ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA — Boeing is set to resume the delivery of its 787 Dreamliners as early as next week following the resolution of an issue that caused federal regulators to suspend deliveries last month.
The planemaker has reportedly tackled the concerns surrounding the forward pressure bulkhead - a crucial structure located behind the plane's nose. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the news via an official statement issued on Friday.
FAA stated that it would continue to thoroughly inspect and approve every airplane before it can be delivered by Boeing. The company, for its part, has indicated that it can recommence deliveries without making any alterations to either the aircraft itself or its production process. The solution is simply updating some paperwork to meet regulatory requirements.
"We have completed the necessary analysis that confirms the airplane continues to meet all relevant requirements and does not require production or fleet action," Boeing said in a statement.
"The FAA will determine when 787 ticketing and deliveries resume, and we are working with our customers on the delivery timing."
The delivery of Dreamliner jets was first put on hold in the fall of 2020 after engineers found the unsatisfactory spacing between different sections of the fuselage.
Although a limited number of deliveries resumed in March, the deliveries were suspended again in May 2021 due to the emergence of additional defects. Federal Aviation Administration cleared Boeing to restart deliveries in August 2022 after issues subject to delivery suspensions have been solved.
Around 100 Dreamliners stored at Boeing facilities require rework before they can be delivered. In January, Boeing increased its projected cost for addressing all of the 787 issues to $6.3 billion. Despite this setback, the two-week suspension that occurred last month appears to have had a minimal impact on the overall recovery of the 787 program. However, it has resulted in a disagreement between Boeing and its primary supplier Spirit AeroSystems regarding responsibility for the issue.
The forward pressure bulkhead manufactured by Spirit AeroSystems has a dome-shaped design that plays a crucial role in maintaining the cabin's air pressure. In the past, during the extended suspension of deliveries, gaps were detected at the fuselage joins in the forward pressure bulkhead. Consequently, Boeing opted to replace this structure on all affected planes.
While conducting the replacement work, engineers identified a flaw in the structural analysis of the part that had been documented in certification paperwork several years prior. When delivery of the planes stopped in February, Boeing initially attributed the error to Spirit. However, after examining the issue, Spirit rejected this claim.
"On February 23, Boeing halted 787 deliveries, claiming an 'analysis error' by Spirit," Spirit AeroSystems said in a statement.
"Based on our review, we are confident there was not an analysis error by Spirit," the supplier concluded.
Around 100 Dreamliners stored at Boeing facilities require rework before they can be delivered. In January, Boeing increased its projected cost for addressing all of the 787 issues to $6.3 billion. Despite this setback, the two-week suspension that occurred last month appears to have had a minimal impact on the overall recovery of the 787 program. However, it has resulted in a disagreement between Boeing and its primary supplier Spirit AeroSystems regarding responsibility for the issue.
The forward pressure bulkhead manufactured by Spirit AeroSystems has a dome-shaped design that plays a crucial role in maintaining the cabin's air pressure. In the past, during the extended suspension of deliveries, gaps were detected at the fuselage joins in the forward pressure bulkhead. Consequently, Boeing opted to replace this structure on all affected planes.
While conducting the replacement work, engineers identified a flaw in the structural analysis of the part that had been documented in certification paperwork several years prior. When delivery of the planes stopped in February, Boeing initially attributed the error to Spirit. However, after examining the issue, Spirit rejected this claim.
"On February 23, Boeing halted 787 deliveries, claiming an 'analysis error' by Spirit," Spirit AeroSystems said in a statement.
"Based on our review, we are confident there was not an analysis error by Spirit," the supplier concluded.
