Delays in the delivery of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a project almost three years behind schedule, have been caused by the use of “immature” technology, according to a company chief.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive Jim Albaugh was quoted as saying: “Some of the technology was not as mature as it should have been and we put a global supply chain together without thinking through some of the consequences.”
Speaking at the annual Global Competitiveness Forum in Saudi Arabia, he added: “When you put immature technology in your supply chain and don’t supply adequate oversight, you have issues and that is what we had.”
Albaugh voiced confidence in the new generation aircraft even if production is nearly three years behind schedule. “It is going to be a magnificent airplane and will be 20% more efficient than the airplanes it is replacing,” he said.
Boeing said last week it would delay the delivery of its first 787 from February to the third quarter of 2011. An electrical fire during a test flight in November forced an emergency landing and grounded Dreamliner tests.
These resumed last month after the company said it had updated the power systems software and conducted rigorous reviews to confirm flight readiness.