Aircraft
Fast Pace of Boeing 787 Fixes Challenges Operators
Boeing 787 reliability rates continue to rise, but several operators have deferred fixes to avoid down time.
The first Boeing 787-8 destined for the Netherlands’ Arke Air left Everett, Washington, en route to Amsterdam on June 4. The world 787-8 fleet now operates at a 98.5-percent dispatch reliability rate. (Photo: Boeing)
The first Boeing 787-8 destined for the Netherlands’ Arke Air left Everett, Washington, en route to Amsterdam on June 4. The world 787-8 fleet now operates at a 98.5-percent dispatch reliability rate. (Photo: Boeing)

Resistant to grounding their Boeing 787-8s for even a short time, several operators have indefinitely deferred addressing fixes to some of the airplanes’ last remaining glitches, presenting the manufacturer with an “issue” as it marches toward its target dispatch reliability rate of 99.6 percent. Now seeing a three-month rolling average of roughly 98.5 percent, Boeing expects to reach its benchmark—established by the world’s 777 fleet—by the second quarter of next year, Boeing 787 vice president and chief project engineer Bob Whittington told reporters during a series of briefings the company held in the Seattle area recently.