Boeing to resume 787 deliveries in August

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3 years ago

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday approved Boeing’s inspection and modification plan to resume deliveries of 787 Dreamliners, two people briefed on the matter told Reuters.

The FAA approved Boeing’s proposal that requires specific inspections to verify the condition of the airplane meets requirements and that all work has been completed, a move that should allow Boeing to resume deliveries in August after it halted them in May 2021, the sources said.

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On July 17, Boeing told reporters it was “very close” to restarting 787 deliveries.

Boeing did not confirm the approval Friday but said it “will continue to work transparently with the FAA and our customers towards resuming 787 deliveries.”

Boeing has faced production issues with the 787 for more than two years. In September 2020, the FAA said it was “investigating manufacturing flaws” in some 787 jetliners.

In the aftermath of two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, the FAA pledged to more closely scrutinize Boeing and delegate fewer responsibilities to Boeing for aircraft certification.

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Boeing suspended deliveries of the 787 after the FAA raised concerns about its proposed inspection method. The FAA had previously issued two airworthiness directives to address production issues for in-service airplanes and identified a new issue in July 2021.

The planemaker had only resumed deliveries in March 2021 after a five-month hiatus before halting them again. Friday’s approval came after lengthy discussions with the FAA.

A plane built for American Airlines is likely to be the first 787 delivered by Boeing since May 2021, the sources said. That could come as early as next month.