Fri, Aug 13, 2010
First Deliveries Still Targeted For Q4 2010
Sources inside Boeing indicate that the final Dreamliner test
aircraft (ZA006) may not fly until September 12, but it is still
targeting the first delivery of a production aircraft to
launch customer ANA in the 4th quarter of this year.
The sixth test aircraft was to have flown at the end of July,
but that simply didn't happen. Boeing acknowledges that its margin
on the flight test program to make the planned December delivery is
pretty thin, and it has hinted that ANA may have to wait for its
first Dreamliner until early in 2011.
The Air Transport World blog reports that, according to Boeing,
Dreamliner ZA001 has accumulated over 466 hours of flight testing,
and overall, the fleet has racked up 463 flights and about 1,446
hours.
But the ongoing delays in delivery dates have pushed one
customer, Air India, to file a $1 billion claim against Boeing.
When they ordered their Dreamliners, Air India was to have received
their first aircraft in 2008, and now Boeing says March 2011 is the
earliest Air India will see one of the new planes. India Today says
the airline has the backing of the Indian government in pursuing
the claim against Boeing. The U.S. government is urging New Delhi
to take a less strident stance on the issue.
Final assembly has already begun on the first Dreamliner to be
delivered to Air India, which should be the 26th airplane to come
off the assembly line. The airline plans to use the Dreamliner to
replace older A310's and 747-400 aircraft.
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