Boeing has paused deliveries of 787 Dreamliner aircraft indefinitely as it conducts new analysis on a fuselage structural component, a previous version of which was cited for safety concerns and resulted in a delivery halt during 2021-22. It is the replacement for that component that is being reevaluated now, though reportedly the current issue is unrelated to the earlier one.
The component under review is a pressure barrier between the aircraft’s nose cone and interior cabin.
“In reviewing certification records, Boeing discovered an analysis error by our supplier related to the 787 forward pressure bulkhead. We notified the FAA and have paused 787 deliveries while we complete the required analysis and documentation,” Boeing said in a statement.
The decision to resume deliveries will be made by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The 787 Dreamliner is a twin-engine, wide-body aircraft developed by Boeing to achieve greater fuel-efficiency for long-range service. Since the 787’s introduction in 2011, Boeing has logged 1,615 orders for the 787, and as of December 2022 it has an order backlog of 575 aircraft.
"We are pausing deliveries while we update our analysis and submit any required certification deliverables to address the noncompliance," according to a Boeing statement.
Boeing also stated that the matter now being investigated raises “no immediate safety-of-flight concern for the in-service fleet.”
