority of our designs but we have found the need for some improvements."
Udvar-Hazy, Boeing's biggest 787 customer with 74 firm orders, told a recent JPMorgan financial conference that he expects a further 6-month delay in certification and delivery--to the third quarter of 2009--from the current schedule. He said a key reason for that delay is the structural redesign needed to the center wing box, which is built by Fuji Heavy Industries. Among the implications of the redesign will be the need to retrofit aircraft already on the 787 final assembly line in Everett, Wash.
Boeing says the center wing box issue "has been addressed" and a fix is being installed on the first six flyable aircraft for the flight test program. Four aircraft are now under final assembly--two for flight test and one each for static and fatigue testing.
"All airplanes after Airplane 7 will have the solution incorporated from the beginning," Boeing said. It added that "the fundamental technologies being used on the 787 are proving to be reliable and effective" and that "material choices and manufacturing techniques for the airplane are sound."
Udvar-Hazy said weight gains in the standard 787-8 and long-range 787-9 are making it increasingly more difficult to stretch the airplane even further to create a 787-10 that can carry more than 300 passengers. The -10 would be an answer to the Airbus A350XWB challenge to the bottom end of Boeing's 777 family.
By Michael Mecham and Guy Norris
Boeing has confirmed comments by International Lease Finance Corp. Chairman and CEO Steven Udvar-Hazy that the 787's composite center wing box has needed redesign, but it is not addressing his larger concern about whether the changes will further delay the program or greatly complicate the chance of producing a larger version to counteract the Airbus A350XWB.
Program sources indicated to Aviation Week that Boeing has affixed stiffeners to restore the structural integrity to the spars on the existing center wing box. The change was necessitated by a weight increase in the aircraft. Stress tests indicated the composite units were failing below design target.
"It is a normal part of the development of a new airplane to discover need for improvements and that is what we are experiencing on the 787," the company said in a statement. "The robust test process in place on the 787 program has confirmed the majority of our designs but we have found the need for some improvements."
Udvar-Hazy, Boeing's biggest 787 customer with 74 firm orders, told a recent JPMorgan financial conference that he expects a further 6-month delay in certification and delivery--to the third quarter of 2009--from the current schedule. He said a key reason for that delay is the structural redesign needed to the center wing box, which is built by Fuji Heavy Industries. Among the implications of the redesign will be the need to retrofit aircraft already on the 787 final assembly line in Everett, Wash.
Boeing says the center wing box issue "has been addressed" and a fix is being installed on the first six flyable aircraft for the flight test program. Four aircraft are now under final assembly--two for flight test and one each for static and fatigue testing.
"All airplanes after Airplane 7 will have the solution incorporated from the beginning," Boeing said. It added that "the fundamental technologies being used on the 787 are proving to be reliable and effective" and that "material choices and manufacturing techniques for the airplane are sound."
Udvar-Hazy said weight gains in the standard 787-8 and long-range 787-9 are making it increasingly more difficult to stretch the airplane even further to create a 787-10 that can carry more than 300 passengers. The -10 would be an answer to the Airbus A350XWB challenge to the bottom end of Boeing's 777 family.