Boeing 787, Grounded in Norway, Nearly Fixed

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/11/business/boeing-787-grounded-in-norway-nearly-fixed.html

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Boeing is almost finished repairing several balky systems on a new 787 Dreamliner operated by Norwegian Air Shuttle, the latest airline to complain about annoying malfunctions, the airline’s chief executive said Thursday.

The executive, Bjorn Kjos, said in an interview that work on the plane, which has been grounded for two weeks, could be completed Friday.

Mr. Kjos said Boeing had sent more than a dozen technicians to Europe to work on the jet. He said he planned to take advantage of their presence to accelerate regular maintenance on Norwegian Air Shuttle’s second Dreamliner next week.

He said he had been angry on behalf of his airline’s passengers over software malfunctions involving the brake warning lights and a faulty hydraulic pump on the 787 that was grounded. Some passengers were stranded for 12 hours in September when flights were canceled. Norwegian officials had called the problems with the plane a nightmare.

But Mr. Kjos said Norwegian, a discount airline, had not run into any major problems with its other Dreamliner, and planned to take delivery of five more of the new fuel-efficient planes by the end of 2014 as it expands service to American and Asian airports.

Airlines around the world had to ground the Dreamliner for nearly four months beginning early this year after hazards were discovered with its new lithium-ion batteries. Boeing also has had to fix problems with the plane’s electrical system.

Mr. Kjos, like many airline executives, said he was delighted by the fuel savings with the Dreamliner, the first commercial passenger jets made largely of lightweight carbon composites.

Other airlines have reported fuel savings of about 20 percent compared with older planes. But Mr. Kjos said the jet’s savings were much greater when compared with an Airbus A340 that the airline leased to substitute for the grounded Dreamliner.

He projected that each Dreamliner could save $8 million to $10 million in fuel a year compared with the A340.

“We hate the glitches, and it’s a hassle for our passengers,” he said. Boeing has started stocking 787 repair parts in more locations to cut delivery delays, he said.

But, he added: “The 787 is performing fantastically. It is an incredible game-changer.”