SEATTLE (AP) — Boeing Co. says it has decided to inspect its five flight-test 787 jets before they fly again because of a quality problem in a portion of the tail built by Italian manufacturer Alenia.
Boeing spokeswoman Yvonne Leach told The Seattle Times on Thursday that engineers are inspecting all 23 of the jets built so far, with inspections to take one to two days.
In a statement late Thursday, the company said it decided to inspect the five flight-test airplanes before they fly again to ensure any “rework” is completed as quickly as possible. If a fix is needed, Boeing says it may take as long as eight days.
Leach says the problem is regrettable but under control, and won’t cause a delay in flight testing or the delivery of the first plane to a customer.
