787-10 progresses through final assembly

Boeing Photo

Boeing is handing some great shots of the 787-10 lately.  Now is a photo of the first aircraft, ZC001 (LN528, N528ZC) in position 2 in building 88-30.  This really shows off the enormous size of the 787-10 to great effect compared to the -9 and -8 that are in the other assembly positions in the background.  I expect that this -10 will now be getting it's landing gear in this position and will probably stay there until after the Holidays as Boeing will shut down for the remainder of the year starting Dec. 23rd.

In the "Where's ZB813" segment, we can see that the formally damaged 787-9 for Xiamen is still inside 88-30 in the upper left corner of the photo.  However it look complete with engines and all wing/body fairings are on so that's a good sign.  It might be ready to roll out of the factory any day now.

I'm still awaiting confirmation that ZA674 (LN 513, N793AV) has been contractually delivered to Avianca as the 500th 787 delivered.  Stranger still is no word from Boeing on this important milestone. You'd think that delivering 500 787s five and quarter years after first delivery would be an achievement that Boeing's PR would be crowing about.  Yet nothing.  Stay tuned....

First 787-10 completes wing-body join, Boeing delivers 499th 787

Boeing Photo

Boeing Photo

Boeing released a couple of photos showing ZC001 (LN 528) in final assembly position 1 which is the wing-body join area.  In it we get a pretty good look at the size of the 787-10 compared to the AA 787-9 next to it.  By now this aircraft should be in position 2 where it should get its landing gear.

Notice in the second picture the Xiamen Airlines 787-9 (ZB813, LN 512) is still inside 88-30 but now it has it engines. It seems that this aircraft probably took a little longer to repair.

Today Boeing delivered the 499th 787 to Air Europa. ZA885 (LN 508, EC-MMY) is the second 787-8 to be delivered.  I expect Boeing to deliver Dreamliner #500 on Dec. 20th to Avianca.

Boeing Completes 787 Paint Hangars in Charleston

The new paint hangars at Boeing's North Charleston campus. Boeing Photo

Boeing has completed a key expansion of it's North Charleston production campus with the construction of its dual bay paint facility which is situated across ramp from its 88-30 final assembly building.

Since the North Charleston production started, Boeing had to fly 787 built there to paint facilities in Louisiana, California and Oregon after completing the first flight though there have been a couple of instances when the first flight and ferry flight were combined into the same flight but it was rare.  The paint hangars at Charleston should now save the time and expense of ferrying the airplanes to third party vendors to paint the Dreamliners.

Sources have told me that the first airplane to be painted at the brand new facility will be ZB451 (LN517) which is a 787-9 for American Airlines.  It should enter Bay 1 around January 3rd after the conclusion of the Christmas Holidays.

Bloomberg picture shows 787-9 for Xiamen undergoing repairs to wing body join area

Photo By Julie Johnson

A week ago, journalist Julie Johnson of Bloomberg visited Boeing North Charleston on took a couple of revealing pictures like the one above showing a panorama of the final assembly hall.  What is interesting is not the 787-10 in position 0 or the 787-9 for Korean Air in position 1 but he aircraft in the background in position 6.  This is the Xiamen Airlines 787-9, ZB813 (LN 512) that had the assembly mishap when MT were drilling holes into the left wing and body join area.

Photo By Julie Johnson

As you can see from the blow up of Julie's photo, the wing body fairing for the left wing is off and the engines aren't hanging off the wings thus indicating (as of December 6th) that Boeing was still fixing the aircraft.  As far as the information that I have this 787-9 is still scheduled to roll out on Dec. 16th and take it's first flight on Dec. 28th and will be ferried for painting on January 4th.  Delivery is still TBD but I am projecting that it should occur around the 3 or 4th week of January.

Trent 1000 TEN flies on 787 as Boeing deliveries now stand at 495

For the first time a Rolls Royce Trent 1000 TEN (thrust, efficiency and new technology) flew on a 787 that it is meant to power.  The 4th 787-8 flight test aircraft ZA004 (LN 004, N7874) flew with the engine for the first time today.  The newest member of the Trent 1000 family is to make up for performance shortfalls in the earlier Trent 1000 engines and is meant to power all three 787 variants with a thrust of up to 78,000 lbs.  According to Rolls Royce, the Trent 1000 TEN "offers proven new technology; its features include a new compressor system scaled from the Trent XWB engine program and a new turbine design to allow extra thrust. Unique to the TEN is a modulated air system which optimizes the secondary air flow within the engine using a valve system with no moving parts, a robust system that delivers performance benefits. External systems have also been improved and re-designed."

The engine should be certified for use on the 787-10 before the types first flight early next year.  Speaking of the 787-10, While parts for the first aircraft are in position 0 in Charleston, it won't start final assembly in position 1 until Dec. 13th, next Tuesday.  Other parts are en-route to Charleston, namely the section 41 forward fuselage.

Lastly, there was a flurry of 787 deliveries yesterday as Boeing delivered 4 787-9s to customers including British Airways, Hainan Airlines, Aeromexico and Xiamen Airlines which picked up it's 1st of 6 787-9 on order.  Boeing has delivered 6 787s this month so far, 132 this year and 495 since program deliveries began.  ZA674 (LN 513, N793AV) for Avianca is to be delivered on Dec. 20th and will be the 500th 787 delivered to a customer.  This will also be the last delivery in 2016 for Boeing which should end the year with 137 787 deliveries - 35 787-8 and 102 787-9s will have been delivered.  Of the remaining 5 787s to be delivered, 3 have had their customer flight and the other 2 will have their C-1 flights next Tuesday, Dec. 13th.  I expect Boeing to shut down for the holidays around Dec. 23rd.

Boeing Delivers 9 787s in November, Eyeing 500th delivery by Dec. 20th

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	Number
Testing Complete	3
To be assembled in Everett	147
To be assembled in Charleston	106
Parts Arriving	6
Undergoing final assembly	10
Storage	0
Storage/Change Incorporation and Re-Work	0
Change Incorporation and Re-Work	3
Pre-Flight Prep	7
Production Testing	6
Non Customer Flight Tests	1
Ready for Delivery	6
Donation	3
Delivered	489
TOTAL	787

Boeing delivered 9 787s during November, raising their running yearly total to 126 787s for 2016 and to 489 aircraft since program deliveries began in September 2011.  The most notable delivery was a leased 787-9 that is being operated by Air France.  It's there first 787 and they are scheduled to receive 4 to 5 more 787s during the next year.

Production continued at 12/month though a drilling mistake almost scrapped a 787-9 being built for Xiamen Airlines, it turns out that Boeing is able to make repairs but the airplane will be delivered a little late.

Boeing rolled out 12 787s (4 -8s and 8 -9s) while starting final assembly on 12 more (2 -8s and 10 -9s).  this includes the first 787-9 for Korean Air.  During November 787 production efficiency ratio was a little high at 1.33 owing to the low number of 787 deliveries made during the month.  The efficiency ratio for Everett was 1.17 and at Charleston it was higher at 1.67.  Only 3 Charleston built airframes were delivered in November.

Looking forward to December Boeing is planning to deliver 11 787s and finish 2016 with the 500th delivery which at this moment appears to be a 787-8 for Avianca.  This aircraft is ZA674 (LN 513, N793AV).  It will be the last delivery in 2016 and the 500th 787 delivery overall on December 20th.

Other notable deliveries is Xiamen Airlines first 787-9 and Royal Air Maroc's final 787-8 that they have on order.  Boeing will deliver 4 87-8s and 7 787-9s.

Of course the big news is the first 787-10 will start final assembly around Dec. 5th.  Today, the main fuselage and rear fuselage was moved into 88-30 into position 0 were it will be prep for final assembly.  The forward fuselage, section 41 has not arrived from Wichita as of yet but should arrive soon.  Final assembly will be begin when the main fuselage and the wings are in the wing/body join position 1.

First 787-10 entering Final Assembly Position 0 in building 88-30.  Boeing Photo.

Over the next 3 weeks Boeing will send production 787-8 and 787-9 to Everett for final assembly instead of splitting production between Charleston and Everett.  This is to ensure smooth continuous 787 production in case there are issue that come up with testing and assembly of the first 787-10 that may interfere with 787 production.  ZC001 (LN 528) will start final assembly around Dec. 5th and the next 787 to enter the Charleston final assembly building will be loaded into position 1 around Dec. 19th.  I anticipate that the aircraft will not roll out until the second half of January, 2017.  I anticipate first flight to take place by late February 2017.

Lastly, it appears that Aeroflot's order for the 787 is now going to be transferred to Russian leasing firm Avia Capital Services. The lessor will start taking delivery of an initial 7 aircraft in 2019 with deliveries running through 2022. Aeroflot had 22 787s (18 -8s and 4 -9s) on order. Aeroflot is sticking with the A350 order as well as maintaining their 777s.

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