Inspection Uncovered Problems In Manufacturing Procedures

On the same day news surfaced about damage to the midbody fuselage barrel destined for Boeing's fourth 787 Dreamliner flight test aircraft, the plant that manufactures those sections said it halted production for 24 hours following discoveries made during an FAA audit.

The Seattle Times reports Global Aeronautica, a joint-venture between Boeing and Italy's Alenia Aeronautica, was found by FAA auditors to have lax processes when dealing with FOD, or foreign object debris. During a visit to Global on June 18-20, the FAA found "observations of FOD and non-conformance with procedures," according to company spokeswoman Lee Kurtz.

In addition to causing potential noise issues (think buzzing noises, or the rattles passengers sometimes hear in the walls of airliners) FOD carries a more significant potential for danger, as well -- that loose objects left in fuselage sections can knock out important systems, like hydraulics.

The company responded by shutting down the production line Monday at 10 pm, and restarted it 24 hours later. During the shutdown, shift workers attended eight-hour training sessions on proper work procedures.

"They had us review all the FOD procedures," said one contractor, who asked to remain anonymous. "Everybody had to walk the floor [looking] for FOD and search the airplanes for missing tools."

Kurtz stressed the shutdown wasn't related to last week's incident, first reported Monday, in which an Alenia technician improperly drilled fastener holes in the Section 44 midbody section for Dreamliner number 4. As ANN reported Tuesday, Boeing is now assessing the repairs, and it's uncertain how long delivery of that section to Everett, WA for assembly could be delayed as a result.

While the problems are different, they could at least partially stem from the same issue. The unnamed contractor said it wasn't surprising the FAA discovered problems, as a sizable number of workers employed at Global have "never worked on airplanes before."

But don't blame this solely on inexperienced workers, the contractor added. Experienced aerospace workers typically arrive at the job with their own tools, kept in private toolboxes. That removes a layer of accountability, the contractor said, that techs using company tools work under, when they must return the tool to storage racks at the end of their shifts.

"In the beginning ... they were basically looking the other way to get the plane built," said the contractor. "Now people are paying attention to procedures and everything is being done by the letter of the law... So it was a good thing this happened. It was like a wake-up call."

FMI: www.boeing.com, www.aleniana.com/global-aeronautica-llc