WASHINGTON- US Aerospace giant Boeing is investigating a new quality issue with its 787 Dreamliner after discovering that hundreds of fasteners were incorrectly installed on the fuselages of some undelivered jets, according to two people familiar with the matter.
This latest manufacturing problem involves the incorrect “torquing” or tightening of more than 900 fasteners per plane at a Boeing plant, with the fasteners evenly split between both sides of the jet’s mid-body.
Boeing 787 Fasteners Issues
Although there is no immediate flight safety concern, Boeing is working to determine the cause of the issue and will decide on any necessary rework once the investigation is complete.
The fasteners, which attach the carbon-composite skin to internal supports called longerons, were tightened from the wrong side, the sources said, requesting anonymity.
“Our 787 team is inspecting fasteners in the side-of-body area of some undelivered 787 Dreamliner planes to ensure they meet our engineering specifications. The in-service fleet can continue to operate safely,” a spokesperson told Reuters.
“We are taking the necessary time to ensure all airplanes meet our delivery standards before delivery. We are working closely with our customers and the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and keeping them updated.”
The Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
FlightRadar24 tracking data indicated that deliveries have been slower than usual due to an earlier production slowdown but have not been paused.
Boeing is under heavy scrutiny since its 737 MAX fatal crash and recent door blowout incident leading to the grounding of the entire 737 MAX 9 fleet.
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The post Boeing Hits with New Loose Fasteners Issues on 787s appeared first on Aviation A2Z.