New production flaws in 787 Dreamliner will delay aircraft deliveries, Boeing admits

Boeing has discovered a new production issue with its 787 Dreamliner jets. The technical problems, coupled with ongoing inspections by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), are set to impact deliveries, the company said.

A new blow to the embattled aviation giant came on Tuesday, when the company revealed a new manufacturing issue had been discovered. The problem could be affecting the already assembled planes which will have to be re-checked. 

“We are taking time to thoroughly inspect completed 787s to ensure that they are free of the issues and meet all engineering specifications prior to delivery,” the company said in a statement. “We expect these inspections to affect the timing of 787 deliveries in the near-term.”

The new issue, related to the plane’s horizontal stabilizer, followed a Monday announcement in which the company admitted it had identified two separate issues with the new jet. Those issues affect the plane’s fuselage and “in combination, result in a condition that does not meet our design standards,” Boeing said.

The company also said it contacted airlines that operate eight 787s, telling them the planes have to be removed and repaired before they can be operated safely. 

Apart from Boeing’s internal investigations, the issues are also being addressed by the FAA.

“The agency continues to engage with Boeing,” the FAA said in a statement. “It is too early to speculate about the nature or extent of any proposed Airworthiness Directives that might arise from the agency’s investigation.”

The Dreamliner issues sent Boeing shares into a tailspin, as they dropped more than five percent during afternoon trading. The new troubles come as the company is already heavily impacted by the coronavirus-induced decline of international travel, as well as the fiasco with the fleet of 737 Max jets which turned out to be riddled with multiple technical problems. Max 737 issues were linked to two deadly crashes and the fleet remains grounded worldwide since March 2019.

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