Boeing denies redesign will increase Dreamliner delays

The Wall Street Journal (3/21, A10, Lunsford) reports, "Boeing Co., reacting to reports that design problems have further delayed the 787 Dreamliner, acknowledged it had to strengthen" the center wing box, "a critical piece of the plane, but said the setback wasn't the 'pacing item' on the jet program." According to a company spokeswoman, "several 'stiffeners' were being added to the wing boxes of the first six airplanes, which are in various stages of completion." The Journal notes, "Starting with the seventh plane, a newly beefed-up wing box is being incorporated into production parts at Fuji Heavy Industries in Nagoya, Japan, which makes the massive pieces from carbon-fiber composites."

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (3/21, Wallace) explains that the wing box redesign "involves the spars that provide strength to the massive wing box structure, which measures about 19 feet wide and 17.5 feet long" and "are made of composite material. " They were reduced in width in an attempt to lighten the aircraft, but “subsequent testing showed the thinner spars could possibly buckle under severe loads," according to sources. And while Boeing said the redesign "will not affect two critical 787 milestones -- 'power on' and first flight" -- the company "will not say if those two events might be delayed by production and supply chain issues." Reuters (3/21, Rigby) and Wired's Autopia blog (3/20, Demerjian) also cover the story.