Federal regulators on Friday cleared the way for Boeing to resume deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner after it was suspended more than a year ago over quality concerns.
Boeing had submitted a plan to inspect and repair these issues to the Federal Aviation Administration this spring, but the agency approved it on Friday as a major milestone toward the delivery of the plane, according to people familiar with the decision. . Approved by agency to share news. The FAA will continue to inspect jets before they are delivered to Boeing customers.
The Dreamliner is a twin-aisle aircraft commonly used on long international flights and is an integral part of Boeing’s fleet. They are attractive to airlines because they are more fuel efficient than older widebody planes.
The delivery delay hit both Boeing and its customers. In January, Boeing estimated the cost of carrying out repairs and compensating customers for delays at about $3.5 billion. He said he had no choice but to cut some international flights.
Quality concerns included finding and filling paper-thin gaps in the fuselage, replacing certain titanium parts made of the wrong material, and other modifications. Boeing said nothing had an immediate impact on the safety of the Dreamliner currently in flight.
Boeing has already begun inspecting and repairing its inventory of about 120 Dreamliners, but it was not immediately clear when it could resume shipping to customers. American executives said earlier this month that they expect to begin receiving some Dreamliner orders in early August.
Boeing had already indicated earlier this week that it was close to resuming deliveries. “We are preparing the plane with our customers and have completed flight checks for the first flight,” Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West said in a call with investor analysts and reporters. .
An FAA spokesperson declined to comment on the decision. In a brief statement, Boeing said it would “continue to work transparently” with its agents and their customers to resume deliveries.
Boeing said this week it aims to return to building five Dreamliners a month, down from 14 a month before the pandemic.