Boeing admits 787 strategy flawed

"Now that Boeing has conceded that the first flight and
first deliveries of the new 787 jetliner will be at least
six months behind schedule, company officials acknowledge
that their strategy of relying on far-flung major
subcontractors to design and produce most major components
was flawed.

Speaking at a meeting in the Seattle area last week, Mike
Bair, the Boeing vice president recently deposed as head of
the 787 program, said having prefabricated wings and
fuselage sections flown to Seattle proved impractical and
inefficient. Ideally, Bair said, Boeing might emulate
Toyota, having major subcontractors locate their facilities
close by.

"The right way to do this would be to have all those big
parts [produced] across the street so you could just roll
them in," Bair said, according to The Seattle Times. "We'll
see on the next airplane programs whether we can accomplish
something like that."

Bair went on to say Boeing was deeply disappointed in the
work of some key suppliers. "Some of these guys we won't use
again." He didn't name names.

But a few months ago media and analyst reports singled out
Dallas-based Vought Aircraft Industries as the supplier
struggling the most to meet Boeing's ambitious schedule for
787 production. Vought builds 787 components at a new plant
in Charleston, S.C., and works with Italian supplier Alenia
at an adjoining plant to integrate the companies' fuselage
sections.

A Boeing spokeswoman declined in an e-mail to elaborate on
Bair's remarks. Vought spokeswoman Lynne Warne said the
company is "working closely and diligently with Boeing to
meet their requirements.""
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