The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reportedly approved Boeing’s plan to resume delivery of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft, a source familiar with the decision told several US media outlets on July 30, 2022.
The resumption of deliveries could take place in a few days, after the FAA gave the green light on July 29, 2022, The New York Times reported. However, the regulator will still inspect and certify each aircraft before they are delivered to airlines.
Delivery of the Dreamliner was halted for more than a year over manufacturing issues.
A production issue with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was first found in late August 2020, as it appeared that the aft fuselage section of some 787s would not be able to withstand maximum stress, making it more prone to a structural failure while in the air. Another problem was found in September 2020, and related to the aircraft’s tail fin. Parts of the horizontal stabilizer were clamped together with greater force than they were designed to.
In January 2021, Boeing halted 787 deliveries completely. They briefly resumed two months later when Boeing delivered the first of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners to United Airlines, before being suspended again in May 2021. Boeing has over a hundred Dreamliners in storage waiting to be delivered.
Several customers, including American Airlines (A1G) (AAL) and Lufthansa (LHAB) (LHA), had already hinted at a delivery resumption during the summer of 2022.
While reporting a drop in profits for the second quarter of 2022, Boeing also announced it was about to restart deliveries.
“On the 787 program, the company continues to work with the FAA to finalize actions to resume deliveries and is readying airplanes for delivery,” the company said in a results statement on July 27, 2022. “The program is producing at a very low rate and will continue to do so until deliveries resume, with an expected gradual return to five per month over time.”
The manufacturer said it still expects total one-off costs of approximately $2 billion due to the 787.