Status: 09.08.2022 08:30 a.m
Due to technical defects, the US aircraft manufacturer’s Boeing 787 was not allowed to be handed over to customers for months. Now the American air traffic control no longer has any objections to the extradition.
After a break of more than a year, the US aircraft manufacturer Boeing can again deliver machines of the type 787, also known as the Dreamliner. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced yesterday that Boeing has made all necessary changes to ensure the 787 Dreamliner meets certification standards. The delivery of the aircraft could therefore begin again “in the coming days”.
The long-haul jet could not be delivered since May 2021 due to various production defects. Boeing discovered manufacturing defects in some Dreamliners in late summer 2020, which led to further problems. The delivery of the machines was therefore stopped between November 2020 and March 2021 – and then again from the end of May 2021.
The US Air Traffic Control will inspect each individual aircraft before issuing a certificate of airworthiness, the FAA said. When asked, Boeing merely stated that it wanted to continue to work “transparently” with the FAA and the aircraft manufacturer’s customers in order to resume deliveries.
More than 1000 machines delivered since 2004
Boeing had 120 Dreamliners in its inventory at the end of June and, according to its own statements, continued production at a “very low” rate. Since its launch in 2004, Boeing has delivered just over 1,000 aircraft of this type.
The problems with the Dreamliner slowed down the aircraft manufacturer’s recovery from the economic impact of the corona pandemic and the massive problems with the 737 MAX after two crashes of this type in 2018 and 2019.
The US air traffic control authority also announced on Monday that it would keep a close eye on Boeing’s rival Airbus in the future.
Airbus is delivering fewer planes
The European competitor Boeings delivered fewer aircraft in July than in June. Airbus handed over 46 aircraft to customers last month – after 60 commercial jets in June. The group announced this last night. The reason for this is, among other things, bottlenecks at the suppliers.
Airbus boss Guillaume Faury only cut the aircraft manufacturer’s plans for the full year 2022 at the end of July because suppliers can hardly keep up with their deliveries. This year he only expects 700 deliveries instead of 720.
Nevertheless, there was positive news for the European aircraft manufacturer. The group brought in orders for 401 new machines in July. Of these, almost 300 planes are to go to China. The number of cancellations remained at a low level with four jets.
Dispute with Qatar Airways
Also included in the order book is a remaining order from Qatar Airways for 19 widebody A350s. According to industry circles, the manufacturer has now terminated the contract with its major customer after months of public disputes about damage to the surface of several machines in the series.
Qatar Airways sued the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer in London in December for damages due to the defects and publicly described them as a safety problem. However, Airbus and the European aviation authority EASA judged the matter differently. The manufacturer offered to repair the damage at its own expense, but Qatar Airways declined.