Boeing's Main Model 787 Dreamliner Faces Investigation by US Regulators

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] American aircraft manufacturer Boeing is set to be investigated by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding one of its main models, the '787 Dreamliner.'

On the 7th (local time), the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that Boeing is expected to be investigated for potentially bypassing quality control regulations during the production of the 787 Dreamliner.

The investigation will cover approximately 900 to 1,100 aircraft produced since 2011, spanning nearly a decade.

According to an internal FAA document dated the 31st of last month, Boeing reported that some parts of the 787 produced at its South Carolina plant did not meet its own design and manufacturing standards. It was noted that manufacturing rules were not followed during the production process of parts for the rear section of the aircraft.

This information became known after Boeing reported the design and manufacturing issues to the FAA's Seattle office, which is responsible for overseeing Boeing's design and manufacturing matters.

However, Boeing emphasized to the FAA that this defect does not threaten the safety of the Dreamliner, its flagship model, and highlighted the Dreamliner's excellent safety record.

In fact, unlike the 737 Max model, which was grounded following a series of crashes and features a single aisle with one seat per row, the Dreamliner is a medium-to-large passenger aircraft with a three-seat configuration and two aisles, boasting high safety standards. For this reason, it has mainly been deployed on international routes.

The FAA has not yet decided whether to launch a full investigation into the Dreamliner. However, given the recent continuous discovery of defects at Boeing, the likelihood of an investigation appears high. Boeing voluntarily requested the grounding of eight 787 aircraft at the end of last month after discovering defects during assembly, and the newly raised manufacturing fault issue is expected to increase concerns.

Previously, Boeing received a full grounding order from the FAA for the 737 Max model following a series of crashes in 2018-2019.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.