Wing and a Prayer

Wing and a Prayer

Boeing Discovers 'Hairline Cracks' In The Wings Of 40 787 Dreamliners; Number Of Deliveries Aimed Unchanged

By Sneha Shankar

on March 08 2014 10:51 AM

http://www.ibtimes.com/boeing-discovers-hairline-cracks-wings-40-787-dreamliners-number-deliveries-aimed-unchanged-1560245

Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) said Friday that it discovered “hairline cracks” in the wings of about 40 787 Dreamliners that are currently in production, according to news reports.

The Chicago-based company said that the cracks have not been found in planes that are currently in use by airlines and that the company’s plans to deliver 110 787 Dreamliners this year remains unchanged, Reuters reported, citing the company. The cracks reportedly also appeared on 787-9 models, which are currently in flight tests and which could delay the date of delivery for the aircrafts by a few weeks. The problem is said to have started after the Japanese wing maker Mitsubishi Heavy Industries made changes in its manufacturing process and informed Boeing about the issue in February.

“The affected areas are very small and the time required to address the issue will vary between one and two weeks," the company reportedly said in a statement.

"There may be some delays in deliveries, but we expect no impact to 2014 delivery guidance," the statement reportedly added, according to the BBC.

Boeing plans to deliver 110 787s this year earning between $87.5 billion and $90.5 billion in revenue. It has delivered nine planes so far, including the one it delivered on Friday, Reuters reported.

The 787 Dreamliner has been hampered with problems in spite of being one of the most advanced planes in the industry. An entire fleet in operation was grounded by regulators last year, stating safety concerns. Also, a fire broke out in a 787 Dreamliner due to a battery issue, which required an emergency landing for an All Nippon Airways flight in Boston in January.

Boeing has reportedly redesigned the battery system.

A fire also started on an Ethiopian Airlines 787 plane in July last year while it was parked at London's Heathrow Airport. In August, All Nippon Airways said that it found problems in the battery wiring on two 787 locator transmitters.

U.S. carrier United Airlines also found a pinched wire during an inspection of one of its six 787s.

"If we find an affected area, we'll correct the issue by trimming out the area and applying a fabricated piece in its place," Doug Alder, a company spokesperson said, according to Reuters.

Boeing Company

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for the Boeing Company.

Note: Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle, a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), and the Committee for Economic Development.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Valerie B. Jarrett is Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s great niece, the senior adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and counsel at Sidley Austin LLP

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Newton N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP, and his maternal grandmother was Madelyn Payne Dunham.

Madelyn Payne Dunham was Barack Obama’s maternal grandmother, and an aircraft inspector for the Boeing Company.

W. James McNerney Jr. is the chairman & president & CEO for the Boeing Company,and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

William M. Daley is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (think tank), Mayor Richard M. Daley’s brother, was and the chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration, and a director at the Boeing Company.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. is a corporate member of the Council on Foreign Relations (think tank).

Minoru Makihara was the chairman for the Mitsubishi Corporation, and is an international advisory board member for the Coca-Cola Company.

Richard M. Daley is a director at the Coca-Cola Company, William M. Daley’s brother, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and was the Chicago (IL) mayor.

Edward M. Liddy is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and a director at the Boeing Company.

James A. Bell is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and was the EVP & CFO for the Boeing Company.

Kenneth M. Duberstein is a director at the Boeing Company, a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and was the VP for the Committee for Economic Development.

Donna S. Morea was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, and the EVP for the CGI Group Inc.

CGI Group Inc. was the Obamacare contractor that developed Healthcare.gov web site.

Obamacare is Barack Obama’s signature policy initiative.

Barbara G. Fast was a VP for the CGI Group Inc, and a VP at the Boeing Company.