Boeing grounds eight 787 jets as flaws create risk of failure

Bloomberg

Boeing Co grounded eight of its 787 Dreamliner jets for inspection and repair after finding two manufacturing flaws that together could compromise the structural integrity of the aircraft.
The distinct issues involve the composite barrel sections at the rear of the wide-body plane, which are melded together at a Boeing plant in South Carolina. Together, the flaws cause the fuselage sections to fall short of the planemaker’s standards for withstanding stress, creating a risk of in-flight failure.
Boeing has found that the rest of the global Dreamliner fleet meets those standards, known as limited load capability, a person familiar with the matter said. However, Boeing is analysing data to determine whether it needs to take further action such as recommending inspections of other Dreamliners in use, said the person, who asked not to be identified as the matter is confidential.
“We are taking the appropriate steps to resolve these issues and prevent them from happening again,” Boeing said by email. The company said it has “fully briefed” the US Federal Aviation Administration and is “conducting a thorough review into the root cause.”
Air Canada, United Airlines Holdings Inc and Singapore Airlines Ltd said they each had one of the affected planes. United said its Dreamliner had been in service before the airline was notified by Boeing.
The problems add to a series of woes for Boeing, which is working to end a global grounding of the workhorse 737 Max that was imposed in March 2019 after two crashes killed 346 people. Changes to the narrow-body’s flight control system are being testing by regulators, and the plane is expected to be cleared for flight by year-end. Boeing also is grappling with structural cracks involving so-called pickle forks in an earlier generation of the 737.
The 787 has become a critical source of cash for Boeing during the Max crisis. It is popular with airlines for its fuel efficiency and creature comforts that lessen the effects of jet lag.
The limited grounding isn’t likely to snarl airline operations, since the long-distance flights for which the Dreamliner is used have diminished during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Dreamliner issues were first reported by the Air Current blog and come as Boeing studies consolidating production of the 787 in a single location. The model is built in Everett, Washington, as well as at a nonunion factory in South Carolina.
The FAA said it is engaging with Boeing regarding the flawed Dreamliners.