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2008-05-09 -Short Attention Span Theater-

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Posted by USN,Ret. (from home) 2008-05-09 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 Question: Is Boeing having trouble setting up the production line or are they saving so much with a smaller line that they are willing to take the late delivery penalties?

Posted by tipover 2008-05-09 13:32|| 2008-05-09 13:32|| Front Page Top

#2 Some has to do with shortages, some has to do with the too aggressive schedules early one, learning curve, etc.

One thing to understand, Aerospace is going through a shift. Used to be the big OEMs made the systems in house along with the airframe and purchased the components from the subs via BTP (build to print), etc.

This has changed to purchase of whole systems from subs and the OEMs are now major system integrators.

With Dreamliner, this was expanded to offshore subs, and so the integration is far more complex than they've seen before.

Mistakes, too agressive initial schedules, pressure to catch up on Airbus market share, temp fixes, etc leading to delays.

In this case, Boeing is doing the right thing by slowing the pace of manufacture to ease and solve the issues.

Also, it is a basic fact of Aerospace life that 99% of everything is late.

As USN would say, the suits on mahagony row will take 'challenges' during their 'planning' while deluding themselves into thinking they can make good on the challenges. In this case, Boeing being caught off by far to aggressive schedules, per bottom lines and the drum beat of the war with Airbus.

Posted by bombay">bombay 2008-05-09 13:50|| 2008-05-09 13:50|| Front Page Top

#3 Exactly Bombay. Add to that the situation you stated yesterday, the qualifying of subs; in this case many of the Boeing subs are qualified, but only to building metal airplanes; the concurrent design / build philosophy of the 787 plastic airplane with new processes, even with existing vendors was one bite too many. This was main reason Boeing bought out Vought's portion of the Vought / Alenia joint venture assembly plant in South Carolina
If you were to dig up the archives of the Mcdonnell-Douglas / General Dynamics fiasco called the A-12 Avenger II, you will see that the mistakes were many, but revolved around 2 experienced metal airplane guys trying to build a plastic one. So they built it like a metal one, and failed. Interesting sidenote that the B-2 was being built about that same time using a new approach and is successful.

Also interesting is that Airbus is building the A350XWB with carbon body panels fastened to metallic bulkheads ( sounds like a re-run of A-12).

Posted by USN, Ret. 2008-05-09 14:45|| 2008-05-09 14:45|| Front Page Top

#4 ION REDDIT > VULTURE - THE PLANE THAT CAN STAY ALOFT IN THE SKY FOR FIVE YEARS.

"Its the EYE IN THE SKY, looking at you ... it can read your mind".

Also, RUSSIA is desirious of contrux an ORBITING ASSEMBLY PLANT/STATION FOR SPACE CRAFT???

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-05-09 20:11|| 2008-05-09 20:11|| Front Page Top

23:41 RD
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