Boeing to Investigate Possible Wing Defect in 787 Dreamliners

Boeing, together with one of their key suppliers, reportedly have launched an investigation into 43 defective 787 Dreamliner jets that are still in Boeing’s possession, according to a story by The Wall Street Journal in an article titled “Boeing to Inspect Wings of Undelivered Dreamliners for Cracks,” published March 7, 2014. The investigation is geared toward examining hairline cracks in the wings caused during the manufacture of the jets, according to the Wall Street Journal story by reporter Jon Ostrower. Delays for inspections are nothing new for Boeing, who just last year had to halt deliveries of their Dreamliner models for about three months due to problems with the plane’s lithium-ion batteries, the Wall Street Journal reported. Boeing reportedly still plans to ship these Dreamliner jets out within the year, but the inspections have delayed delivery to some major airlines. The Wall Street Journal identified that the wings are made by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which recently informed Boeing that a change in its manufacturing process is causing the cracks, and ensuing investigations have, in fact, revealed a number of wing cracks. The change in manufacturing reportedly pertains to fasteners on the wings being over-tightened, which compresses the wing to the point it may crack, according to the Wall Street Journal article. Boeing stated that each plane will take about one to two weeks to investigate, and to this point about 17 jets have completed inspection, with seven undergoing pre-delivery flight tests, according to the Wall Street Journal.