Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner gets a new schedule

Chicago: The Boeing Co has announced that first flight of the 787 Dreamliner is expected by the end of 2009 while first commercial delivery is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2010. The company has also projected a production rate of 10 airplanes per month in late 2013.

The company said the new schedule, makes allowance for the time needed to reinforce an area within the side-of-body section of the aircraft, as well as the addition of several weeks of schedule margin to reduce flight test and certification risk.

According to the company, the 787 team working the side-of-body reinforcement has completed initial testing and is finalizing design details of new fittings that are expected to ensure full structural integrity of the joint.

The static test procedure that uncovered the issue will be repeated, it said, and the results fully analyzed before first flight is conducted. Fatigue testing also will be performed on stringer components to validate the long-term durability of the modification.

The first 787 test airplane and static test unit have been prepared for the new fittings. Installation is expected to begin within the next few weeks.

"This new schedule provides us the time needed to complete the remaining work necessary to put the 787's game-changing capability in the hands of our customers," said Boeing chairman, president and chief executive officer Jim McNerney. "The design details and implementation plan are nearly complete, and the team is preparing airplanes for modification and testing."