Boeing 787 plans for Dash 3 and Dash 10 variants overweight and delayed and Japanese (back at Changi) look at Airbus 350XWB at Singapore Airshow

Boeing initialy planned to produce 3 versions of the Dreamliner the 787-8(60 metres wspan 15,200) and a stretched 787-9 (63 metres wspan 15,750Km) (currently a total of 824 orders ) and the 787-3 (59 metres wspan 5,650Km) ere wingspan range which is a shorthaul version due for service in 2010 and for which Japan Airlines Corp. and All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd. have ordered 43 planes.

Now Boeing Co. has suspended some work on the 787-3 and some employees have been shifted to other tasks, "including work on improving the 787-8 and meeting nearer-term schedule requirements, on the twice-delayed 787 Dreamliner

Lori Gunter says Boeing but remains "absolutely committed" to producing the 787-3 model for the Japanese airlines that have ordered them and said Boeing is focused now on getting the first 787-8 to fly, and said it's too early to talk about the very stretched 787-10 being stalled.
Randy Tinseth, Boeing's chief marketing officer, told Bloomberg News on Monday "The 787-3 today is still part of our plan for the program and still being offered." and “We have a commitment to ANA and JAL to build that airplane.”

The Flightblogger.com who is reporting to Lord Patel from the Singapore Airshow said that the scuttlebutt was that Boeing was considering suspending the short-haul version in a move that might be a precursor to cancelling it.

The Seattle Times spoke to Stephen Udvar-Hazy who said the short-range variant of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, the 787-3, is too heavy to make sense in any market outside Japan and in conversation with Jon Ostrower Hazy also discussed "weight creep" on the current 787 models.(which the alert bankers prattled on about inthe early December Carson/Shanahan raodshow=webcast).

Hazy insists the initial Dreamliner models are overweight, causing Boeing to trim their range capabilities.(Louis Gunter confirmed that Boeing cut its range forecast for the initial Dreamliners about a year ago because of increased weight). Hazy said flight tests beginning this summer should reveal the extent to which Boeing can cut out some of the excess weight.

In the meantime, Hazy said, Boeing's development of the next major Dreamliner derivative — the bigger 787-10 planned with 300 seats — has slowed down because the extra weight on the base airplane means the bigger derivative will need engines with more thrust than originally planned, as well as stronger landing gear.Tuesday. He said flight tests beginning this summer should reveal the extent to which Boeing can cut out some of the excess weight. March 28, 2006 Boeing to "supersize" 787 "Dreamliner"

Steven Udvar-Hazy told ATWOnline on the sidelines of the ALTA Airline Leaders Forum in Cancun on November 8th that the 787-9 is around 14,000 lb. over budget on its operating empty weight. In addition to the challenge this presents for the -9, it creates a problem for the proposed 787-10 because the additional weight on the already heavier platform could mean a heavier landing gear as well as higher-thrust engines, changes that would cause it to lose a lot of commonality with the smaller -8 and -9 variants, he said.

JAL are quoted saying - “We have been informed that there is a possibility of a delay to the 787-3, ...and we have not received a new delivery schedule since the delays to the programme were announced. Obviously the 787-3 is important to our plans. It has a shorter wingspan, which is important at key airports in Japan.” (Apparently Japanese are smaller - or at least their airports are)

Reuters report that 2 company sources say Japan Airlines Corp is looking at buying some Airbus' mid-sized A350 XWB (extra wide body) planes after production delays for Boeing Co's 787 planes But then as lead buyer there must be some hard bargaining going on for compensation for the delays or even cancellation of the 787-3.

JAL is overhauling its fleet to cope with skyrocketing fuel costs. Just this week it said it planned to raise its fuel surcharge on international routes.'Fuel efficiency is a crucial factor for all aircraft, and that is one of the reasons why we chose (the) 787,' JAL spokesman Stephen Pearlman said.

Japanese heavy industrial firms (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Fuji Heavy Industries) are contributing 35% of the construction of the Dreamliner and 70% at least of the carbon Toray Industries Inc*** (April 2006) announced orders from Boeing for PAN carbon Fibre worth US$3 Bn.billion for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner passenger jet. Toray now hold about 32% of global supply which they want to boost to 39% by 2010 to 13,900 tons per annum and to 24,000 tons by 2010.)

We have probably seen the last of the 20% fuel savings claims as well..... and the -3 and -10 variants look way, way down the track ... and the whole Dreamliner project looking very flaky as the compensation claims start mounting.

*** 20th Feb 2008 Toray Industries, Inc. announced that it will expand its capacity to produce the PAN-based carbon fiber TORAYCA*. The company will add to its Ehime Plant an additional carbonization facility for special thin carbon fibers for industrial use having an annual production capacity of 1,000 tons. This new facility is scheduled to begin operation in July 2009. The company’s recently adopted capacity-expansion plan involves a total investment of approximately ¥16 billion (US$1.5Bn.)

The worldwide demand in 2007 for PAN-based carbon fibers is estimated to have been about 35,000 tons, and the demand is expected to expand at an annual rate of 15% or more in the years ahead and to reach close to 53,000 tons per annum in 2010 by which time Toray will be producing 25,000 tons.

Pic Airbus Sigapore Airshow Brochure