Boeing 787: 1,000 Dreamliners have a problem

Lufthansa Already training cockpit crews for use on a Boeing 787which, after delays, should now arrive from 2022. CEO Carsten Spohr said at the beginning of November that deliveries in the first quarter of next year would be enough for his airline. “We want them in the summer, we need them.” But does it work?

The list of Boeing problems with Dreamliner production is currently not short – on the contrary. newspaper Seattle Times He was able to view a current memo from the US Federal Aviation Administration regarding the Boeing Dreamliner. It provides new details about known but unresolved issues, but also names an issue that is not yet known.

bug problem

Accordingly, Boeing has problems with contamination of the carbon-fiber composite material from which large parts of the fuselage, wing and tail are made. This was noticed already at the beginning of the year by the supplier Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which builds the pavilions. The bond strength was reduced, but remained within the required limits.

However, at the end of October, Boeing informed the FAA that the same contaminants were now found in other major suppliers and this time also affecting the fuselage and the rear of the aircraft. In addition, additional tests of composite materials have shown that the strength in some cases is outside the permissible limits. An approach to problem assessment proposed by Boeing has not received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Two Afghan National Army pilots have a titanium problem

The memo also provides new details To use the wrong titanium alloy for certain formulationswhich were installed by Leonardo in Italy in the fuselage sections that can now be found in over 450 Dreamliners. The FAA said this could lead to an unsafe condition if the wrong slug is used on two or more adjacent devices. Two jetliners come with this security risk from All Nippon Airways. Boeing completed its repairs in October.

a Already known problem with the production 787 He also appeared in a new location. Small unevenness in the surface structure leads to the appearance of small gaps between different parts of the fuselage. These gaps are not filled with fillers called fillers as intended.

The gap is now also around the doors

This is now also the case in the area around the passenger and cargo doors in the rear. Supplier Leonardo is also responsible for production. The FAA found that the cause of the difficulties was not due to poor work on the final assembly, but rather to inaccuracies in the manufacturing process of the machine.

According to an FAA memo, Boeing said the gaps would be within tolerance, but did not provide any data on individual aircraft. The manufacturer began to make improvements to the first aircraft. The newer back structures are not currently being built at all.

Over 1,000 Dreamliners affected

A Boeing spokesperson confirmed to the Seattle Times, “We’re examining aircraft that were not delivered from front to back and found areas where production did not meet technical specifications.” None of the problems are an immediate aviation safety issue, and 787s currently in service can be examined and improved at a later time as part of routine maintenance.

According to an FAA memo, more than 1,000 Dreamliners already flying are said to have been affected by the gap problem at various points on the plane, the newspaper wrote. This will be nearly all Boeing 787s ever delivered, and there is disagreement about the appropriate scope of the inspections. Boeing made an offer of inspection, stating that the procedure did not require FAA approval. “We strongly disagree,” the authority wrote.