Boeing’s deliveries slowed by quality concerns
Boeing finds new problem with 787 that will delay deliveries. The company said it was stepping up inspections, citing new manufacturing problems. Federal regulators are also looking into production flaws.
Boeing said Tuesday that it expected deliveries of its popular 787 Dreamliner to be delayed as it and the Federal Aviation Administration look into quality-control concerns with the plane, a widebody jet capable of carrying hundreds of passengers long distances.
Last month, the company said it had grounded eight planes already in service for inspection and repair after finding that it had fallen short of its manufacturing standards. On Tuesday, Boeing said it had identified another failure to abide by its own guidelines during production of a horizontal stabilizer, though it said there was no immediate risk.
“We are taking time to thoroughly inspect completed 787s to ensure that they are free of the issues and meet all engineering specifications prior to delivery,” the company said in a statement. “We expect these inspections to affect the timing of 787 deliveries in the near-term.”
Boeing said the new problem stemmed from excess force in assembling components of the stabilizer at its Salt Lake City facility and could affect the part’s life span. A total of 893 airplanes are believed to be affected, the company said, and it is examining whether repairs are needed on any jets now in service.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the company for manufacturing flaws related to the plane.
“The agency continues to engage with Boeing,” the agency said on Monday. “It is too early to speculate about the nature or extent of any proposed airworthiness directives that might arise.”
Boeing shares fell nearly 6 percent Tuesday after the Wall Street Journal, citing agency documents, reported that the FAA was considering requiring deeper inspections of most of the approximately 1,000 Dreamliners delivered since 2011.
The Dreamliner is a star of Boeing’s lineup, a relatively fuel-efficient twin-aisle airplane suited to international service.
Production concerns with the plane are long-standing. More than a year ago, a review by the New York Times of hundreds of internal and federal records and interviews with current and former staff members found a culture that emphasized speed over quality at Boeing’s plant in North Charleston, S.C., one of two where the Dreamliner is produced.