(MENAFN-Khaleej Times) middle east carriers will get all dreamliners on scheduled dates: boeing
Etihad airways, qatar airways and oman air, among other middle east airlines, booked total 156 dreamliners. — bloomberg
Middle eastern carriers will get all 787 dreamliner deliveries on scheduled dates this year despite recent ‘hairline cracks’ in the wings,” a boeing spokesperson told khaleej times in dubai.
Boeing company said on march 7 that ‘hairline cracks’ had been discovered in the wings of about 40 787 dreamliners that are in production, marking another setback for the american plane manufacturer’s newest jet.
The cracks have not been found on planes that are in use by airlines and therefore posed no safety risk, the plane maker said, adding the problem also will not alter boeing’s plans to deliver 110 787s this year.
“we are confident that the condition does not exist in the in-service fleet. we understand the issue, what must be done to correct it, and are completing inspections of potentially affected airplanes. we are addressing affected airplanes as required. we expect no impact to 2014 delivery guidance,” boeing responded to khaleej times by an emailed statement quoting spokesperson.
Royal jordanian will take delivery of their first 787 this summer while etihad will be receiving their first dreamliner in q4 this year, according to boeing. etihad airways didn’t respond to khaleej times’ query on expected delay in receiving delivery of first 787 this year till filing of this report.
“a total of 156 dreamliners have been booked by regional carriers. there is now a backlog of 147 dreamliners. airlines include qatar airways, etihad airways, oman air, saudi arabian airlines, royal jordanian, iraqi airways, gulf air and lease company alafco,” according to the statement.
Chicago-based aerospace giant has delivered 123 787s to 16 customers worldwide till last week. the 787 programme currently has 1,031 total orders from 60 customers. more than 13 million passengers have been carried by in-service dreamliners across the world.
Despite latest crack problem the overall 787 programme is robust and gaining strength all the time, according to a senior aviation analyst.
“the 787 may indeed have had some production setbacks, but overall, the airplane assembly lines in everett and charleston are firing on all cylinders and are doing exceptionally well given the amount of airplanes that they are producing each month,” saj ahmad, chief analyst at london-based strategicaero research, said.
The plane maker is keen to further increase production level of 787 programme from ten to 14 aircraft in phases. boeing is committed to increase the production rate to 12 per month in 2016 and to 14 per month by the end of the decade, according to a boeing official.
This most recent problem comes after worries with the aircraft’s lithium-ion batteries and complaints from employees at boeing’s everett, washingtom, factory that workers at the new charleston plant were delivering unfinished fuselages.
The boeing’s 787 programme experience many problems even at pre-launch stage as a shortage of fasteners and incomplete software cause three-month delay to first flight that was announced on september 5, 2007.
Two years late, the aircraft finally makes its maiden flight on december 15, 2009 after making high-speed taxi tests three days earlier to the flight. three years behind the schedule, ana received the first dreamliner on september 25, 2011. and finally first commercial flight took place between tokyo-narita and hong kong on october 26, 2011.
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