787 troubles, the latest news..

[Schorsch]

Boeing has yet to tell 787 customers exactly how their delivery schedules will be impacted by the latest delay, but it has floated the idea of producing brand new 767-300ERs to help fill the capacity gap.

Is this a late April fools ?

Maybe they come with cargo doors right away as they will be worth nothing as soon as A350 and B787 are flooding the market and A330, B777-200 and A340-300 are looking for second hand customers.

[Schorsch]

Scott Hamilton estimates the costs associated with the B787 delay.
http://www.leeham.net/filelib/ScottsColumn_2_041508.pdf
Different analysts have put the price tag between 0.8 and 5 billion USD.
Using that and some other assumptions the author guesstimated 30 bln USD of lost profit.

[Verbal]

Part of the fallout from the A380 delay was that passenger carriers held onto their existing widebodies longer. The consequence was that fewer used airplanes were feeding into the cargo conversion pipeline. This was felt acutely by the Boeing Converted Freighter program, which found the supply of used 747's and 767's dry up.

Boeing likely will offer 767-300ER's to their 787 customers to provide interim lift during the production delay. I would assume they will be given very favorable lease rates. These airplanes would then be turned off lease upon 787 delivery. The 767-300ER remains popular on the used airplane market, both for passenger use and for cargo conversion. Barring a global airline industry downturn, I don't see that situation changing in the foreseeable future.

[Verbal]

I always like to repeat that the A380 achieved its certification on time of the revised schedule (delay of 6 month announced before first flight). Additionally, they did not take apart the aircraft after Roll-Out (which was actually indoors), achieved Power On long before that Roll Out and flew the aircraft something like 1 and a half month after the originally announced time window (first quarter 2005).

Please explain how this benefited A380 customers. Try to limit your answer to 10,000 words or less. Thanks in advance.

[Schorsch]

I always like to repeat that the A380 achieved its certification on time of the revised schedule (delay of 6 month announced before first flight). Additionally, they did not take apart the aircraft after Roll-Out (which was actually indoors), achieved Power On long before that Roll Out and flew the aircraft something like 1 and a half month after the originally announced time window (first quarter 2005).

Please explain how this benefited A380 customers. Try to limit your answer to 10,000 words or less. Thanks in advance.

There are always two different sides of the story: First is to fly, test and certify an aircraft. Second is to deliver it according to plan and quality. Airbus did satisfactory in number one and failed miserably in number two. It does not make a difference for the customer and as such for the financial side of the manufacturer, but it provides some inside into the particular program. In the end Airbus suffered badly from the A380 disaster. The fact that to of these "disasters" happen in short succession invites to make comparisons.

The remainder of the 10000 words I donate to the United Nations Food Program to buy a bowl of rice.

[Sickbag]

Rumours building of another delay, this time due to FAA requirements...

Reuters reports a German magazine published a story Sunday, saying the FAA recently told the planemaker of an issue regarding certification of the 787, which in turn would push back first deliveries by another three-to-six-months. That's on top of the latest delay, announced by Boeing earlier this month, pushing first deliveries to late 2009 -- about 15 months later than originally planned.

There's just one problem with the report by Focus magazine, Boeing says... it's not true, and the company hasn't heard differently from the FAA.

Which means it properly is true.

[Verbal]

Time to deliver on the 787

Jim McNerney
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

This past week, I visited the 787 final assembly line to check in with the team again and see the progress being made as the first 787s come together. I walked away encouraged by the significant strides that the team has made in completing traveled work and unexpected rework on Airplane #1 and the two structural test airplanes. Airplane #2, and the sections of Airplane #3 that recently arrived, demonstrate that the condition of the assemblies built by our structural partners is improving noticeably with each successive unit. And that is vitally important for getting us back to where we are doing only the work we originally planned to do in our own factory.

During the visit, I could feel the energy and enthusiasm of the Boeing people working on the airplanes--and there were a lot more of them compared to my visit just a few weeks ago. That's a key indicator that the bottlenecks that stalled our progress are beginning to be removed. As 787 program leader Pat Shanahan has said, it is now a matter of burning through the work that will get us to the key milestones we have set for the remainder of the year--starting with "power on" in June.

To me, two themes have emerged from the 787 at this early stage in its life. One centers around innovation, the other around execution. We have gotten the innovation piece of it right (notwithstanding the ever-present potential for unknowns). The execution piece--with specific regard to the business model and our oversight of the supply chain--has been much more of a challenge, and has produced a series of lessons-learned which we will collect and apply across the enterprise.
(From left) Scott Carson, Commercial Airplanes president and CEO, Jack Jones, leader of the 787 Final Assembly team, and Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney as they peer inside the wing of the first 787.

(From left) Scott Carson, Commercial Airplanes president and CEO, and Jack Jones, leader of the 787 Final Assembly team, accompany Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney as they peer inside the wing of the first 787 during a walking tour of the 787 Final Assembly site in Everett, Wash. Pat Shanahan, vice president and general manager of the 787 program, led McNerney on a one-hour tour April 14.

Fundamental, game-changing innovation like that we're pursuing on the 787 usually has a "bleeding-edge" quality to it--meaning it goes beyond "leading edge" into a realm where both the risks and the potential returns are high. In the case of the 787, our delivering on the innovation has given us a roughly five-year lead on the competition. And because of that gap, we have a little more time than we otherwise would to get it right. However, our struggle to execute has come at a price, not the least of which is the impact to our customer relationships.

The global-partnership model of the 787 remains a fundamentally sound strategy. It makes sense to utilize technology and technical talent from around the world. It makes sense to be involved with the industrial bases of countries that also support big customers of ours. But we may have gone a little too far, too fast in a couple of areas. I expect we’ll modify our approach somewhat on future programs—possibly drawing the lines in different places with regard to what we ask our partners to do, but also sharpening our tools for overseeing overall supply chain activities.

That brings us back to where we are today. The simple reality is that it's time to get it done--and done right. The revised 787 plan--which Scott Carson and Pat Shanahan outlined April 9--significantly reduces schedule risk and lays out a more gradual ramp up to full-rate production. It is an achievable, high-confidence plan. We've taken a more conservative approach to setting our milestones, based on our experience to date and the idea that being wrong yet again would be more of a burden to our customers than taking a little more time to get it right.

The 787 is going to be a great airplane. The fundamentals on the program are improving steadily, and the right team is in place to do the job. I expect them to deliver, and I believe they will.

And speaking of delivering, we all need to deliver--to keep executing well and consistently on our own work, and improving our collective productivity. We have a huge backlog and more than 200 programs in the company; the 787 is simply one of the most visible. In addressing the 787 program's needs, we cannot let any of our other programs suffer or slip. We all have a job to do, and I'm asking you to keep doing yours to the best of your ability; keep finding ways to improve; and help keep Boeing on the right track.

Thank you.

Jim

[Schorsch]

Reading between the lines ...

Dear employees,
the management (=we) pursued a flawed strategy in order to maximize the financial results of our company and ultimately of ourselves (but not for you as you don't get flexible benefits). Although knowledgeable people said our strategy was risky/impossible we still sticked to it as the benefits were enormous. Now everything went south. And despite my serious look at all the press conferences our customers start to think we are at least as unreliable as our European competitors (can't remember the name).
Now it's your job to work your ass to the bones to correct our mistakes and effectively do not only your job, but also those of the people we have successfully laid off the last couple of years (Oh, that financed my new house at Lake Washington). It looks like our idea of making our company a sole "system integrator" didn't work but ... err ... the next program surely does not fall under my responsibility any more.

People keep on telling me everything is fine and all deadlines will be met. Sometimes I think they don't tell me the truth but on the other hand I am not sure if I like the naked truth. When I visit our few remaining blue collar people on the factory floor it actually doesn't really look like in Mike's Powerpoint presentation back then. Can't remember exactly why we canceled the second gate in the factory hall. Anyways, I can't tell you the difference between "good progress" and "no progress" at all, even when standing inside it.

Keep on and if possibly work faster and do less mistakes.

Your management.

[Verbal]

Boeing warns delay pay-outs will hit 787 profit
Financial Times 04/24/2008
Author: Hal Weitzman
(c) 2008 The Financial Times Limited. All rights reserved

Boeing said it assumed all 787 Dreamliner deliveries it expected to make next year – the first 25 aircraft – would not on average generate any profit for the company, because of negotiations with customers about compensation for the delays.

Jim McNerney, chief executive of Boeing, admitted on Wednesday that the aircraft-maker had “learnt a lot and have the scars to prove it” from the multiple delays to its 787 Dreamliner.

Two weeks ago Boeing announced the third delay to production of the aircraft, pushing first deliveries back at least 14 months later than initially promised.

The 787 – a long-range, 250-300 seat jet whose carbon-fibre body is expected to make it about 20 per cent more fuel-efficient than existing models – is Boeing’s most successful launch, with orders from more than 60 customers for a total of 892 aircraft, worth $145bn at list prices.

But the project has been dogged by problems, chiefly involving production difficulties among the myriad suppliers from Italy to Japan who are building parts of the aircraft to be shipped to Seattle for final assembly.

In his first public remarks on the 787 delays, Mr McNerney said: “There’s some learning there for us and we’re already doing it differently having real-time visibility of your partners’ inventory as well as a global understanding of how things are coming together would have helped us a lot.”

He made the comments after Boeing reported that its first-quarter profits rose 38 per cent from the same period last year, well ahead of what Wall Street had been expecting, as strength in its commercial aircraft division offset weaker performance by its defence unit.

Net income rose $1.2bn, or $1.62 a share, from $877m, or $1.13 a share, in the same period last year. Analysts had been forecasting earnings per share of about $1.35 for the quarter. Sales of commercial aircraft rose by 8 per cent from last year to $8.2bn in the first quarter, on an 8 per cent increase in aircraft deliveries to 115.

Boeing said it planned to raise commercial aircraft production from around 480 this year to between 500-505 in 2009. Deliveries would rise further in 2010.

Revenues at Boeing’s defence division, the second-biggest supplier to the Pentagon after Lockheed Martin, fell 2 per cent in the first quarter from last year to $7.6bn. Overall, the company’s revenues were up 4 per cent on last year to $16bn – below the $16.6bn that analysts had expected.

However, its order backlog stood at a record at $346bn. Boeing’s first-quarter commercial aircraft deliveries rose by 8.5 per cent compared with last year. The company has taken 288 orders for commercial aircraft so far this year, up from 189 at the same time last year.

For the full year, Boeing reaffirmed its earnings-per-share outlook of $5.70-$5.85 on revenues of $67bn-$68bn. For 2009, the company forecast earnings per share of $6.80-$7.00 on revenues of $72bn-$73bn. Boeing’s shares were up 5.2 per cent at $82.66 by midday in New York.

[tds]

...a global understanding of how things are coming together would have helped us a lot.

And how much do Boeing shareholders pay for this razor-sharp mind?

[B77W-QOTS]

http://www.flightglobal.com


Boeing 787 customers are being advised that they face delays of at least two years to their first deliveries following the latest programme slip, and are preparing to seek compensation.
Industry sources say that the average delay to first delivery is around 27 months. Air Canada, which has 37 787s on order, says it has been informed by Boeing that its first delivery will be pushed back by 24-30 months to around January 2012.
The airline's chief executive Montie Brewer says the carrier "will run into [capacity] issues in 2010 when the first aircraft was supposed to show up.
Sources say that Qatar Airways is facing a similar length of delay to Air Canada, of over two years. The airline has 30 firm orders and 30 options, the first of which had been due in August 2010. Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker says the airline will exercise existing 777 options to bridge the 787 delay and is considering additional leases.
Air Canada and Qatar Airways confirm they will seek compensation from Boeing.
LAN Airlines, which has 32 787s on order, has warned that it is facing a delay of around two years, while Royal Jordanian expects to wait up to 30 months to the delivery of its first of 11 aircraft on order.
The delay for North American launch customer Northwest Airlines, which has 18 787s on order, is not as significant. The carrier expects its first delivery to slip from the original August 2008 target to the fourth quarter of 2009.
The 787 had been due to enter service this month with launch customer All Nippon Airways, but service entry has been postponed until next year because of ongoing production problems that delayed the first flight, which had been due in 2007 and is now expected late this year.

[Sickbag]

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... e-787.html

To date, suppliers have delivered parts for three of the six 787 flight-test aircraft, plus two ground test airframes. Programme sources have told Flight International that with the delivery of each subsequent aircraft, the condition of assembly improves, better enabling assembly crews to carry out the work packages for which they were originally trained. Unequivocally, sources say, final assembly is beginning to run "like it's supposed to".

A veteran Boeing engineer, who worked on a key structural portion of the aircraft in Everett, recounted the challenges Boeing has faced in this way: "Imagine you order a brand-new car from a dealer, and they deliver it right to your garage, except it is all in pieces. The engine is in a crate, the seats are in boxes, and the dashboard is held together with duct tape.

"Also, you've been told that a number of vital parts are missing, but there's nothing in your paperwork to indicate what those parts are. And all you have to put it together with is your Sears Craftsman socket set and pair of pliers. Imagine how long it will take you to finish building the car, compared with how long it would have taken if it were completed on the assembly line in the first place."

Interesting article.
The 787 was originally due to be in commercial service three days ago.

[Verbal]

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/aero ... 140335.asp

James Wallace on Aerospace

At this week's IATA conference in Istanbul, Turkey, I spoke with a number of 787 customers about the delays. I have wrapped some of those interviews into my Aerospace Notebook that will be posted online in a few hours. Here is that report.

AEROSPACE NOTEBOOK by James Wallace

ISTANBUL, Turkey – Among the airline executives who came to this ancient city on the Bosporus this week for the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association was a who's who of customers that have ordered The Boeing Co.'s 787 Dreamliner.

From Qantas and Qatar to British Airways and Northwest, they expressed concerns and serious disappointment with delays that could see some of their planes delivered as much as 30 or more months late.

But no one is canceling 787s.

The biggest single customer for the Dreamliner, leasing giant ILFC, is talking to Boeing about additional 787s. And some airlines like American that have not yet ordered the 787 are considering the fuel-efficient plane.

Boeing has about 900 orders from more than 50 customers, which has made the 787 the fastest-selling jetliner ever.

With oil prices at $130 a barrel and sky-high fuel prices robbing their industry of profits and sending some carriers out of business, airline executives said the industry needs more fuel-efficient jets like the 787 and the Airbus A350 that is under development.

"It's disappointing that the airplane has been delayed," said Douglas Steenland, president and chief executive of Northwest Airlines, which will be the first U.S. airline to operate the 787.

"Given the price of fuel the impact and consequences of the delays have gotten greater," he said in an interview on the sidelines of the two-day IATA conference that ended Tuesday. The association represents some 230 international airlines that account for about 93 percent of all scheduled international air traffic.

The record-high price of jet fuel, and the industry crisis that has resulted, was the major focus of the IATA meeting.

Northwest, which has agreed to a merger with Delta Airlines, has 18 Dreamliners on firm order with options for more.

The 787, the first large passenger jet with a light-weight composite fuselage, will be about 20 percent more fuel efficient than the Boeing 767 that it is replacing.

"One of the real values and benefits of the airplane is its fuel efficiency," Steenland said. "And when you compare the trip costs of a 787 with that of a 747-400, the 787 is even more of a compelling proposition. With fuel prices what they are today, you would like to be in a position to put the 787 into service now."

Northwest is one of only two U.S. airlines – United is the other – that still operate passenger versions of Boeing's 747.

Before Boeing announced a series of 787 delays, due mostly to production issues involving its global partners, Northwest was supposed to take delivery of its first 787s this summer. That won't happen now until late next year. The 787 program is about 15 months behind schedule. The first 787s were to have been delivered starting last month to launch customer All Nippon Airways of Japan.

At this week's IATA meeting, other 787 customers echoed Steenland's disappointment in not getting their planes on time. Some face challenges in finding other planes to put in their fleets to make up for lost capacity they had planned on with the 787. Here's what they had to say:

ILFC: International Lease finance Corp., the world's biggest aircraft leasing company, has 74 Dreamliners on order, and Steven Udvar-Hazy, ILFC founder and chief executive, said he continues to talk with Boeing about ordering 26 more, underscoring that he believes the super-efficient plane will be a huge success despite the ongoing production issues.

But Udvar-Hazy said any deal for more planes depends on Boeing being able to tell him exactly when they will be delivered – and Boeing can't say right now. He said he can't go to airlines about leasing them 787s without knowing delivery dates.

Boeing has said it will deliver only 25 Dreamliners by the end of 2009 instead of 112, and it continues to look at how quickly after that it can ramp up 787 production rates.

Earlier this year, at an investment conference, Udvar-Hazy had a blunt assessment of the state of the 787 program – "not pretty."

"I hope things are under control," he said in the interview at the IATA meeting.

Boeing has said it expects to reach the key "power on" milestone by the end of June, when the first 787 will be able to run under its own internal electrical power. First flight will come in the fourth quarter, according to Boeing.

But Udvar-Hazy said he is hearing that weight remains a problem.

"The latest information we have is that they are overweight but they are trying to address that. It may be difficult to do that in the first few deliveries."

Boeing has acknowledged the six test flight planes will weigh more than they should, but it has not said if the first batch of planes for customers will be overweight.

In addition to more 787s, Udvar-Hazy said ILFC is in serious talks with Boeing about more 737s.

What's holding up a deal?

"Price," he said with a smile.

American Airlines: The world's biggest carrier has been a loyal Boeing customer for many years, but Chief Executive Gerald Arpey said American is looking at both the 787 and the competing A350.

"We continue to look very carefully at the 787 and the A350, and frankly, the Boeing production delays have given us more time to make a decision," he said.

The first of three A350 models will not enter service until 2013, according to Airbus.

"It's inevitable we will cross one of those bridges," Arpey said about a future American
order for either the 787 or A350. "Whatever is in our best interest will be the deciding factor."

American announced last month that it was slashing its U.S. capacity and retiring as many as 85 older jets because of staggering fuel costs and slowing demand.

"We have announced a series of steps to withstand this extraordinary increase in fuel prices, and there may be more," Arpey said. "Fortunately we have been preparing for a tough environment for many years."

The airline industry "was not built to withstand oil prices of $130 a barrel," Arpey said. "Seminal changes are needed for those of us that are going to survive."

Singapore Airlines: The airline has ordered both the 787 and the A350, and is the first airline to operate the Airbus A380, the world's biggest passenger plane.

Chew Choon Seng, chief executive of Singapore Airlines, said the first of its 787s will be delayed by about 15 months, but its later Dreamliners will be as much as 25 months behind schedule. The airline has ordered the bigger 787-9. The program delays have pushed development of the 787-9 back into 2012. Singapore Airlines was to have gotten its first planes in 2011.

"We are still working through what the impact will be," Chew said of the delays and what the airline will do to make up for the lost capacity.

One option, he said, would be to delay retirement of some of the airline's older 777s.

Singapore Airlines is accustomed to delays of new jets. The A380 was nearly two years late. Chew's airline now has four in service and is about to take delivery of the fifth of 19 on order. It has 20 787s on order, along with 20 A350s.

Qatar Airways: Akbar Al Baker, chief executive of one of the fastest-growing airlines in the Middle East, said he and Boeing are near an agreement on how the airline will be able to make up for lost capacity due to the 787 delays.

"We have already found a way to mitigate the delays," he said. "We have made alternate arrangements to fill in the gap."

But Al Baker declined to be more specific. Qatar will make an announcement when the agreement with Boeing is finalized, he said.

The Doha-based airline has 30 787s on order, a mix of the 787-8 and the 787-9. It
was to have taken delivery of the first of those 787-8s in 2010.

Earlier this year, Qatar Airways took delivery of the first of 32 777s on order. It's possible more 777s could be used to meet Qatar's lift needs from the missing 787s.

The 787, Al Baker said, will become the airline's backbone on regional routes as well as high-frequency long-haul routes.

Qantas: After ILFC, Australia's flagship airline is the next biggest 787 customer, with 65 on firm order, the first of which are to go to its low-cost subsidiary, Jetstar Airways. "It's a huge issue for us," Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon said of the 787 delays. "It changes everything."

Boeing has told Qantas its first 787s will be around 15 months late.

Qantas was so concerned when Boeing announced the first of three 787 delays late last year that it sent its own team of experts to Seattle to better understand the extent of the 787 problems, Dixon said. Boeing even agreed to allow the Qantas team to audit the 787 program. Dixon said the team's report is ready and should be in his hands soon.

"Boeing has been very cooperative and I think that is very important," Dixon said.

Qantas is also a customer for the A380 and Dixon had previously complained that Airbus did not inform Qantas and other A380 customers soon enough about the delays in that program.

"Boeing has been very open,'' he said. "The big thing about delays is that if you see a problem you have to let us know.''

Meanwhile, Dixon said Qantas is still interested in the A350-1000 as well as the 787-10 and more 777s and A380s. A decision on additional long-haul planes could come in the next few months, he said.

Boeing has said it continues to study the market for the 787-10, which would be a 300-plus-seater. Because of the program delays, Boeing has not given a new timetable for development of the 787-10.

Lufthansa: In addition to the 787, Boeing is also developing a bigger and more efficient 747-8. The freighter model will be ready next year, followed by the passenger plane, known as the Intercontinental, in 2010.

But the only major airline customer so far for the 787-8 Intercontinental is Lufthansa.

Wolfgang Mayrhuber, chairman and chief executive, said he has been
assured by Boeing the 747-8 remains on schedule.

And he said he is not concerned that no other major airline has ordered the passenger version.

"Not at all,'' he said. "We will not be the only one. This plane will be a big success."

Boeing Chairman and Chief Executive Jim McNerney recently said Boeing may win at least two more airline orders this year for the Intercontinental.

Posted by James Wallace at June 3, 2008 2:59 p.m.

[Procede]

"And when you compare the trip costs of a 787 with that of a 747-400, the 787 is even more of a compelling proposition. With fuel prices what they are today, you would like to be in a position to put the 787 into service now."

I'm sure a CRJ-100 is even cheaper when you look at trip costs...

[AndyToop]

"And when you compare the trip costs of a 787 with that of a 747-400, the 787 is even more of a compelling proposition. With fuel prices what they are today, you would like to be in a position to put the 787 into service now."

I'm sure a CRJ-100 is even cheaper when you look at trip costs...

Not when the trip is 5,000 miles. Airport fees and the amount of fuel burned getting back to FL360 four or five times would even it out

[Sickbag]

Damage to Boeing 787 fuselage piece at S.C. plant may delay flight tests
Boeing had pegged Dreamliner No. 4 as a turning point for its delayed 787 jet program. But now the crucial program has been set back by a production problem on this fourth flight-test airplane.

A major mishap inside a Charleston, S.C., assembly plant last week structurally damaged the upper half, or crown section, of Dreamliner No. 4's center fuselage, Boeing confirmed Monday, the day the fuselage was to have been in Everett.

Although a repair was completed Monday, the section remains unfinished and Boeing has not yet rescheduled its delivery. The nose section, which is ready for delivery, is being held in Wichita until the center fuselage is ready.

Boeing spokeswoman Lori Gunter said a revised delivery schedule should be ready in a few days and the impact on the flight-test program will be known then.

Put the wrong fastener in and you are in danger of writing the whole section off, if they can't do it right in the factory how is that going to work out in 'the field'?

Gunter said the botched job doesn't indicate a significant production problem. "This is someone who did not follow specific instructions on work that needed to be done," she said. "This is not typical or systemic in any way."

...Gunter said Alenia had hired some mechanics locally. Neither she nor an Alenia spokesman knew whether the mechanic who did the damage was experienced or a relatively new hire.

Will build aircraft for food stamps..

[Verbal]

Put the wrong fastener in and you are in danger of writing the whole section off, if they can't do it right in the factory how is that going to work out in 'the field'?

I highly doubt the entire fuselage section was at risk of being written off. I can assure you, there will be many, many such similar frayed fastener holes when 787's have major maintenance work done in the fleets (1). Essentially, Boeing got to implement one of its standard repairs on an in-production airplane. Structural Repair Manual types of repairs are fairly common on in-production aluminium airplanes.

(1) Assuming Boeing eventually delivers 787's, and there actually will be an in-service fleet.

[Procede]

(1) Assuming Boeing eventually delivers 787's, and there actually will be an in-service fleet.

In the worst case, I'm sure they'd make beautiful hangar queens. Too bad they can't be recycled into tin foil hats, like aluminum aircraft...

[Sickbag]

The South Carolina plant that assembles the mid-fuselage of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner halted production for 24 hours beginning Monday night after a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) audit found lax manufacturing procedures that could result in damage to the aircraft sections.

The production shutdown at the Global Aeronautica plant in Charleston, S.C., was ordered by plant management, which required all workers on three shifts to attend eight-hour training sessions on proper work procedures and policies.

The plant is a 50-50 joint venture between Boeing and its Italian 787 partner, Alenia Aeronautica, that assembles the center fuselage from pieces made in Italy and Japan. Boeing officially took over its half in June from another of the partners, Vought of Texas.

Global Aeronautica spokeswoman Lee Kurtz said the training began at 10 p.m. Monday and was expected to end 24 hours later. "Production halted during that time so that all of the work force can be fully focused on these issues," she said.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/b ... al020.html

repeat after me: "I will not hammer a round peg into a square hole'...

[Verbal]

I think the training sessions were to raise awareness of Foreign Object Damage. To wit: the airplane is not your personal garbage can.

[Sabre]

Brake software latest threat to Boeing 787

By Bill Rigby and Tim Hepher

FARNBOROUGH (Reuters) - Verifying software in the brake control system of Boeing's (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) 787 Dreamliner is the latest problem holding back the new plane's first test flight, the troubled program's chief said.

The first of the 787s, originally meant to fly last summer, has been held back by three major production delays due to parts shortages and incomplete work from suppliers arriving at its assembly plant near Seattle.

The plane is still on track for a first flight in the fourth quarter -- in line with the last schedule announced in April -- but the newest "air bubble" in the timetable is in the brake systems, Pat Shanahan, general manager of the 787 program, said at a briefing at Farnborough Airshow on Tuesday.

"We need to push harder on the brake system," he said.

Push harder on the brake system?? Sounds more like a training issue

Complete article: http://uk.reuters.com/article/companyNe ... 0020080715

[Verbal]

If the brake control system software is designed by Europeans, we're all doomed.

[Peminu]

If the brake control system software is designed by Europeans, we're all doomed.

Why?

Don't you like Airbus ABS* system?






*(Anti-Braking-System)

[tds]

The problem lies here, according to the article:

The work on the brake control and monitoring system is being done by Hydro-Aire, part of U.S. engineering company Crane Co (CR.N: Quote, Profile, Research), which was in turn subcontracted by General Electric Co's (GE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Smiths aerospace unit.

"It's not that the brakes don't work, it's the traceability of the software," Shanahan said, explaining that Crane had to go back and rewrite certain parts of the brake control software to verify it for the certification process.

"I'm confident it will be done. It's General Electric," Shanahan said.

[Schorsch]

I have the feeling the Reuters reporter didn't get the whole story.
How can a non 100% certifiable brake system stop first flight, which itself is still at least 2 month in the future?
I think they don't make the first flight as revenue flight.