"Workmanship Issues" Identified On The Dreamliners' Horizontal Stabilizers

After some very successful initial flight testing, the Dreamliner program has been dealt a bit of a setback, as Boeing recently identified a workmanship issue with the 787's horizontal stabilizers. Some airplanes apparently have issues with improperly installed shims and the torque of associated fasteners, and Boeing says the finding requires inspection of all airplanes and rework if discrepancies are found.

The company says it has already implemented inspection and rework plan for airplanes in production. For those airplanes requiring rework, Boeing says they expect it will take up to eight days for each airplane. the company says it is not unusual for these issues to arise in the course of production programs - they are identified, dispositioned and dealt with through normal processes.

Boeing insists that reports that the fleet is "grounded" are incorrect. The company has made the decision to inspect the horizontal stabilizers on all flight test airplanes before their next flights to ensure any rework is completed as quickly as possible. Inspections are expected to take one to two days.

The Seattle Times reported that the stabilizer issue was first discovered last week. Boeing spokeswoman Yvonne Leach told that paper that the planemaker "made a decision to be prudent and do the inspections" before flying again. The improperly installed shims could have led to a "lower than expected longevity" for the joints in the horizontal stabilizer. The Italian manufacturer Alenia builds the tail assembly for Boeing.

Boeing says it expects that the issue will be addressed within the existing program schedule, and that the 787 remains on track for first delivery to ANA by the end of this year.

FMI: www.boeing.com