Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh has just revealed that the long awaited 787, the biggest dream of aviation of this century, finally reaching its long expected deliveries (3 or more years late).... will miss its intended performance specifications.... designed to fly 14,200km to 15,200km range, it will.... not. Several improvement packages are under study to get to 14,800km (8,000nm) range, however he states "When that date's going to be [at 8000nm], I can't tell you." .... it sounds to me that they are far away from that (or at least they doesn't have the clue of where they are!), .... just an impression...
But Mike Bair, head of Boeing's 737 advanced development effort, has indicated that the 787 will anyhow outperform the 767.... don't panic folks... he said the 767 not the Dakota, is it still an improvement
... please Mr Albaugh: STOP CALLING IT DREAMLINER.... it is getting a bad joke....
AT the time Airbus was having all the A380 trouble, Boeing appeared to be going well with the 787 development. At that time, I was working with Boeing on a military contract. One of the Boeing Managers commented that no one should get too excited about Airbus having a tough time and Boeing doing so well because Boeing will have its troubles too with the 787, and as we now see, they have. In the end, I think it will be a great airplane but they underestimated the complexity. A few years before that working with another aircraft manufacturer, one of their engineers staed "I think we have forgotten how to build an airplane." And I agree with him. Lockheed, Booeing, and Airbus are all have issues. The aircraft designed and built today are far more complex then years before. Airbu has had issues with the A380, A350, and A400...Lockheed with the F-35 varients and Boeing with the 787 and even some minor issues with the 767 tanker. Nobody is effectively managing teir programs anymore and instead making too many promises. These guys better watch out because Bombardier, Embraer and China are not too far behind.