I was reading the threads on the latest delays to the 787 and it got me wondering. Are Boeing and Airbus really getting that much worse at making planes or is it that with the internet and the 24hr news every little item gets scrutinized chewed over and examined minutely? Are these just normal delays that occur with every new plane - just put under a magnifying glass? How on schedule were previous new planes and were there fewer problems or did they just not get the full glare of publicity that everything gets today?

Just curious.

Madddog

I remember that lots of planes were delayed, though not very many as long as the A380. I think the media has given the 787 and the 380 a lot more attention than other aircrafts made, so it may seem a big exaggerated, but the A380 delays were one after another, each one longer than the last.

Quoting Elite (Reply 1): I remember that lots of planes were delayed, though not very many as long as the A380. I think the media has given the 787 and the 380 a lot more attention than other aircrafts made, so it may seem a big exaggerated, but the A380 delays were one after another, each one longer than the last.

I was not trying to say it was "exaggerated". They are obviously very real delays. What I was wondering was if it was any different to the past (with the obvious exception of the 380 which was just a clusterf***)? Have modern management/construction techniques made it worse or better?

Maddog

Quoting Maddog888 (Thread starter): Are Boeing and Airbus really getting that much worse at making planes or is it that with the internet and the 24hr news every little item gets scrutinized chewed over and examined minutely?

The latter. The A380 was something of an outlier, but it's also the largest (commercial passenger) plane ever so that's not exactly odd.

Quoting Maddog888 (Thread starter): Are these just normal delays that occur with every new plane - just put under a magnifying glass?

Yes, this is all pretty normal. Don't forget, the only new airplanes that have been developed since we had really intense 24/7 media to the masses are the A380 and 787. 747 was far more messed up than the 787.

Tom.

  

You got it. You could call it the CNNization of everything. Micro scruitinizing and managing of everything. The net is a source of 24/7 information. Unfortunately a large percentage of it is nonsense or inaccurate.    The old adage by the head of IBM back when it was the BigBlue, "he who controls the information, controls the information." It used to be when the village idiot spouted off nonsense people just kept walking and tuned him/her out. Same with the gossip who would spin half lies and inuendos over the fence. Now everyone has a forum for their views - both good and bad. Part of the downside of freedom of expression. Worthy stories get ignored on the news for the sensational and the controversial.

I like aircraft and aviation. I am learning to wade through the crap to just get to the good stuff. Mind you some are just on here to spout their A vs. B stuff, airline x versus y, and other mindsets and views. Makes you wish somedays you could have the ability to send a signal to the computer of someone spreading stupidity to give them a good electric jolt through the keyboard. I guess that would be censorship. But ooooo would it feel good.  

i was also wondering if these delays were somewhat exagerated, people say that boeing is going thorough what airbus had to go through, but airbus delays were much longer than the 787 so far, so i don't think they can really be compared

Quoting DL767captain (Reply 5): i was also wondering if these delays were somewhat exagerated, people say that boeing is going thorough what airbus had to go through, but airbus delays were much longer than the 787 so far, so i don't think they can really be compared

You're right, they really can't be compared. On a time basis the 787 even the most pessimistic people don't yet see a delay on the magnitude of the A380. Much more importantly, nothing in the 787 yet has shown a manufacturing or design problem, just teething getting the production line started. In other words, there isn't anything wrong with the 787 or Boeing's model to build it (that we know of yet), it's just taking longer than expected to get going. The A380 was a considerably different situation.

Tom.

Quoting Tdscanuck (Reply 6): On a time basis the 787 even the most pessimistic people don't yet see a delay on the magnitude of the A380.

   The ramp-up is key. If Boeing does that right, they can eat a 3 month delay in the first delivery and still catch up by the end of 2009. My opinion is that the 787 will most likely fly in January and be delivered to ANA in August... nowhere near as bad as the A380 delays.

Quoting Tdscanuck (Reply 6): there isn't anything wrong with the 787 or Boeing's model to build it (that we know of yet)

The proof is in the pudding, of course. There is still plenty of risk yet to be retired as production ramps up, but I would say so far, so good.