Boeing announces that its new line of 787 Dreamliners need some extra work to ensure their safety, further setting back production on a model that is already falling behind. The steps are necessary safety precautions to make sure the planes do not have engine failure or set on fire.
Even though orders are coming in so fast that Boeing cannot keep up, safety comes first and the company says it will not cut corners when it comes to making sure its planes are the safest in the sky. As such, its latest line of 787 Dreamliners might take a little longer, but the delays are absolutely necessary.
Here’s what happened. The company says that improperly assembled parts in its newest jet, the 787 Dreamliner, could possibly cause the plane to run out of fuel. This in turn could cause engine failure and power loss. Hot engine parts could then catch on fire. The company says it has caught the problem before there is an actual problem, and everything is being done to remedy the situation. It did not say in which assembly plant the problem occurred.
The first time the fuel issue emerged was on Tuesday when a United Airlines 787 was forced to make an emergency landing due top an electrical problem. No one was in a any real danger and the company says there is no potential for long-term risk. Boeing shares were down only 0.2 percent Wednesday to $73.87.
“There are an awful lot of new features, new technologies and new manufacturing techniques that have produced an enormous number of teething problems, but so far no show stoppers,” says Richard Aboulafia, aerospace analyst with Virginia-based Teal Group. “We’re seeing headaches, not heart attacks.”
United Airlines says that a failed power generator was the cause of its emergency landing in New Orleans, but it landed safely and there were no injuries.
Image from reuters.com
