Military

Boeing Finds Wing Cracks on 787 Dreamliner

787 With Mt Rainier in DistanceK65116
courtesy Boeing Co.
In the latest of a string of problems found on its 787 Dreamliner, The Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) said Friday evening that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has told Boeing that hairline cracks have been found in some parts of the wing assembly. Some 43 Dreamliners are affected, and it may take up to two weeks to make the necessary repairs, throwing Boeing’s delivery schedule out of whack.

Boeing said that the problem does not affect any of the 787s the company has already shipped. There are 123 of the planes now in service.

Mitsubishi manufactures the advanced carbon composite wing for Boeing and then ships the part to assembly plants in Washington State and South Carolina. The two factories assemble a total of 10 Dreamliners every month, and Boeing still plans to meet its 2014 forecast shipment total of 110 jetliners.

One of Boeing’s major headaches with getting the Dreamliner to market was its decision to outsource the majority of the work. About a third of that is being done in Japan, according to a report in the New York Times.

Problems with the planes’ electrical system and batteries led to a three-month grounding of the 787 fleet early last year.

Boeing shares closed Friday at $128.54, down 0.25%. They are off 5.8% this year after jumping 81.1% in 2013.

In a separate and unrelated incident, a Boeing 777-200 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew has disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The aircraft vanished over the South China Sea. A Malaysian Airlines official said that the pilot sent no distress signal and that no wreckage has been seen.

Take Charge of Your Retirement In Just A Few Minutes (Sponsor)

Retirement planning doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. The key is finding expert guidance—and SmartAsset’s made it easier than ever for you to connect with a vetted financial advisor.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Answer a Few Simple Questions. Tell us a bit about your goals and preferences—it only takes a few minutes!
  2. Get Matched with Vetted Advisors Our smart tool matches you with up to three pre-screened, vetted advisors who serve your area and are held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. Click here to begin
  3. Choose Your  Fit Review their profiles, schedule an introductory call (or meet in person), and select the advisor who feel is right for you.

Why wait? Start building the retirement you’ve always dreamed of. Click here to get started today!

 

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.

AI Portfolio

Discover Our Top AI Stocks

Our expert who first called NVIDIA in 2009 is predicting 2025 will see a historic AI breakthrough.

You can follow him investing $500,000 of his own money on our top AI stocks for free.