17-Aug-2009 10:32 AM
Boeing confirms composite skin problems for B787
Boeing confirmed it instructed Alenia Aeronautica to halt production on fuselage sections for the B787 on 23-Jun-2009, after discovering microscopic wrinkles in the carbon composite material of the fuselage sections (AP/Bloomberg, 14-Aug-2009). The manufacturer plans to counter the problem with a patch of additional layers of carbon composite for the first 23 production aircraft. The problem is not expected to have any impact on the aircraft's revised initial test flight and delivery schedule, which is expected to be announced shortly.