unavaca

They try to drive it around every few weeks to prevent the batteries from dy-- oh nevermind.

Firewind

In the meantime...

http://www.boston.com/business/news/...ezL/story.html

Sykes

I just heard a rumor that United has told its 787 pilots that it expects to receive its first repaired 787 on April 10th assuming the testing/certification plan goes as expected.

grahampros

That rumor cannot possibly be correct. Any reputable info out there is that testing alone will take at least 6 weeks if not 8 before the FAA then certifies and repairs are then made. This of course assumes there are no problems in the testing. These kind of rumors are always amusing.

Sykes

The source is credible; however there is one caveat: my understanding is that the repairs will be made at the same time they are doing the testing rather than after the testing is complete ... it it entirely possible that United will be delivered a plane will be "repaired" but not yet airworthy until the certification is complete.

grahampros

That's even not that plausible. You generally need FAA sign off on such repairs before they are made and that wont happen before certification. It's also just not smart for Boeing to do such repairs until they are tested.

Sykes

That is quite inaccurate. The FAA will need to sign off on the modification before the plane is allowed to fly, but there is nothing preventing Boeing from repairing them now and later certifying that said repairs were completed according to the FAA-approved plan once approval happens. This happens quite often outside of part 121 operations, and it seems that it will happen here.

My understanding of the payments that Boeing is making to airlines is such that even if they have to do the repairs a second or third time because of hiccups encountered during testing, it would still be far cheaper than leaving the aircraft grounded for even a single day longer than they need to be.

jbcarioca

Correct, however: Boeing probably wants these modifications to be incorporated in the original type certification as a modification rather than as an STC. Modifications to be approved by STC are generally performed prior to certification and are tested on the first aircraft so modified, as a common practice. Less often so for OEM modifications, but some winglets and even some re-enginings have been done by STC. Most of those are not in aircraft destined for Part 121 operations but some are.

There is no doubt that Boeing is proceeding with modifications of grounded B787's. They have said they will do so. However, as pointed out, the aircraft will not fly until the FAA signs off, including on the process to install modifications in the fleet, ex post facto though it may well be.

Firewind

Then there's that pesky NTSB, whose hearings have yet to be held as to the actual cause, which they claim not to have identified. But they're likely to be rolled by the FAA (et al), which wouldn't be the first time.

Meanwhile, Fox says Boeing says...

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/03...s-boeing-says/

matsonjb

Its going to be interesting from what I am reading on the repairs.

Fredd

http://seattletimes.com/html/busines...iefingxml.html

goalie

Isn't there some little known phrase along the lines of "never use the word "never" if you're going on the record"

Fredd

The comment did evoke for me the "unsinkable Titanic."

Of course I hope he's right - he probably is but as you say...

freshairborne

Keep in mind that there is a difference between an airplane having a current Airworthiness Certificate and it being airworthy.

I'm not trying to explain the difference, just pointing out that there is one.

FAB

jasonvr

First test flight using a plane built for LO scheduled for Tuesday

http://www.king5.com/news/LOT-Polish...198631261.html