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Boeing delays Dreamliner deliveries over engine availability

By | August 27, 2010, 5:27 AM PDT

Boeing said Friday that it would delay deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner until the middle of the first quarter of 2011 because engines won’t be ready.

In a statement, Boeing said it won’t have the engines ready for final test flights in the fall.

The company said it is working with Rolls-Royce “to expedite engine availability.”

Boeing last month indicated that it would be a stretch to deliver the Dreamliner by the end of the year. The aerospace company said that it has had “supplier workmanship issues” and 787 deliveries may stretch into 2011. Now the engine delays have pushed the 787 out farther into 2011.

The Dreamliner is a composite aircraft that has stretched Boeing’s supply chain.

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Larry Dignan

About Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan is the editor-in-chief of SmartPlanet.

Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan

Editor-in-Chief

Larry Dignan is editor-in-chief of SmartPlanet and ZDNet. He is also editorial director of TechRepublic. Previously, he was an editor at eWeek, Baseline and CNET News. He has written for WallStreetWeek.com, Inter@ctive Week, New York Times and Financial Planning. He holds degrees from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and the University of Delaware. He is based in New York but resides in Pennsylvania.

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Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan
Larry Dignan does not hold any investments in the companies he covers.
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+1 Vote
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Stretched Supply Chain
Perhaps the supply chain would not have been so stretched had Boeing chosen to make the aircraft entirely in Seattle, rather than in pieces (that don't quite fit together) made all over the world.
Posted by Legal_Beagle
27th Aug 2010
+1 Vote
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RE: Boeing delays Dreamliner deliveries over engine availability
Boeing doesn't make engines. Boeing has never made engines. Aircraft & aviation engines are interdependent but separate industries. For the 787, the customer can choose between the Rolls Trent engine & the GEnx engine for their order. The Trent includes major components from 6 subcontractors around the world including 3 American. The GEnx also includes major components from subcontractors around the world.
Posted by hoodedswan
27th Aug 2010
+1 Vote
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RE: Boeing delays Dreamliner deliveries over engine availability
hoodedswan, thanks for a rational comment. There are two engines for the 787, so why is a delay for one of them delaying all deliveries? Is the GE engine coming later or what?
Posted by GarryGR
27th Aug 2010
+1 Vote
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RE: Boeing delays Dreamliner deliveries over engine availability
Wow! I would have loved being the Project Manager for his aircraft.
Apparently you do no need to plan too far to the right.,or at least it
seems that you don't need to be too accountable.
Posted by 16Tons
29th Aug 2010
+1 Vote
+ -
RE: Boeing delays Dreamliner deliveries over engine availability
I thought there were two different manufacturers not just one. GE and Rolls Royce were the options. Waiting on Rolls Royce seems like they might be stalling? They are overseas in europe. Makes you wonder because of Airbus there in europe with them.
Posted by QuietStormX
30th Aug 2010
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