Fastener Problems Delay 787 Again

Jason Sandefur

Boeing confirmed the widely-anticipated six-month delay to its 787 Dreamliner, brought on by improper fastener installation, along with an eight-week production halt related to the machinists’ strike.
The latest fastener problem has been traced to an engineering error made at the company’s facility in Everett, WA. The bolts were used inside the fuselage to fasten titanium to a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic composite.
Boeing’s instructions for fastening titanium to composite bewildered mechanics, prompting them to cut too shallowly the tops of the holes they were drilling.
The first Dreamliner is now scheduled to fly sometime during the second quarter of 2009. Boeing said it will stick to its aggressive nine-month flight test schedule to achieve delivery by 2010.
A pressurization test revealed a small gap under the heads of thousands of fasteners inside the fuselage.
Since the location of all the fasteners is uncertain, mechanics must re-inspect the entire aircraft. �2009 FastenerNews.com