Dreamliner hit by landing gear malfunction

Boeing Co. and All Nippon Airways are investigating a landing gear problem on the 787 Dreamliner, the first technical glitch reported since the new jetliner entered service less than two weeks ago, the airline said on Monday. Pilots on the first of two aircraft delivered so far to ANA were forced on Sunday to deploy the landing gear using a manual backup system, after an indicator lamp suggested the wheels were not properly down. They landed at Okayama on the second attempt following the incident, the airline said. "We are not yet sure what the problem was, but we are investigating," an airline spokesman said, adding that Boeing was also involved in the investigation. Kyodo news agency linked the problem to a hydraulic valve, but Boeing declined to confirm the cause.

A Boeing spokesman in Europe said: "We are aware of this matter and are on site in Japan with ANA offering whatever assistance they require." The 787 Dreamliner is a revolutionary lightweight aircraft built mainly of carbon composites designed to save fuel. It was delivered in September after three years of production delays and made an inaugural flight on October 26 from Tokyo to Hong Kong followed by regular services from November 1. ANA has said it will fly the aircraft domestically on a trial basis before putting it on long international routes. The 787's two engines power electrical systems that operate flight controls and landing gear. U.S. aviation regulators required that Boeing satisfy extra steps before certifying that system because it was a new design.

Because the high-profile Dreamliner incorporates so many design and manufacturing firsts, the airplane is under increased scrutiny from the aviation community. The plane is about three years behind its original development schedule because of snags in the extensive global supply chain. Boeing departed from traditional use of reliable aluminum construction, opting instead for reinforced carbon composites to improve fuel savings. Many in the traveling public know the Dreamliner as the world's first plastic jet "Teething" problems are relatively common for a new jetliner entering service, but the 787 is under a lot of scrutiny due to its difficult development history," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at Teal Group. "This glitch shouldn't have any impact on customer perceptions of the 787, as long as Boeing aggressively pursues its investigation and implements any needed fix," Aboulafia said.

The incident comes days after a Boeing 767 landed on its belly in Warsaw after the landing gear failed to deploy. The wheels-up landing was hailed as a miraculous escape for the 230 people on board, but aviation experts say such incidents are relatively rare. There have been 10 accidents involving stuck landing wheels since 2000, none of them fatal, according to a database run by the Flight Safety Foundation.The landing gear for the 787 Dreamliner is made by Messier-Dowty.

Dreamliner becomes a reality

Boeing delivered its first 787 jet on Sunday. It's been a long time coming. The new jet, which was supposed to be flying passengers three years ago, has been delayed by production and design problems. But now it's here, and airlines expect it to offer travelers much more comfort, open up new routes and provide significant fuel savings. The first one goes to Japan's All Nippon Airways, which has been printing the 787 logo and "We Fly 1st" on its business cards for years. Airlines love the jet, which Boeing calls the Dreamliner. They've ordered more than 800, well above levels for previous new jets. "A lot of carriers are betting that this is going to be a winner," says George Hamlin, president of Hamlin Transportation Consulting in Fairfax, Va.

Instead of the usual aluminum skin, most of the 787 is covered in carbon fiber, basically a high-tech plastic that is strong but lightweight. Military planes and portions of other jetliners have used that material for years, but this is the first time so much has been used on an airliner. The new material brings improvements that passengers should notice. Its strength allows windows to be bigger and higher, so passengers don't have to hunch over to see the horizon. Electronic dimming replaces pull-down shades. That should mean you'll no longer be blinded when the guy next to you falls asleep with the shade up. Finally, the cabin is pressurized to the equivalent of 6,000 feet, instead of the usual 8,000 feet. That means air pressure will be closer to what passengers are used to on the ground. And without corrosion-prone aluminum skin, the humidity can be kept higher. Those two changes should reduce dry noses and throats.

All Nippon plans to begin flying the 787 from Tokyo to Okayama-Hiroshima on Nov. 11. The first international route will be Tokyo to Frankfurt starting in January. The first US customer is United Continental Holdings Inc., which will get its first 787s next year and plans to fly them between Houston and Auckland, New Zealand, and Houston and Lagos, Nigeria. Those are good examples of "thin routes" that airlines say the 787 will be good for - routes for which there is regular demand that won't fill a larger plane. The 787's size, fuel efficiency and long range should allow airlines to turn a profit on those routes. The jet will be as much as 20 percent more fuel-efficient than planes it replaces. Its efficiency was a nice perk when Boeing first proposed the 787 in its current form in 2003. Now it's essential for airlines dealing with high fuel costs.

Building an all-new plane like the 787 is a massive undertaking. Delays stacked up. Boeing was hit with an eight-week strike in 2008. It had to reinforce the spot where the 787's wings meet the fuselage. In November, the company had to delay the plane further after an electrical fire forced a landing during a test flight. Boeing expects to deliver a combined 25 to 30 of the 787s and new 747-8 this year. To meet the high demand. Boeing has set an ambitious goal of building 10 per month by the end of 2013. No one has ever made a large plane that fast. Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at the Teal Group, thinks Boeing will miss that goal because the company hasn't smoothed out its production process fully. It's also not clear when the 787 will make money. Boeing already took a $2.5 billion charge in 2009 on the program, and it owes additional money to customers for the late deliveries. Boeing executives have said they will announce when the jet will be profitable after the first one is delivered.

The 787 list price runs between $185 million and $218 million. Discounts on new jets are common, though. Aboulafia says it's not clear how steep the discounts offered by Boeing were to lock in all the orders. Boeing rival Airbus hopes to soon launch its new A350, also made with a significant amount of carbon composites. A successful 787 will put pressure on Airbus to meet its fuel-efficiency goals, and to deliver the plane on time.

ANA pilots test fly the B787

Two of the senior All Nippon Airways (ANA) pilots flew the B787 Dreamliner on Wednesday. The flight happened over the Washington state airspace. Boeing had obtained a special airworthiness certificate from FAA to conduct the flight. The two ANA pilots were B777 rated. Boeing's test pilot for B787 showed the difference in cockpit layout between the B787 and B777 for the pilots. ANA has ordered for 50 B787's of which their first aircraft is expected to be delivered in late 2010. The two ANA pilots had performed different sorts of landing and take off and had a good feel of the aircraft, the flight lasted for 2 hours and 40 minutes.