Even more 787 delays?

[Verbal]

Boeing 787 May Be Further Delayed, Goldman Sachs Says (Update2)
By Edmond Lococo

March 7 (Bloomberg) -- Boeing Co., which has already twice delayed its new 787 Dreamliner, may further postpone delivery of the aircraft by several months to the second half of 2009, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analyst Richard Safran.

The initial powering up of the aircraft scheduled for around the end of March may be delayed until the end of June, which would push back the first flight of the aircraft, Safran wrote in a note to clients today. Deliveries may start in the third quarter of 2009 instead of Chicago-based Boeing's current target of ``early 2009,'' he wrote.

The 787 is already about eight months behind schedule because of problems with unfinished parts from suppliers. Concerns over an additional delay prompted Safran to lower his 2009 delivery projection by 38 percent and reduce his profit forecast for next year.

Boeing ``continues to underestimate the amount of work required on the 787,'' wrote Safran, who cited unnamed sources in his note. ``Changes to the airplane have caused a delay in completing wiring of the aircraft.''

The company is ``working hard to meet milestones'' and will not comment on the Goldman projections, Yvonne Leach, a Boeing spokeswoman, said in a phone interview today.

Boeing fell 90 cents to $78.61 at 10:53 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The stock has fallen 11 percent in the past 12 months.

Safran lowered his estimate for 2009 Dreamliner deliveries to 50 jets from 80, and cut his per-share profit forecast for the year by 10 cents to $6.90. He rates the shares ``neutral.''

Previous Delays

Boeing delayed the 787 delivery schedule on Oct. 10, and again on Jan. 16. The company had 857 orders for the 787 valued at $144 billion from 56 airlines as of Feb. 15.

Boeing continues to work on a detailed assessment of the 787 delivery schedule, Leach said.

``That assessment is ongoing,'' Leach said. ``We will communicate to customers on this around the end of the first quarter.''

Last month, the company said stress tests performed on the fuselage barrel of the Dreamliner were successful. The company announced Feb. 15 it began final assembly on the second flight- test 787 airplane.

To contact the reporter on this story: Edmond Lococo in Boston at [email protected].
Last Updated: March 7, 2008 11:04 EST

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[FlyingPhotog]

Please no more delays! I'm going to Seattle at the end of June, hoping to see it in flight.

[ojas]

Well it's payback time for those who criticised the A380 delay mercilessly.

But it indeed is sad, I was hoping they would be out by mid 2008

[11Fan]

Glass House

Ojas,

This isn't directed at you since you did demonstrate some sincerity in your second sentence.

Nevertheless, I would venture to say that those individuals whom most harshly criticized the A380 delay had nothing to do with building either one of these aircraft.

Despite what one may think, there's actually a mutual respect between those who live in glass houses, regardless of which side of the street they live on.

New aircraft programs are incredibly complex and nothing ever works perfect the first time, but eventually they do get sorted out.

And while there may be a slight or occasional touch of schadenfreude, one always remembers, it could just as easily be me.

11Fan

[Brenden S]

New technology. Of course its going to have delays. Boeing were foolish to have such a short time from manufacturer to flying and delivery. It was more a selling point more than anything. Just look at Airbus.

[seahawk]

Not bad for such a revolutionary aircraft.

[Dmmoore]

About the only thing Boeing has done right is to keep their customers informed of production delays as the are discover them rather than keep them covered up until there was no way to keep the delay hidden.

Delays for new aircraft are not unusual and Boeing was way too optimistic in their production and test flight schedule.

I always calculate first article production as what I think I need for time + 100% + 50%. Usually by the time production article 4 or 5 rolls off the line the build time is down to about what was originally estimated. If I'm early, I'm a hero, if I'm late, I'm the goat.

[AASuper80Fan]

Well Boeing's Crebility takes another hit if this is the case, which I am believeing it is. Boeing was to aggressive, especially with the 7-8-07 roll out.

[AA 1818]

Has anyone actually read the article? Or are you all just posting in response to the thread's title? If you have not yet read the article, please do so now. I find it appalling that a Goldman-Sachs representative would make such a statement, especially so noting the dramatic effect that it had on Boeing stock. Even more so, that his evidenciary support is limited to an 'un-named' source. I would rather wait from a Boeing representative before making such harsh judgement calls.

[AerLingusA330]

i dnt see how boeing are goin to be able to these test flights in the time scale they r giving them selfs. i mean if it is takin them this length of time to assemble the frame imagine wat it is going to be like wen it comes to testing the airframe at high speeds, at high altuides etc..., if this plane doenst make it like they said they wud, boeing are done for. Look at airbus noboody ever said it wud fly but it did, but the A380 had several more delays after the first flight, boeing is alreadu creapin near a 1 year delay. the 787 was meant to be in the air lst year for first delivery this year n we hvnt even seen engine start up.

there is goin to be order cancels soon, it seems to me tht boeing is tryin to bit off more than they can chew

[AA 1818]

i dnt see how boeing are goin to be able to these test flights in the time scale they r giving them selfs. i mean if it is takin them this length of time to assemble the frame imagine wat it is going to be like wen it comes to testing the airframe at high speeds, at high altuides etc..., if this plane doenst make it like they said they wud, boeing are done for. Look at airbus noboody ever said it wud fly but it did, but the A380 had several more delays after the first flight, boeing is alreadu creapin near a 1 year delay. the 787 was meant to be in the air lst year for first delivery this year n we hvnt even seen engine start up.

there is goin to be order cancels soon, it seems to me tht boeing is tryin to bit off more than they can chew

Welcome the forums!

A few things that need to be said - I appologize in advance - but please try to run a spell check before posting. It was truly difficult to read, or comprehend that which you were trying to say.

Anyway, as for your logic - things are not as gloomy as you have made them out to be. For the most part, many of those that ordered the 787 have little or no other other options for aircraft. Even if they were to cancel, their only other option would be to go to Airbus and order the A350, but with a current EIS of somewhere between 2013 and 2015, and not to mention, with new orders, airline might see their ordered aircraft somewhere between 2016 and 20-who-knows-when, most airlines are going to stay put. Yes, there are delays, but those are a fact of life for many many many new types. I think that while you believe Boeing to be incompetent, they are a bit wiser than to piss away customers. Rather than seeing cancellations, you will more than likely see compensation (in monetary form or in the form of aircraft) to customers affected. As you have highlighted, the A380 was delayed, and lost only few customers because of said delays.

[exswissair]

[QUOTE=AA 1818]Welcome the forums!

A few things that need to be said - I appologize in advance - but please try to run a spell check before posting. It was truly difficult to read, or comprehend that which you were trying to say.

QUOTE]



I think he was using sms texting.Quit a few young un's are using it nowdays.Though I hope it dose'nt become the english writing of the future.

[Dmmoore]

i dnt see how boeing are goin to be able to these test flights in the time scale they r giving them selfs. i mean if it is takin them this length of time to assemble the frame imagine wat it is going to be like wen it comes to testing the airframe at high speeds, at high altuides etc..., if this plane doenst make it like they said they wud, boeing are done for. Look at airbus noboody ever said it wud fly but it did, but the A380 had several more delays after the first flight, boeing is alreadu creapin near a 1 year delay. the 787 was meant to be in the air lst year for first delivery this year n we hvnt even seen engine start up.

there is goin to be order cancels soon, it seems to me tht boeing is tryin to bit off more than they can chew

It's really too bad we don't have the ADC A380 thread starting about four years ago. You're not saying anything about Boeing that wasn't said about Airbus and the A380. Unfortunately "BOEING" was so focused in selling an aircraft they forgot a few things. You got to build it before you can fly it, you got to fly it before you can deliver one.

On another note, If you are going to use SMS typing style, please do it on a cell phone. Computer keyboards come with 102 key on them. "WE" would like to see you learn to use most of them than but certainly more than the 15 or so available on your phone.

All English words have vowels. The first letter of the first word of a sentence is capitalized as are all proper names, Names of places and the directions found on a compass.

[Alessandro]

Seem like we´re doomed to repeat, I still think it´s been a mistake not to test the new technology on a B767, engines, airconditioning and so on...

[Highkeas]

Today's Los Angeles Times has a story about a design change on the center wing box
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...1,526540.story
Design changesa are routine as the design and fabrication processes mature.