Sunday, April 15, 2012

Tornadoes hit Boeing Defense plant and Spirit's plants in Wichita, production of 787 and 737 uncertain

Boeing was dealt a body blow on Saturday when tornadoes ripped through Wichita and severely damaged Boeing's BDS plants as well as the plants for Spirit AeroSystems 737 and 787 operations.

Thankfully there weren't any injuries or fatalities but production of 737 and the forward fuselage of the 787 may be severely impacted due to the power outage and damage caused by the storm.

Right now Spirit is telling employees not to report for work through Tuesday as they are still conducting damage assessments. Spirit is just one of a handful of Boeing 787 suppliers that have had very little issues with producing their work share of the 787. This could set Boeing back though if it does and by how much is still uncertain though Spirit is saying most of their capabilities are still intact. I don't know what they mean by capabilities.

From the photos that Spirit had posted on Flickr, the damage at least externally, looks to be pretty severe. I will try to follow this and report what impact, if any, these tornadoes have on 787 production.

4 comments:

Joostdg said...

Hey Uresh,
Thanks for the update and I also noticed that you added the delivery of JA-808A.

I might have a few updates for you. And I also think you have made 1 error in you table.
ZA288/LN53 should be United.
That makes sense with the ZA numbers if you order them by the number you get this:

Airline L/N ZA nr
ANA 7 ZA100
ANA 8 ZA101
ANA 9 ZA102
ANA 24 ZA103
ANA 41 ZA104
ANA 42 ZA105
ANA 22 ZA115
ANA 31 ZA116
ANA 40 ZA117
ANA 67 ZA118
ANA 69 ZA119
ANA 66 ZA135
Royal Air Maroc 17 ZA150
Royal Air Maroc 19 ZA151
JAL 20 ZA175
JAL 21 ZA176
JAL 23 ZA177
JAL 27 ZA178
JAL 33 ZA179
Japan Airlines 37 ZA180
Japan Airlines 38 ZA181
Japan Airlines 65 ZA182
Air India 25 ZA230
Air India 26 ZA231
Air India 28 ZA232
Air India 29 ZA233
Air India 30 ZA234
Air India 32 ZA235
Air India 35 ZA236
Air India 46 ZA237
Air India 54 ZA238
Air India 70 ZA240
Air India 72 ZA241
Ethiopian 39 ZA260
Ethiopian 44 ZA261
Ethiopian 49 ZA262
Ethiopian 71 ZA263
Ethiopian 75 ZA264
Lot 61 ZA270
United 45 ZA285
United 50 ZA286
United 52 ZA287
ANA 53 ZA288
United 55 ZA289
China Southern 34 ZA380
China Southern 36 ZA381
China Southern 43 ZA382
Hainan Airlines 73 ZA430
Qatar Airways 57 ZA460
Qatar Airways 58 ZA461
Qatar Airways 60 ZA462
Qatar Airways 62 ZA463
Qatar Airways 64 ZA464
ANA 11 ZA500
ANA 12 ZA501
ANA 13 ZA502
ANA 14 ZA503
ANA 15 ZA504
ANA 18 ZA505
ANA 47 ZA506
ANA 48 ZA507
ANA 51 ZA508
ANA 56 ZA509
ANA 59 ZA510
ANA 63 ZA511
LAN 10 ZA534
LAN 16 ZA535
LAN 68 ZA536
LAN 74 ZA537

also on http://www.flickr.com/photos/flightblogger/6900672303/in/photostream/ it shows it as a United frame.


also http://kpae.blogspot.com/2012/04/paine-field-april-6.html shows that l/n 50 was moved from the emc.

Hope it helps. Thanks for al the hard work.

Joostdg said...

it also seems there has been a line move.
http://lotnictwo.net.pl/263-polskie_linie_lotnicze/147-polskie_linie_lotnicze_lot/148-flota_lot/42899-pierwszy_dreamliner_dla_pll_lot_informacje_opinie-3.html
shows ln/61 on position 3 :D

Joostdg said...

Maby good news:
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE233

L/n29 seems to fly again.

graeme77 said...

ZA233 now en route, Lackland - Everett