Final assembly began recently on the third flight-test aircraft for the all-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner amid Boeing admissions that the programme is now estimated to be 15-months behind schedule with some customers facing delays of two years or more.
Launch customer ANA is scheduled to receive its first aircraft in the third quarter of 2009 instead of this month, but the manufacturer’s ambitious ramp-up plans also have slipped and full production of 10 planes per month will not be reached until 2012, two years later than planned. They are to be loaded into the first position of the 787 production system.
The static test airframe moved April 25 from the fi nal assembly to its test rig in another bay of the Everett, Washington.- based factory. Both the fatigue test airframe and the second flight-test airplane have advanced to the next position in production, where assembly and systems installation work continues.
"We are receiving assemblies that are much more complete," said Jack Jones, vice president of 787 fi nal assembly and change incorporation. "The second flight-test air-plane had a 50 per cent reduction in the amount of incomplete work as compared to the first airplane. ¡®Traveled work’ on this airplane is 65 per cent less than on the first." The first aircraft is on track for "power on" in June, he added.
Around the world, 25 airplanes are in various stages of production. Th is number includes the static and fatigue airframes, which will not be delivered to customers. Since its launch in April 2004 the 787 Dreamliner has amassed nearly 900 firm orders valued at US$151 billion from 58 airlines.