Boeing admits redesign work on 787 Dreamliner parts, stays mum on further delays

Following media reports suggesting redesign problems, Boeing has now admitted that it has "found the need for some improvements" on the 787 Dreamliner, specifically in the centre wing box. It also said that six aircraft, currently undergoing final assembly at the company's Everett facility, are now being refitted with the improved design.

Without commenting on the likelihood of a delay resulting from design changes, the company said in an emailed statement, "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."

"Boeing is working its normal processes for developing a new airplane. The test process is working when issues are discovered and we are reacting appropriately by implementing normal design validation and fixes when we find issues," the statement continued, adding, "the centre wing box issue has been addressed."

The manufacturer also said that the solution would be incorporated in all aircraft, from the seventh aircraft onwards, from the start.

Boeing's statement comes after a story carried by the Financial Times, had a Boeing spokesman acknowledging that "some redesign work " was being carried out on the 787 Dreamliner. This admission had come in the wake of comments from ILFC chairman and CEO, Steven Udvar-Hazy, who runs the world's largest aircraft lessor, that the state of the 787 programme was "not pretty." He also said that he anticipated a further six-month delay.

Two weeks ago, a client note from Goldman Sachs had warned that a further three-month delay could likely occur that could push initial delivery to the Q3 of 2009.
 
Boeing is expected to issue an update on the 787's progress and announce a delay, if any, sometime late this month or early April.