Boeing has begun evaluating the financial impact of two-plus years of delays on the 787 programme, while some in the investment community privately discuss the possibility of a forward loss in conjunction with a further slip in first delivery.

Chief financial officer James Bell says Boeing conducts quarterly accounting reviews of the 787 to determine if the programme is operating at a loss or profit position.

"Up to the point of the side-of-body issue our assessment was that the programme was not in a loss position," says Bell. "The cumulative impact of scheduled delays including the current one being assessed is obviously putting pressure on the programme's profitability."

787 Daylight Roll
 © Boeing

Source: Flight International