Boeing has once again halted deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner due to a documentation issue with a fuselage component.
Boeing hasn’t delivered any Dreamliner from the production line or the dozens of aircraft stored for delivery since 26th January, according to the Wall Street Journal. The manufacturer is conducting further analysis on the forward pressure bulkhead before resuming deliveries.
“In reviewing certification records, Boeing discovered an analysis error by our supplier related to the 787 forward pressure bulkhead. We notified the FAA and have paused 787 deliveries while we complete the required analysis and documentation.”
Boeing
“The FAA is working with Boeing to determine any actions that might be required for recently delivered airplanes. Deliveries will not resume until the FAA is satisfied that the issue has been addressed,” the Federal Aviation Administration told FlightGlobal on 23rd February.
Boeing further stated that there is no immediate safety concern for the in-service fleet, clarifying that the mistake was identified within the past week.
Spirit AeroSystems, the company which supplies the forward pressure bulkhead for the 787 jets, said it was aware of the delivery halt.
“Based on the information we currently have and our interactions with Boeing to date, we believe it is too early to assert there was an ‘analysis error’ by Spirit,” the company told Reuters.
No Alteration to 787 Delivery Forecast
Even though the 787 deliveries in the short term will be impacted, Boeing does not foresee any alteration to its production and delivery forecast for the year.
Between July 2021 and July 2022, Boeing did not deliver any 787 jets after discovering a quality issue during manufacturing several months prior. Deliveries resumed in August 2022, and to date, the company has delivered 21 Dreamliners.
In recent years, the delivery of the 787 has decreased due to the quality problem and the pandemic. In 2019, Boeing delivered 158 of the 787 jets, while in 2020, it was 53, and 14 in 2021.
Is there a forward pressure bulkhead? How can this work if there is the flight deck at the front?
Of course the one at the rear seals the cabin from the tail area forward.