The Boeing Dreamliner was a part of the Boeing Yellowstone Project
(it was the Boeing Y2) to replace the aging Boeing 767 & compete with the
Airbus A330, A340 & new A350 families of aircrafts. Boeing and Airbus
started thinking of making new wide-body aircrafts but with two completely
different ideas in mind. Airbus opted for the hub-to-hub system where passengers
from small airports will fly to big airport hubs and from there they will board
a giant aircraft to fly another airport hub and from there they will catch a
small flight to their nearby city. Boeing instead went with the point to point
system where the wide bodied aircraft will fly from every airport, removing the
need for a hub. The Airbus aircraft designed with this idea came to be known as
the world’s largest commercial aircraft, the Airbus A380 while the Boeing
aircraft was revealed to the world as the Boeing 787 Dreamliners. After many
delays, the 787 was delivered to ANA in 2011, 3 years behind schedule.
Pre-Launch Problems
Sept. 5, 2007: A shortage
of fasteners and incomplete software cause three-month delay to first flight.
Oct. 10, 2007: More
software issues cause further three-month delay, and six-month delay to first
deliveries because of international and domestic supply changes.
Jan. 16, 2008: Another
three-month delay announced to first flight.
April 9, 2008: Boeing
announces fourth delay. First flight is rescheduled until late 2008 and initial
deliveries are put on hold until September 2009.
Nov. 4, 2008: Boeing
workers go on strike and continued fastener problems mean first flight is
rescheduled for mid-2009. Various airlines claim they will sue Boeing for
compensation.
June 15, 2009: In front of
the aviation world at the Paris Air Show, Boeing claims the first flight will
take place within two weeks. A little over a week later, Boeing cancels the
first flight and reschedules for late 2009.
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| The Dreamliner's maiden flight |
Dec. 15, 2009: Two years
late, the aircraft finally makes its maiden flight after making high-speed taxi
tests three days earlier.
June 2010: Fleet-wide
problems on horizontal stabilizers mean all aircraft in the test fleet are
inspected and repaired.
Aug. 2, 2010: The Trent
1000 engine, one of two used by the airplane, suffers a blowout at a
Rolls-Royce facility. First delivery to Japan's All Nippon Airways, a unit of
ANA Holdings Inc is delayed until February 2011.
Nov. 9, 2010: During a
test flight above Texas, a 787 experiences an electrical fire and is forced to
make an emergency landing. All test flights are suspended until Dec. 23.
January 2011: First
delivery rescheduled until September 2011 due to electrical and software problems
resulting from the in-flight fire.
Aug. 26, 2011: Boeing
receives approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and European
Air Safety Agency, enabling deliveries to commence.
Sept. 25, 2011: Three years
behind schedule, ANA receives the first Dreamliner.
Oct. 26, 2011: First
commercial flight takes place between Tokyo-Narita and Hong Kong. Some seats
fetch as much as $34,000 because of high demand from aviation enthusiasts.
Post-Launch problems
July 23, 2012: ANA has five
aircraft repaired after discovering a problem inside the Rolls-Royce engine.
July 28, 2012: A Dreamliner
suffers an engine failure on the ground at the Boeing plant in Charleston. An
investigation is announced by U.S. authorities.
Sept. 5, 2012: A hydraulic
problem inside an ANA 787 causes the pilot to abort takeoff. White smoke is
seen billowing from the aircraft.
Oct. 4 2012: An engine
problem onboard an Air Bridge Cargo 747-8 in Shanghai prompts General Electric to recommend the inspection of GEnx engines, which are used on some
747 and 787 aircraft.
Dec. 5, 2012: A report of
fuel leaks prompts the FAA to order the inspection of all 787s.
Jan. 7, 2013: A fire
starts on an empty Japan Airlines 787 at Boston Logan International.
Jan. 8, 2013: An ANA 787
is grounded after a crack in the windshield is found. Also, a JAL flight is
forced to cancel after engineers discover a fuel leak.
Jan. 9, 2013: United
Continental Holdings Inc. (United Airlines) discovers faulty wiring near a battery on
six of its aircraft. The National Transport Safety Board launches an
investigation.
Jan. 11, 2013: Another
Japan Airlines aircraft is found to have a fuel leak.
Jan. 13, 2013: Japan’s
Transport Ministry launches an investigation after a third leak is discovered
onboard a JAL aircraft.
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| The burnt batteries of the ANA 787 |
Jan. 16, 2013: An ANA flight from Tokyo to
Ube, Japan, makes an emergency landing after a burning smell is detected in the
cabin and a warning light comes on. ANA and JAL ground all their 787s, and
aviation authorities worldwide order the grounding of all Dreamliners pending
checks. Boeing halts all deliveries.
April 5, 2013: Redesigned batteries undergo
final tests. Flights resume on April 26.
June 2, 2013: A sensor
pressure detects overheating on one of its 787s.
June 23, 2013: United
Airlines makes an emergency landing after a problem is discovered with the
braking system.
July 12, 2013: An empty
Ethiopian Airlines 787 develops a fire at London's Heathrow airport, which
shuts down the entire airport temporarily. The fire was caused by a faulty
battery.
July 18, 2013: A
maintenance message onboard a JAL flight alerts to a fuel pump error.
July 22, 2013: An
electrical panel grounds a Qatar Airways 787.
July 24, 2013: An
investigation is launched after an oven overheats aboard an Air India flight.
July 26, 2013: Two
ANA-operated Dreamliners are found to have faulty battery wiring, the same
problem that caused the fire at Heathrow.
July 27, 2013: United
Airlines discovers a problem with an emergency beacon.
Aug. 27, 2013: A problem with slats
(extensions of the leading edge of the wing deployed, like the trailing-edge
flaps, during takeoff and landing for added lift) forces a JAL 787 to turn back
to Tokyo.
Sept. 19, 2013: A United Airlines 787 develops
similar flaps problems and is forced to declare an emergency and land in
Anchorage, Alaska.
Sept. 28, 2013: Technical
problems with a transponder prompt a LOT Polish Airlines flight to make an
emergency landing in Iceland.
Oct. 9, 2013: Electrical
problems caused failed lavatories and the failure of inflight anti-ice systems
on a JAL aircraft, which returned to San Diego.
Nov. 16, 2013: A British
Airways flight experiences hydraulic failure.
Jan. 14, 2014: Full Japan
Airlines Dreamliner fleet grounded after more battery problems.
Jan. 19, 2014: Air India 787 flight loses all transponders.
Jan. 19, 2014: A China Southern 787 receives
multiple system messages, including flaps, nose gear landing, nose gear position,
doors and brakes.
Feb. 5, 2014: All
management computers fail aboard an Air India flight.
March 5, 2014: Cracks
discovered on wings of 787s in production.
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