No Takeoff in June for Boeing's 787 SEATTLE, WA (KPLU) - Just a week ago, Boeing was at the Paris Air Show, still promising the first flight of its new 787 Dreamliner by the end of June. Now the company has postponed the takeoff due to a structural problem and can't yet say when first flight or delivery will happen. Uncertainty is the main headline after nearly two years of delays for the new program.

Boeing says several weeks ago, routine wing-bending tests revealed more stress on the 787's side body than the company's computer models predicted. They thought they had a temporary fix and could still make the first flight in June with some restrictions. But after more analysis late last week, they reconsidered.

"We decided at that point that we should postpone first flight and make the needed modifications before beginning the flight test program," says Pat Shanahan, the head of airplane programs. He says they're now looking at a handful of solutions: adding varying amounts of titanium or aluminum to strengthen tiny sections of the side body above the wing. The plane is made of parts sourced from suppliers around the globe - and more than half lightweight plastic composites.

"I want to be very clear here," Shanahan added, as he spoke on an early morning conference call with journalists and financial analysts. "This is a structural reinforcement issue, not an issue with materials or workmanship. Composites are the right choice for airplane structure."

Boeing says there won't be much added weight from the patches and expects negligible impact on the new jet's performance, as well as minimal disruption to the assembly process. Analysts were less generous.

"I don't think these cracks in and of themselves are a huge concern. They're manageable. The question is what else are they going to find?" said Richard Aboulafia, an aviation industry analyst with the Teal Group. He says it's very unusual to find show-stopping flaws so close to the start of flight testing. And this structural problem is a different reason for a delay than we've heard over the past two years.

"You know the message has been from Boeing that this has all been about traveled work, about sequenced work, about working with partners and that's where they've stumbled," Aboulafia said. "This is kind of an unpleasant reminder that there might be issues in the design itself that need to be changed, rather than merely, say, a fastener shortage or a flight control software question. And that's a little daunting right now."

He added that it's anyone's guess whether the Dreamliner's first flight and delivery will now be pushed back by months or even another year. The company announced it won't know the schedule for several weeks.

Other analysts say many of Boeing's customers were flabbergasted by the news and are pleading for more clarity as soon as possible. 56 airlines have placed orders for more than 850 of the best-selling new jet.

(To hear the full story from KPLU business and labor reporter Bellamy Pailthorp, click "play" above.)

For more information:

Boeing's News Release

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