Boeing Delays 787 Delivery on Rolls Engine Setback
LONDON/TOKYO/CHICAGO (Reuters) - Boeing Co has pushed back delivery of its first 787 Dreamliner by several weeks -- a widely expected decision but also the latest in a series of embarrassing glitches that have disrupted production of the hotly anticipated aircraft.
The postponement of the carbon-composite airplane, already more than two years behind schedule, is attributed to a delay in the availability of a Rolls-Royce Plc engine needed for the final phases of flight testing.
"The plane is a show-me plane at this point and I think everyone knows that," said Alex Hamilton, managing director with boutique investment bank EarlyBirdCapital. "I'll believe it when I see it."
The U.S. planemaker now expects to deliver the first carbon-composite plane to Japan's All Nippon Airways Co Ltd <9202.T> (ANA) by the middle of the first quarter of 2011.
Boeing, the second-largest plane maker after EADS unit Airbus, said in July its delivery schedule might slip from the fourth quarter of 2010. The company blamed "instrument configuration" and inspection work.
The delay comes four weeks after the Rolls engine, a Trent 1000, blew up at a test site in Derby, central England, forcing the company to temporarily close the facility.
A Rolls spokesman said it was "working closely with Boeing to expedite delivery." Rolls added that its engine supply issues were "unrelated to the test bed event which occurred earlier this month" and that none of its engine test programs had suffered any delays.
"It is probable that some modification will be required to the Trent 1000s already on the 787 test certification program," said BGC Partners analyst Howard Wheeldon.
"Although clearly a setback to the program, we do not see the additional Rolls engineering that is likely required being a major obstacle for the 787."
I wonder when our Air Parasite will finally receive the 787s it has orderedAirlines like the concept of the twin-aisle, mid-sized plane, which can carry about 250 people very long distances.
But production has been delayed five times, and the first flight has been postponed six times, due to a shortage of bolts, faulty design and a two-month strike at its factory. The plane made its first test flight on December 15, 2009.
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Mexicana has finally folded. One of the oldest airlines in the world, with a 89 year history.
http://www.mexicana.com/cs/Satellite?pa ... erno_US_EN
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