Boeing 787 news

[sn26567]

LOT and Boeing have reached an agreement on the compensation for the grounding of LOT's 787 fleet. The amount of the compensation has not been disclosed.

[sn26567]

Norwegian has major Dreamliner problems again. EI-LNC is grounded in FLL (Fort Lauderdale) since 2 days. EI-LNA just returned to FLL.

The nature of the problem of the grounded aircraft is unknown. It is waiting for spare parts from Boeing.

Source: flightradar24 & Reuters

[jan_olieslagers]

One more B787 incident - not sure if it is worth a separate topic: brakes on fire.

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=162850

[sn26567]

Air India is looking to raise $840 million through a sell/lease back scheme involving seven of its B787-8s. India's national carrier is looking to use the funds to pay off bridge loans taken out against these aircraft.

According to tender documents seen by ch-aviation, the aircraft listed as part of the deal are: msn 36273, 36274, 36275, 36279, 36280, 36285 and 36286.

With eleven Dreamliners already delivered, Air India has a further sixteen B787-8s on order from Boeing.

Source: ch-aviation

[sn26567]

LOT rejects B787-9s in favour of -8s; to lease out its sixth B787-8

LOT Polish Airlines will not be ordering the B787-9 from Boeing. The Polish airline had studied the possibility of converting its last two of eight B787-8s on order from Boeing into larger -9 models but has now decided against it. LOT also has unexercised options for an additional seven B787s.

Meanwhile, LOT will not deploy its sixth B787-8 into service. Rather, SP-LRF, which is due for delivery in March/April 2014, will instead be leased out to other airlines with Turkish Airlines reported to be one of the carriers interested in wet-leasing the aircraft. The development is a direct consequence of a restrictive business plan the European Commission approved in return for a PLN400m bailout of LOT from Warsaw earlier this year. Among the restrictions imposed are the freezing of any new route launches for the foreseeable future, most notably on its long-haul network.

Source: ch-aviation

[RoMax]

It looks like Boeing delivered 63 787's in 2013 (though contractual deliveries may differ, so it's still waiting for the final numbers). That's within Boeing's prediction of "more than 60". The second half of December saw a rush in deliveries to Hainan (2) and China Southern (3), these 5 aircraft have been waiting for months while they were completely ready for delivery. Currently 117 Dreamliners are delivered to 17 airlines:

- ANA: 23
- JAL: 13
- Air India: 11
- Qatar Airways: 9
- United Airlines: 8
- China Southern: 8
- Hainan Airlines: 6
- Ethiopian Airlines: 5
- LOT: 5
- LAN Airlines: 5
- Thomson: 4
- British Airways: 4
- Aeromexico: 3
- Norwegian: 3
- Royal Brunei: 2
- Jetstar: 2
- JetairFly: 1

Currently there is a VIP/BBJ Dreamliner for the UAE also waiting for delivery, with another Saudi BBJ version being prepared for first flight. The next new commercial customers will be Air Canada and Kenya Airways both having aircraft in various stages of final assembly (which is currently running at 10/month).
There will be many new customers in 2014 besides the above, including airlines like Royal Jordanian, Air New Zealand (789), Transaero (some of the very early build aircraft), Lion Air (same as Transaero), Royal Air Maroc, American Airlines, ...

[sean1982]

Another Norwegian diversion .... this time to KEF
http://fr24.com/NAX7002

They really are having bad luck ... hopefully Boeing pays them well for all this image loss

[RoMax]

Another Norwegian diversion .... this time to KEF
http://fr24.com/NAX7002

They really are having bad luck ... hopefully Boeing pays them well for all this image loss

The 787's are still not reliable enough (about 97-98% dispatch reliability on the whole fleet, which is too low), not with Norwegian and not with other airlines. But the problem with Norwegian is that they have just two aircraft operating a heavy shedule from multiple bases. That's a heavy shedule for an airline having no long haul experience, being no Boeing Goldcare partner (as far as I know) and operating an aircraft of which they know it has a shitty reliability to be able to cope with such a shedule.

Not that this makes it any better for Boeing, but why do they continue to operate such a heavy shedule while they know for months that they can't cope with it... Of course it's not that easy to turn down a shedule for which you already sold tickets, but than at least add some temporary long haul capacity which releaves the pressure on the two 787's and send the bill to Boeing.
About every other airline operating the 787 makes sure they have back up capacity available and they'll continue to do that until the reliability reaches at least 99% (of course larger airlines always have certain back up capacity to cope with AOG's, but with the 787 they have some extra, mainly ANA and JAL have quite some aircraft on stand by).

Ironicly Norwegian was one of the airlines to announce mid-December how much they love the performance of the 787 (except for the reliability) and their agreement to lease two 787-9's and may add even more to the fleet.

[sean1982]

true, although they have 3 airplanes now (LNA,LNB,LNC)

and they are goldcare
http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=20295&item=2173

[RoMax]

true, although they have 3 airplanes now (LNA,LNB,LNC)

Yes indeed...I even made an overview of all delivered 787's yesterday and still...

and they are goldcare
http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=20295&item=2173

Apperently they have and even the full package (Goldcare Enterprise).

But even as a goldcare partner (thanks for sharing that link, I should have looked it up myself first..), the rest of my post remains valid, they are operating a very heavy shedule for the aircraft they have while they know for months they can not cope with it.

[sn26567]

But the problem with Norwegian is that they have just two aircraft operating a heavy shedule from multiple bases. That's a heavy shedule for an airline having no long haul experience, being no Boeing Goldcare partner (as far as I know) and operating an aircraft of which they know it has a shitty reliability to be able to cope with such a shedule.

Not that this makes it any better for Boeing, but why do they continue to operate such a heavy shedule while they know for months that they can't cope with it...

This is something that Jetairfly has understood from the very beginning. They had planned six flights per week to the Caribbean, 5 of them triangles, but when they started the transatlantic flights the operations were reduced to 5 flights per week, 4 of which are triangles. That gives JAF more time to cope with incidents (except for days 5, 6 and 7 which get very heavy schedules).

[RoMax]

ZB002 is in Auckland and will soon leave for Alice Springs for testing under hot conditions.
Some pictures of it in Auckland (including two cabin pics):

[Desert Rat]

Norwegian AOG again in Bangkok. ...

[RoMax]

Norwegian AOG again in Bangkok. ...

Norwegian will meet with Boeing again in the comming week to discuss the ongoing problems with their Dreamliner fleet.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/ ... B020140105

[sean1982]

Norwegian AOG again in Bangkok. ...

Birdstrike this time ... Not avoidable.

[RoMax]

Birdstrike this time ... Not avoidable.

At least that's 'good' news But the rest of the problems are still significant enough it seems, to require a new direct discussion between Boeing and the ceo of Norwegian.

[RoMax]

Currently there is a VIP/BBJ Dreamliner for the UAE also waiting for delivery,

This UAE Dreamliner (the first VIP) has been delivered meanwhile.

[RoMax]

Boeing's official numbers for 2013:
- 65 deliveries
- 183 gross orders
- 182 net orders
- backlog of 916 aircraft

Instead of opening another topic (correct if the moderators think its needed):
737: 1046 net orders, 440 deliveries, backlog of 3680 aircraft
747: 12 net orders, 24 deliveries, backlog of just 55 aircraft
767: 2 net orders, 21 deliveries, backlog of 49 aircraft
777: 113 net orders, 98 deliveries, backlog of 380 aircraft

Total: 1531 gross orders, 1355 net orders, 648 deliveries, backlog of 5080 aircraft.

Best year ever in terms of deliveries, second best year ever in terms of orders. I have not seen the Airbus numbers yet, but I believe Airbus 'won' 2013 in terms of new net orders (except for 2012, Airbus has been leading for many years already), while Boeing 'won' for the second year in row in deliveries.

[sn26567]

Best year ever in terms of deliveries, second best year ever in terms of orders. I have not seen the Airbus numbers yet, but I believe Airbus 'won' 2013 in terms of new net orders (except for 2012, Airbus has been leading for many years already), while Boeing 'won' for the second year in row in deliveries.

Airbus will make a press conference on 13 January to disclose its final 2013 figures, but you are right: Airbus will have delivered a little more than 600 aircraft in 2013, thus less than Boeing. On the order side, Boeing leads in gross orders, but lacks behind in net orders, which is the important figure. Wait one week more to be sure!

[tsv]

Ironicly Norwegian was one of the airlines to announce mid-December how much they love the performance of the 787 (except for the reliability) and their agreement to lease two 787-9's and may add even more to the fleet.

I assume they will use the 2 new 787's for spare parts for the 3 they already have