Boeing again suspends delivery of the 787 Dreamliner to examine a fuselage element

Since its arrival on the market at the beginning of the decade, this aircraft has accumulated a number of setbacks

Boeing has again suspended the delivery of its long-haul 787 aircraft, after similar interruptions in 2021 and 2022 for poor workmanship, in order to analyse a fuselage element, the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) said on Thursday. “Deliveries will not resume until the FAA is satisfied that the problem has been resolved”, says the U.S. agency supervising aviation.

It was by examining the certification files that Boeing discovered that one of its suppliers had made an analysis error on the forward pressure bulkhead of the aircraft, explains the American manufacturer. Therefore, it took the decision to suspend deliveries while redoing the analysis and the related documents.

Boeing assures that there is no “immediate danger” for the 787s currently in service and that the last problem detected “should not increase” the modifications planned on the aircraft already produced. Boeing had briefly paused 787 production, but has since resumed.

The 787 Dreamliner has faced several pitfalls in recent years. Manufacturing defects were discovered in late summer 2020. As the aeroplane was closely examined, other problems later emerged. Boeing had to suspend deliveries, from November 2020 to March 2021, then again between May 2021 and August 2022. Furthermore the production rates were drastically cut.

But after deliveries resumed last summer, Boeing was able to deliver 31 in 2022, including 22 in the fourth quarter. And in December, United Airlines announced plans to order 100 787 aircraft with options for an additional 100.

In January, however, the manufacturer delivered only three. Boeing was counting on deliveries of this aircraft to recover financially after the 737 MAX debacle resulting from two fatal accidents, the massive slowdown during the pandemic and the production problems on the 787. Boeing still aims at delivering 70 to 80 Dreamliners by year-end and this goal remains despite the current stoppage.

Since its arrival on the market at the beginning of the decade, the Dreamliner has accumulated a number of setbacks. It arrived several years late and a succession of defects led to the grounding of the entire fleet in 2013. Problems with the brakes, cracked windscreen, battery fire were among the difficulties. These new problems with the Dreamliner come in an already particularly complicated context for Boeing.