The Dreamliner has been a phenomenally expensive airplane to build. In its decade of deliveries, Boeing has earned back about half of the more than $28 billion in 787 production costs it has consistently reassured Wall Street it will recover.
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Even excluding the massively swollen cost of developing the jet between 2003 and 2011 — estimated at north of $15 billion — and considering only production costs since then, Boeing is conceding that the 787 won't be profitable in the foreseeable future.
The Dreamliner is a successful aircraft, still in production with more than 1600 delivered or on order. The list price for a new Boeing 787-8 is $239 million dollars.
Boeing now says it “plans to ramp” 787 output to five aircraft monthly in late 2023. It is also sticking with a plan to produce 10 of the widebodies monthly in 2025 or 2026, and of delivering 70-80 of the jets this year.
“In reviewing certification records, Boeing discovered an analysis error by our supplier related to the 787 forward pressure bulkhead,” said the company, referring to the portion of a plane at its nose that maintains the pressurized conditions in the cabin.
The 787 was designed to be the first production airliner with the fuselage comprising one-piece composite barrel sections instead of the multiple aluminum sheets and some 50,000 fasteners used on existing aircraft. Boeing selected two new engines to power the 787, the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 and General Electric GEnx.
With 150 firm orders, United has the largest Dreamliner orderbook on record and is positioned to become the largest 787 operator in the world. Today's announcement follows the airline's record-setting purchase of 100 787 airplanes last year.
In addition, the 787 is much quieter than other aircraft, so pilots can enjoy a quieter cockpit. The 787 also offers improved cabin comfort for airline pilots. The Dreamliner's cabin is pressurized to a higher altitude than conventional aircraft, which makes it easier to breathe and reduces fatigue during long flights.
The Bottom Line: The Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-9 are very similar aircraft, suited for similar missions. As one would expect, the slightly larger A350-900 has a seat-mile cost advantage, while the 787-9 has an advantage in cost per block hour. These aircraft are competitive, and nearly tie in economic performance.
Boeing warns new defect on 787 Dreamliners will slow deliveries. Boeing said the issue is related to a “nonconforming condition” on a horizontal stabilizer fitting.
The requirement for any large commercial flight (short-haul or long-haul) is to have a minimum of two pilots, regardless of the nature of the flight. That comprises a commander of the aircraft (captain) and a co-pilot (also known as the first officer).
The 747-400 uses 10 tons of fuel per hour. The 787 uses five tons per hour. With such a massive difference, it's clear why the sky is full of 787s at the moment and not 747s. However, with 40 years of technological improvement between the two models, it's not surprising that 787 performs so much better.
While the 787 Dreamliners have not been grounded, the FAA had ordered a halt to deliveries of the widebody jet between May of 2021 and July of 2022 as it looked into questions about quality control during its assembly process.
The typical lifespan of airlinersThe composite-driven Boeing 787 Dreamliner is designed for 44,000 flight cycles. These jets can theoretically last several decades with an average of two flight cycles a day. Unlike commercial airliners, fighter jets are unique due to their mission requirements.