787 Deliveries Slide To Third Quarter

Boeing says 787 first deliveries will slide to the third quarter of 2011 following the delays to flight tests and redesign caused by last November’s in-flight electrical fire.

Announcing the seventh major program schedule shift since the start of the 787 development effort, Boeing says “the new delivery date reflects the impact of an in-flight incident during testing last November and includes the time required to produce, install and test updated software and new electrical power distribution panels in the flight test and production airplanes.”

Although initial predictions suggested the 787 would slide by around four months to mid-year, the subsequent scale of the redesign work forced this to be extended. “This revised timeline for first delivery accommodates the work we believe remains to be done to complete testing and certification of the 787,” says Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program.

“We’ve also restored some margin in the schedule to allow for any additional time that may be needed to complete certification activities,” Fancher adds.

News of the longer than expcted 787 program delay comes the day after Boeing restarts certification flight test work. Boeing says the aircraft are returning to flight ‘after receiving interim software and hardware improvements.” -t adds that “four flight test airplanes (ZA001, 002, 004, 005) have been subjected to extensive ground testing and a thorough review to ensure their readiness to return to flight.” The final two aircraft include ZA006, expected to fly again this week, and ZA003, the interiors test aircraft, which will likely fly by the end of the month. Boeing adds that, despite the two month stoppage in flight test work, “the revised first delivery date is not expected to have a material impact on 2010 financial results. Financial guidance and anticipated initial 787 deliveries for 2011 will be discussed in the company’s earnings call on Jan. 26.”