Thursday, August 8, 2013

787 musical chairs continues at Everett

As 787 flight testing continues to progress. Boeing is still producing 787s although it seems it is at a slower rate.  The load dates since June 26 bear this out but please note that this does not include the second 787-9.

L/N 127 - 6/26/13
L/N 128 - 7/2/13 (8 days)
L/N 130 - 7/16/13 (14 days)
L/N 131 - 7/26/13 (10 days)
L/N 134 - 8/7/13 (12 days)
L/N 136 - 8/19/13 (12 days)

Recent 787s have been loaded into the first assembly position in 40-26 at rate of 1 every 12 days. this is about half the rate that a 787 needs to be loaded in order to produce 5.5 airframes per month from Everett (not counting 787-9 test frame production).  The reason for the production slowdown is yet unknown but I do think that it is helping Boeing to manage the inventory build up at both Charleston as well as at Everett.

In other news, Boeing allocated L/N 22 (ZA803) to Transaero thus the 4 aircraft order for this carrier will be filled by 4 early build airframes 2 of which are currently under going change incorporation and will probably be delivered sometime in the 1st quarter of 2014.  Boeing has also moved the three airframes occupying Kilo South at Paine Airport to the runway 11-29 storage area and the tower ramp.  As Boeing continues to work through the early production frames that need change incorporation the number of early build 787s being stored around the airport will gradually shrink though at a slower rate as these air frames do require a lot of work and thus more time.  Boeing has also pulled another airframe that had undergone change incorporation onto the flightline.  This time is it is ZA235 (LN 32, VT-ANG) and appears to be preparing for production testing.  This aircraft maybe delivered in September. Lastly, Boeing had one canceled 787 this year which was just posted.  The sole 787 cancelled was from Travel Service of the Czech Republic.  The opted to switch their order to 3 737 MX 8 instead.

Full 787 List

Current 787 Production List

Delivered 787 List

787 Monthly Delivery Tracking

787 Customer Delivery

 








14 comments:

Unknown said...

Is it just me or is LN123/VH-VKA spending a longer than usual time in the paint hangar?

Fedupjohn said...

Uresh,
For some reason the spreadsheets are not showing in Chrome.
The links are asking for a Google login.

John

Uresh said...

I was able to use the links in Chrome without needing to log in so it is working.

william said...

Why is China Southern and Hanian not taking delivery of there planes? I mean you complain you don't have them so you say your gonna cancel then they are ready and you say sorry we're not taking delivery. I mean what the heck.

Uresh said...

Unfortunately because it's China.

william said...

Lol true but I think Boeing should start charging storage fees or sell them to other airlines untill they are ready for there planes

Uresh said...

I think they already do.

Unknown said...

Air Canada has split its order for 15 787-8 and 22 787-9.

http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/news/21010-air-canada-changes-boeing-deal-to-15-787-8s-22-787-9s

Cedarglen said...

An idle thought, but I have to wonder... Since Boeing must ferry the majority (?) of their completed 787s from Everette to other facilities for final paint Is there any possibility that at least some of these flights can do double duty as B1 or similar test flights? Probably not, but I have to wonder...

Unknown said...

I think you mean CHS as all the 787's built at PAE are painted there. At PAE many 777's and 747's are flown to paint if there is no availability in the 3 PAE paint hangars. If Boeing wanted to do B1's on the way to paint for 747's, 777's or 787's they could, however that depends on several factors such as maintaining people and parts to fix any squawks, available fuel storage, etc. They may be doing B-2's/B-3's on the way to and from paint out of CHS now but I think they'll have paint hangars in CHS before we ever see B-1 on the way to paint there.

John N Mitchell said...

Almost all Evert 787's have been through the Everett Boeing paint hangers. At one least and I think more have been painted at the Portland(PDX) Boeing paint hanger. 747's and 777's are quite often painted at PDX.

Uresh said...

None of the Everett '87s have been painted at Portland. One has been painted in Ft. Worth

John N Mitchell said...

Many Thanks for the correction. I knew at least one had been painted elsewhere and I "was" almost sure it was PDX. Now I know I was wrong.

Cedarglen said...

@all. Thanks for notes about the painting and B1 question. In short, I did not connect the dots about the many notes and pix of 'xyz' heated out for paint as 777 and 474 airframes. And I sure did not know that KPAE that THREE paint bays. As she used to say, "Oh, Never mind." Thanks.