According to sources, a mishap while assembling the mid body fuselage for ZA388 (L/N 154) for China Southern Airlines forced Boeing to re-shuffle the firing order at Boeing Charleston. Details are unknown but the mishap, which took place in building 88-20, caused extensive damage to the mid body fuselage section. The damage was severe enough that Boeing had to pull manufacturing techs from the final assembly line to help with the re-work with many technicians putting in overtime to get this fuselage section completed. This airplane was scheduled to start final assembly during the 3rd week of November but it was pushed back to the first week of December. Boeing, however, was unable to complete the re-work in time and forced the re-shuffling of the final assembly order.
Currently, ZA 244 (L/N 158, VT-ANP) for Air India is loaded in position 1 in 88-30 while the re-work in 88-20 continues and is expected to be completed shortly.
After inspection and review of all the re-work on mid body for L/N 154, it should enter final assembly later this month.
Boeing integrates different fuselage sections built in Japan and Italy into one large main fuselage section in the 88-20 building.
This incident also has played havoc with Boeing's 787 final assembly schedule for Charleston as the final assembly of follow 787 in Charleston had to be pushed back. Subsequently, Boeing MTs in Charleston may have to put in overtime in order to make up the lost time and get the schedule back on track.
Lastly, Boeing did fly a 787 out of Charleston to be painted. While Boeing regularly does this, the difference was the aircraft was flown to Portland, OR where the company does have paint facilities and not to Ft. Worth. It was pointed out by a reader that this may be due to the severe winter weather being experienced in Texas. Boeing has a contract with Leading Edge Completions of Ft. Worth, Tx. to paint all Charleston built 787s. There still is one 787 (ZA469, L/N 129, A7-BCH) for Qatar Airways at Leading Edge which flew there three weeks ago. Either the weather has delayed its return or there was some issue with the paint job that Qatar objected to or there was technical issue with the aircraft itself.
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Tuesday, December 10, 2013
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21 comments:
It's agonizingly slow right now as far as deliveries are concerned. I thought Boeing should be up around 10 deliveries a month right now, but after November's five and a slow start to December, it seems they're having some serious issues again getting these things out the door. Icing engine issues? Software updates? We'll probably never know.
Particularly frustrating is China Southern. 10-13 test flights and 3-4 months since their first flights (lines 36 and 104)? That doesn't look good for Boeing. At least there's no Air India backlog (of ready for delivery frames)for once.
Even with 580 production count at the end of November, last years count totaled 601 aircraft delivered at the end of December 31, 2012. What Boeing could do is deliver another 40 or more aircraft in December and come up with 622 aircraft for 2013. This would show progress during a year that had 4 months of grounding for the 787 and a reduction in production with the 747-8i. It still will become a remarkable year even if Boeing Delivers 8 more 787 in December.
anyone know where the ILFC 787's are going. I know Aeromexico, Norwegian, BBJ SkyBlue, and UAE. I think I read somewhere that THAI was getting some of them. Just curious if anyone has any info.
its going to be a push for Boeing to make there target this year 13 test flights and counting.
TurtleLuv: All 6 of the Ready planes have the GE engine: I suspect customers are waiting unit GE / Boeing issue the final software fix to these before they accept them. The icing problem is real so why take the plane now when the promised fix should be available within weeks?
Qatar's 787 A7-BCH had to be repainted to due it not meeting Qatar's standards. Also Boeing is saying that they will be announcing a new paint facility on CHS shortly.
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=174610&page=155
The thread is thread number 3085
Just incase my last link was screwed up here it is and the thread you need to look for is thread #3085
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=174610&page=155
The next 787 (B-2731) of Hainan Airlines will be delivered next week from a certain source
Hey Usher take a look at this?
http://blog.seattlepi.com/flyinglessons/2013/12/12/boeing-can-hope-ethiopian-flight-will-end-its-annus-horribilis/
Name isn't Usher. Christine Negroni is a blogger who is very negative on the 787 and Boeing in general. Her opinions are certainly very skewed.
Sorry I miss spelled it I'm sorry
No worries!
It is now 12-17 and we have not head much more about the 'damage' at the S.C. assembly facility. Can you tell us a bit more, please? they will fix the problem and the airplane, but what the frig happened? The schedule will be corrected, but with such little output from S.C., who cares. Got more detail?
Don't have any more information
FYI, LN125 Contractually delivered from BSC to JAL yesterday, but the plane will not fly to Japan until January.
Thanks! What's your source on the JAL delivery?
I heard Norwegian ordered an additional 2 as -9's but where are the other new orders coming from?
Norwegian is leasing them, not buying them.
a.) did you ever get confirmation line 125 delivered? That random comment seems like a questionable source to me. JAL doesn't have a habit of taking delivery of frames and then letting them sit around KPAE. Or is this a similar situation to line 20? Something getting fixed/replaced?
b.) what's going on at the EMC? with only two line 20+ frames left to finish up, you'd think they'd have 5-6 of the 10-19 set in there underway, but most of them are still sitting on the runway.
TurtleLuv, FWIW it looks like LN25 (Air India) just came out of EMC and is in pre-flight. Also Charleston just sent LN135 (UAL) to Portland for paint. LN129 (Qatar) has been in Ft. Worth for paint for a really long time.
I was thinking the same thing regarding Qatar's 787 in Tx. I did notice it was there a while back for a repaint as it didn't satisfy Qatar however I'm starting to wonder what else is going on because Boeing was able to paint Ana and started United's 787 today and Qatar's had been in Tx for twice that time. Makes me wonder if something's up with it.
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