Boeing 787 No 2 Flight Test airframe on the build at Everett - costs of delay mount

Randy Tinseth has sent me the above photo of the second 787 assembly for flight testing (2 more will never leave the ground and are simply for static testing)at Everett - there will be 6 in total for flight testing.

He says this newest fuselage arrived on the line with less “travelled work” - i.e. Randy speak for sections are significantly more complete than was the case with Airplane #1. We’re seeing continued improvements in the condition of each assembly we receive.

Randy says the 3rd plane is due in a few weeks. The good news is that worldwide, right now there are a total 21 airplanes in various stages of production.

Costs of 787 delays Rack up for Boeing

The Financial Express in India report that Air India Air will be credited with US$150 million a month as penalty for delays in delivering the 27 Boeing 787 Dreamliners ordered in 2006. The orders were worth about $5.5 billion.

AI booked 68 aircraft from US plane-maker in a $11-billion (list price) order, which included the 27 Dreamliners.
The increasingly important Singapore Airshow takes off next Tuesday. Now the 2nd largest airshow in size after Paris , but smaller than others such as Dubai in terms of orders ($100 billion in orders last year). It provides gateway to the rapidly expanding Far east Market.

This year all eyes are on local national airlines India, China and Australia to expand their fleets and new regional low cost carriers. Will Malaysia's AirAsia X and Thai Airways will pick Airbus' A350 or the 787 Dreamliner ?

Boeing have sort of pre-announced the announcement for about US$8 billion worth of orders at the show.It is expected that Garuda Indonesia is planning an order of 10 Boeing 777s worth $2 billion, while low cost carriers such as Singapore's Tiger Airways, Indonesia's Lion Air and Hong Kong's Oasis are also expected to make new purchases.

As ever the military men will be out with their chequebooks in the shadows and Lockheed Martin , Northrop Grumman will be unloading their weapons - Lockheed will showcase its F-35 fighter jet, in development but which has run into technical problems . The F-35 will fly at a weight of 60,000 lb.making it heavier than any other single engine aircraft.

Boeing, the No 2 suppliers to Uncle Sam is hoping for some sales success with India and South Korea for warplanes and the old foe The Socialist Republic of Vietnam could be a new market for Chinook military helicopters.

Rolls Royce could also make an announcment about starting on a new local manufacturing plant. Nudge , nudge, Wink, wink.