The Boeing Dreamliner delivery is delayed again.

[bmc]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12217975

[Expat]

By the time they deliver, it may be called Dreamliner NextGen...

[MrWings]

deleted

[bizjets101]

EVERETT, Wash., Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced today that it expects delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner in the third quarter of this year. The new delivery date reflects the impact of an in-flight incident during testing last November and includes the time required to produce, install and test updated software and new electrical power distribution panels in the flight test and production airplanes.

----------------------------------------

Engineers have determined that the fault began as either a short circuit or an electrical arc in the P100 power distribution panel, most likely caused by the presence of foreign debris. The design changes will improve the protection within the panel. Software changes also will be implemented to further improve fault protection. (an insulation blanket caught fire, the fire self-extinguished but caused major damage to the panel).

The P100 panel is one of five major power distribution panels on the 787. It receives power from the left engine and distributes it to an array of systems.

N787EX ZA002 Nov 09/10 Laredo Texas

Dreamliner inflight fire.jpg (45.38 KiB) Viewed 1504 times

[Nark]

In reference to the Boeing whistler blower thread from several weeks ago, I ask this:

Would you rather have a known technical glitch, ie faulty electrical panel, igniting, or have the problem fixed, but a delay in delivery?

[bmc]

Obvious answer, there, Nark.

When airlines train staff, buy ground equipment, sell seats, plan network growth around known delivery schedules, they have high expectations of having the machines on the ramp. Older aircraft may be phased out and leases not renewed, in anticipation of scheduled deliveries. This is costly stuff.

This isn't the first time Boeing ran into quality issues. I recall, while at Canadian, when we took delivery of our first B767-300ER. After the media flights and fanfare at YVR, the plane took off under the guise of going to do crew training, when in fact the plane went back to Boeing because it has 256 snags. We hadn't had the airplane 2 days.

Doesn't help Boeing in a highly competitive market. The excuses are valid and of course, need to be rectified, But a quality manufacturer should be delaying by three years. That's just bad.

[Idle Thrust]

I have been less than enthusiastic about this airplane ever since I read of its overwhelming dependence on electricity. The one thing I never trusted in airplanes was electrically powered systems - hydraulics and air driven pumps gave a welcome alternative and back-up, Douglas even used cables to operate them!
I think going all electric is just going to bring problems.

[ogc]

A lot of the way these airliner manufacturers do business boggles my mind.

Coming from an automotive background and seeing how car companies do production with planned obsolescence and a product replacement cycle of 5 years or so and seeing how Boeing and Airbus do things is quite interesting.

The major thing that has screwed them over, which is also unavoidable, is selling a product that hasn't been developed yet.

The news with the 787 wouldn't be nearly as big a deal if they hadn't sold and received money for hundreds of these planes already. However there is likely nothing they can do about it because Im sure they needed to sell the planes to make enough money to fund development.

If there is one thing I have learned in any business, its that "project" timelines NEVER go to plan. This is an issue that seems to be getting worse and worse lately, I largely blame it on outsourcing and people getting overly ambitious to be the quickest cheapest bidder on any project.

[bizjets101]

I have no problem waiting for the fully certified Boeing 787 to enter service.
As Jim Kramer says - your sitting in a chair in the sky - doing 500 miles an hour,
it's amazing - yet nobody is happy!!!!!

[Nark]

^^^^^^^^^^^

Louis C. K.

['effin hippie]

...can you give it a second to come back from SPACE!!...

Classic.

I recall when everyone was crapping all over Airbus for the A380 delays.
I imagine the crowd in Toulouse might be smiling into their shirt-sleeves a little these days.

ef

[twinpratts]

Any idea how much concessions Boeing would make to the customer, with such a delay in delivery?

[lowlevel]

Would it be a good time to buy Boeing stocks anytime soon?

[ogc]

Would it be a good time to buy Boeing stocks anytime soon?

If they finish the plane, once its delivered. That would be the best time to take the gamble.

Although it is a pretty big gamble, if they can't meet their production targets, if the plane has more issue once its online, if it doesnt meet the advertised efficiencies etc. etc. etc. Boeing will be screwed.

HOWEVER, if everything works as it should I think this plane will be a cash cow (eventually), and all of these delays will provide a devalued stock that will undoubtedly increase as they start making more sales and deliveries on this aircraft over the next few years.

Still a lot to gamble on though.