Boeing 787 news

[sn26567]

After the LOT one yesterday, another computer software problem, with Air India this time.

Air India Diverts Boeing Dreamliner After Software Fault

Air India diverted a Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Kuala Lumpur as a precaution after the plane developed a software fault on a flight to New Dehli from Melbourne. No one was injured. The jet carried 215 people.

A Boeing team dispatched from Hong Kong is inspecting the plane, which should be ready to fly again in a few hours. The malfunction may have been the result of a software upgrade.

Details from Bloomberg

[sn26567]

At the Singapore Airshow, a Boeing representative hinted that Boeing might consider a 787-size medium-range jet aircraft for 200-300 people as a successor to the 757 whose production stopped in 2014.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=52308&p=293559#p293559

[RoMax]

Boeing also stated that Air India is not happy with the performance of the 787 ", but that they are not either." It is also said (not by Boeing or AI, but the typical "officials" the Indian media refers to) that AI is not happy with the fuel performance of the aircraft.

The first statement doesn't suprise me, the second does. Every single airline using the 787 commenting on the fuel performance said it was better than expected, even Norwegian... (of course the early aircraft are not performing up to the standards under which Boeing sold them many years ago, but that has been known for a long time, ANA and JAL both stated that these early aircraft performed better than expected when they received them from Boeing). Though if AI indeed is not happy with the fuel performance...well they also said they were disappointed in the 777 performance. Well you have to blame someone for your losses because of bad management, isn't it?!

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-0 ... eliability

[JAF737]

Boeing also stated that Air India is not happy with the performance of the 787 ", but that they are not either." It is also said (not by Boeing or AI, but the typical "officials" the Indian media refers to) that AI is not happy with the fuel performance of the aircraft.

The first statement doesn't suprise me, the second does. Every single airline using the 787 commenting on the fuel performance said it was better than expected, even Norwegian... (of course the early aircraft are not performing up to the standards under which Boeing sold them many years ago, but that has been known for a long time, ANA and JAL both stated that these early aircraft performed better than expected when they received them from Boeing). Though if AI indeed is not happy with the fuel performance...well they also said they were disappointed in the 777 performance. Well you have to blame someone for your losses because of bad management, isn't it?!

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-0 ... eliability

Strange indeed. The B787 actually performs better than promised by Boeing.
JAF is also very happy about it.

[Passenger]

Boeing also stated that Air India is not happy with the performance of the 787 ", but that they are not either." It is also said (not by Boeing or AI, but the typical "officials" the Indian media refers to) that AI is not happy with the fuel performance of the aircraft.

The first statement doesn't suprise me, the second does. Every single airline using the 787 commenting on the fuel performance said it was better than expected, even Norwegian... (of course the early aircraft are not performing up to the standards under which Boeing sold them many years ago, but that has been known for a long time, ANA and JAL both stated that these early aircraft performed better than expected when they received them from Boeing). Though if AI indeed is not happy with the fuel performance...well they also said they were disappointed in the 777 performance. Well you have to blame someone for your losses because of bad management, isn't it?!

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-0 ... eliability

Strange indeed. The B787 actually performs better than promised by Boeing.
JAF is also very happy about it.

Thanks JAF787.
Air India indeed is the first 787 user to complain about the fuel consumption.

[JAF737]

Yeah that sounds quite strange to me...

At the arrival of the OO-JDL, JAF used the standard fuel consumptions (from Boeing then) with a bias of +2% (not knowing how the aircraft would exactly perform). After a while, JAF reduced the bias to 0% based on the statistics they received from performed flights. She's still "making" fuel today, clearling meaning she performs better than expected (Thomson says +/- 2% better).

She's truly a great aircraft. The company, the passengers, and the pilots just love it.

[sean1982]

Norwegian orders 4 additional B787-9

http://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/norwegian/ ... ers-960737

[sn26567]

Scoot to seat 375 passengers in densest B787 layout

Scoot's forthcoming B787 Dreamliners will each accommodate up to 375 passengers when delivered later this year. In what is the densest B787 layout seen to date, the Singapore Airlines-owned budget subsidiary will equip its Boeing 787s with 35 premium economy (configured 2-3-2) and no fewer than 340 slim-line economy seats (configured 3-3-3).

It is true that the B787s in question are the newer 9-series, which are a longer version of the current B787-8s in service with other carriers, but nevertheless a maximum capacity of 375 passengers is roughly the same as certain airlines accommodate on their larger B777-300s.

Full article in Business Traveller

[RoMax]

It is true that the B787s in question are the newer 9-series, which are a longer version of the current B787-8s in service with other carriers, but nevertheless a maximum capacity of 375 passengers is roughly the same as certain airlines accommodate on their larger B777-300s.

Scoot also has over 400 seats on their 772's. And with some airlines (TUI, Norwegian) comming close to the 300 seats on the 788, 375 is not that abnormal on the 789 for a LCC airline like Scoot.
Talking about the 77W, that's indeed true, but there are also airlines such as KLM with 425 seats on their 77W's and they are an FSC carrier even. Air Austral even does it with 442 seats (and that's a 3-class configuration of Y, Y+ and a small C class) on the 77W and if you pack it really full in high density you can fit in 550 people on a 77W (the closest I can think of are the domestic 777-300 (non-ER's) in Japan which can take over 500 people). I'm not sure what the maximum allowed amount of pax on the 789 is, but the 788 is even allowed to go up to about 380 seats if I remember well (however I doubt any airline will ever consider putting 380 people on a 788).

In comparison, the launch customer ANZ will have 302 seats on their 789's. Of which Boeing also confirmed that they are still on track to deliver the first one to ANZ this summer on time, with currently 3 aircraft in certification testing and a fourth one nearing completion.

[Passenger]

KLM will receive its first 787-9 in October 2015.

http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/nl-NL/Ar ... tober_2015

[sn26567]

Kenya Airways is about to receive its first 787-8 Dreamliner soon. And on the first pictures it appears that the engine cowlings will be in a bright red colour. Another exception (after British Airways in dark blue) to the Boeing standard of supplying them only in white or light blue.


Picture Airchive

[sn26567]

After the A380, the B787:

Boeing to inspect wings of undelivered Dreamliners for cracks
Airplane maker says supplier's manufacturing defect could cause delays in delivering the jets

Boeing said Friday that a manufacturing problem had caused hairline cracks in the wings on some of its 787 Dreamliner jets, requiring inspections on 42 aircraft and delaying the delivery of some to airlines.

Wing-maker Mitsubishi Heavy Industries informed Boeing that a change in its manufacturing process may cause the cracks in the wings it produces for yet-to-be-delivered jets. Subsequent inspections revealed cracks on some jets.

The defect is a major headache for Boeing, which is working to consistently produce 10 Dreamliners a month this year, though it still plans to deliver around 110 of the jets in 2014 and said its revenue guidance for the year remained unchanged.

The inspections and repairs at Boeing plants in Washington state, South Carolina and Mitsubishi facilities in Japan illustrate how manufacturing problems can be spread quickly through the supply chain while it builds Dreamliners at a record rate.

Boeing said none of the 123 787s delivered to date are affected by the wing issue.

Boeing and its partner are inspecting 787s with line numbers running from 151 to 193, representing around a fifth of all Dreamliners built since 2007.

Full story (as a scoop) in the Wall Street Journal

[letscruise]

Another JAL diverts after hydraulic problem:

A Japan Airlines flight from Tokyo to San Francisco has made an emergency landing in Honolulu, reportedly because of a possible problem with its hydraulic system.

The pilot of the Dreamliner flight JL002, carrying 171 passengers and crew, decided to divert to Hawaii after a warning message about falling pressure of lubricant oil in its right engine, according to Japanese national broadcaster NHK.

NHK said there was no fire and no injuries.

In a short statement on its website, JAL said the jet had landed in Honolulu because of "maintenance issues".

"This flight terminated its operation at Honolulu international airport," the announcement said. JAL officials could not be reached for immediate comment.

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner has suffered a series of problems since coming into service two years ago, including a global grounding of its fleet over battery system problems.

Boeing admitted that despite months of testing it did not know the root cause of the battery problems, but rolled out modifications it said would ensure the issue did not recur.

Source : http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/m ... waii-jl002

[sn26567]

This is the first in-flight shutdown of the GEnx engine since it entered service on the Dreamliner.

[Homo Aeroportus]

.... A Japan Airlines flight from Tokyo to San Francisco has made an emergency landing in Honolulu ....

NRT-SFO diverting to HNL??

That's way off course, isn't it?

I could think of returning to base, ANC, or SEA.
Also Midway used to be a last resort (pun intended) for ETOPS in trouble, but I don't know if it is still open though.

H.A.

[sn26567]

Indeed:

[Sean_DM]

I believe winds dictated a crossing closer to HNL than usual.

[Homo Aeroportus]

I believe winds dictated a crossing closer to HNL than usual.

You're right Sean.

All the flights heading to SFO/LAX from Japan were flying a much Southerly route. Actually flirting with the 37th parallel, about 500NM South of the Great Circle.
JAL002 was around N37 W153 when it head South to HNL. This was the closest suitable RWY about 900NM from the point of diversion. Indeed much closer than SFO.

Not exactly where the Pax wanted to be but they stayed dry.

H.A.

[sn26567]

Boeing delays decision on 787-10 production site

Boeing has delayed a decision on where it will build the 787-10. This decision should have been taken in the first quarter of 2014, but is now expected before the end of the year. No reason was given for the delay.

All aft and mid-body fuselage sections for the 787-8 and 787-9 are built in North Charleston, with final assembly of most airplanes taking place in Everett, Washington.

The North Charleston plant is scheduled to build three fully assembled 787-8s a month by midyear and begin performing final assembly on the 787-9 in the fall.

[quixoticguide]

United plans domestic B789 flights.

According to the Australian Business Traveller United Airlines will take delivery of its first 787-9 in July, with another to follow later in the summer.

Matt Miller explains "We will take delivery of both 787-9s in this summer and we’ll be flying them domestically before we launch (Melbourne-Los Angeles) at the end of October” he's UA’s Managing Director for Japan and Pacific Sales.

The initial domestic destinations will include Denver, Houston, and Los Angeles.