Hazy: "787 Wing Box Needs Redesign" - Boeing: "Yup"

[Matt Molnar]

Financial Times:

Boeing admits Dreamliner rethink

By Hal Weitzman in Chicago

Published: March 19 2008 18:02 | Last updated: March 19 2008 18:02

Boeing admitted on Wednesday that it would have to redesign parts of its troubled 787 Dreamliner, raising the prospect of a third delay in recent months to delivery of the new aircraft.

The company’s comments came in response to a warning from Steven Udvar-Hazy, chairman of International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), the 787’s biggest customer.

Mr Hazy told a JPMorgan Chase conference that the state of the Dreamliner programme was “not pretty”. He said first deliveries would be delayed for at least another six months because its centre wing box – which holds the wings in place – needed to be redesigned. [Full article]

[Midnight Mike]

After a while you get numb with the delays, this is going to cost Boeing some serious bucks, but, what is encouraging is that the customers have not threatened to cancel their order....

[lijk604]

Oops.

[Matt Molnar]

Boeing released a statement today saying the wing box problem has been rectified and they're still on track. A comprehensive progress update is expected the end of this month where they may or may not announce another delay.

Boeing can thank a lack of alternatives for the fact that no orders have been (and probably none will be) cancelled. Even a delayed 787 will be delivered years before the first A350, and the secondhand market for 767s and A330s is extremely tight.