SSTsomeday From Canada, joined Oct 2006, 1276 posts, RR: 1 Posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 7891 times:
As Japan and the world comes to grips with the devastation in Japan, I've been hearing on the news that some key manufacturing has been either devastated or else will be isolated as a result of damage to infrastructure.
Perhaps my concern is premature, but news sources today are reporting that manufacturing of parts provided to Toyota and other car companies may be severely effected.
My understanding is that three Japanese companies build a section of fuselage, the wing box, and the wings of the 787. I wonder if these manufacturers have been directly effected, and how other Japanese manufacturers who supply THEM have been effected?
If key tooling equipment has been destroyed or damaged, how long would it take to rebuild it?
As such, it seems to me that the supply chain to primarily Boeing (considering the level of outsourcing re: the 787) but also Airbus and others may possibly be disrupted for some time to come, delaying the production line of both manufacturers' most recent models.
Stitch From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 26700 posts, RR: 83 Reply 1, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 7883 times:
The "Heavies" have their 787 plants in Nagoya and that is where they load the parts on the Dreamlifters. NGO appears to be operating normally, best I can tell.
ikramerica From United States of America, joined May 2005, 21029 posts, RR: 60 Reply 2, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 7835 times:
Quoting Stitch (Reply 1): The "Heavies" have their 787 plants in Nagoya and that is where they load the parts on the Dreamlifters. NGO appears to be operating normally, best I can tell.
True, but the question is, are suppliers to the heavies located in the impacted region? My guess would be not significant numbers.
Of all the things to worry about... the Wookie has no pants.
Aaron747 From Japan, joined Aug 2003, 7635 posts, RR: 28 Reply 3, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 7476 times:
Quoting ikramerica (Reply 2): True, but the question is, are suppliers to the heavies located in the impacted region? My guess would be not significant numbers.
Most of the significant suppliers to KHI and MHI, like Toray, also locate their aerospace manufacture divisions in the Nagoya region. There may be some small suppliers elsewhere in the country, but NGO is generally the capital of the Japanese aerospace industry.
If you need someone to blame / throw a rock in the air / you'll hit someone guilty
Stitch From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 26700 posts, RR: 83 Reply 5, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 6014 times:
Quoting UpperDeck (Reply 4): I can't believe we're even talking about this, there's still thousands missing.
We're an aviation forum, so showing interest in how this could affect aviation seems appropriate from a forum standpoint. We have threads about the status of NRT, HND and SDJ, for example, and how their closures affected commercial and cargo aviation.
There is the Non-Aviation forum to discuss the disaster in general if you are so interested in doing so.
crAAzy From United States of America, joined Jan 2008, 572 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 6014 times:
Quoting UpperDeck (Reply 4): I can't believe we're even talking about this, there's still thousands missing.
And there are over a billion people on this planet that live hand to mouth every day, yet you keep posting in these boards. The OP brings forth a valid question with no intended insensitivity, better to channel your energy/passion about the Japan tragedy into something more productive for the Japanese people.
Threepoint From Canada, joined Oct 2005, 2091 posts, RR: 8 Reply 7, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 5839 times:
Quoting UpperDeck (Reply 4): I can't believe we're even talking about this, there's still thousands missing.
Yet you found time to pry yourself from the horror on your TV screen and surf this site? Don't worry. In about a week, the media will have lost interest in Japan, and you can return to pretending it all didn't happen.
The nice thing about a mistake is the pleasure it gives others.
pilotntrng From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 897 posts, RR: 4 Reply 9, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 5374 times:
Longhornmaniac From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 3094 posts, RR: 48 Reply 10, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 5333 times:
This is an aviation forum, with people talking about aviation. It is a perfectly legitimate question to ask. There is an entire thread in Non-Av full of condolences as worries. Asking this question does not imply the OP isn't worried about the human impact.
Tigerguy From United States of America, joined Aug 2010, 446 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 5241 times:
As to the topic at hand...
The article so nicely provided said there don't appear to be any "major disruptions". Of course, any rapidly evolving situation must be constantly looked after, but this appears to be good news for Boeing, as far as the manufacturing process is concerned. After all, it doesn't take much for a minor snag to become a manufacturing fiasco.
I've flown with Charlie I, Buddy, Earl, Carl I, Lucy II, Fritz, Stretch, L.J., Thunder, Flip, André, and 21 others
rfields5421 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 6150 posts, RR: 25 Reply 12, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 5102 times:
Quoting ikramerica (Reply 2): True, but the question is, are suppliers to the heavies located in the impacted region?
Japan doesn't do long distance rail and truck transport of manufacturing components like the US or Europe. The terrain simply will not support that type transportation network.
What surface transport infrastructure that exists is devoted to short distance delivery and transport of people.
Unless you have been there you cannot understand how little flat land there is in the country. How constricted the road and rail neworks are and how very difficult it is to build new roads/ rail lines.
My 12km commute for a Navy housing area (Nagai Heights) to the Yokosuka Naval base in 1983 was past 94 stop lights and through six road tunnels. 45 minutes at 4 am was the best time I ever recorded. 1 hr 15 min was a good commute.
Yes I think it is premature. I think thoughts like this could wait until search for survivors is ended and damage to factories and transportation links has been seen to its full extent. I do not think my first thoughts come to this since this is a disaster that potentially can affect the whole world economy. Maybe key workers did not even survive?? The least we need to worry about in that case is supply chains in the area of the disaster.
It is a perfectly legitimate question to ask, I just don't think it's a legitimate question to ask now. I don't believe anyone in Japan is too worried about how this catastrophe will affect the 787 supply chain right now. So let's ask the right questions at the right time.
You're right, after the silly business of the earthquake is out of the way in a week or so we can get back to the really important stuff. God I hope all the tooling equipment is OK.
ba1978 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2004, 181 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 4292 times:
Quoting UpperDeck (Reply 14): I don't believe anyone in Japan is too worried about how this catastrophe will affect the 787 supply chain right now.
I'm afraid I disagree with you there. Of course there will be many things to consider at this moment in time for the Japanese government, but, I believe how this disaster will effect the Japanese economy will be a prime concern for them also. They will be keen to have anything that can continue to run as normal where it can to do so, be that manufacturing of 787 parts and the supply chains that contribute to it or electronic devices that are exported worldwide.
We've already had the Tokyo Stock Exchange say that trading will continue as usual on Monday. As they say life must go on. That doesn't mean to say what has happened is of any less concern.
It's going to cost a lot of money to sort out and that money has to come from somewhere.
Longhornmaniac From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 3094 posts, RR: 48 Reply 16, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 4186 times:
Quoting UpperDeck (Reply 14): I just don't think it's a legitimate question to ask now.
Respectfully, I disagree. I certainly didn't read the OP as saying that the only thing (or even the most important thing) right now is making sure there aren't any problems to the 787 supply line.
I don't think it was inappropriate to ask when NRT and HND would reopen, even though there were obviously still many, many issues.
As said above, economic concerns will be a prime focus moving forward, as well.
Fundamentally, though, it was just an honest (and prudent) question, with no disrespect toward the gravity of the situation at all.
gr8circle From Canada, joined Dec 2005, 2987 posts, RR: 4 Reply 17, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 4071 times:
Quoting Longhornmaniac (Reply 10): This is an aviation forum, with people talking about aviation. It is a perfectly legitimate question to ask. There is an entire thread in Non-Av full of condolences as worries. Asking this question does not imply the OP isn't worried about the human impact.
Quoting UpperDeck (Reply 14): I don't believe anyone in Japan is too worried about how this catastrophe will affect the 787 supply chain right now. So let's ask the right questions at the right time.
Quoting UpperDeck (Reply 14): You're right, after the silly business of the earthquake is out of the way in a week or so we can get back to the really important stuff. God I hope all the tooling equipment is OK.
I think you're getting too emotional about this....as pointed out, neither the thread opener, nor anyone else, showed any insensitivity to the tragedy......when such disasters occur, most certaily the local people would also be worrying about how their future will be impacted by the disaster........as this is an aviation forum, it's absolutely okay for us to talk about this....doesn't in any way show disrespect to what has happened.....and, you can be pretty sure that the folks in Boeing would have already gone deeply thru' this process in the last couple of days too....
PPVRA From Brazil, joined Nov 2004, 8492 posts, RR: 43 Reply 18, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 3892 times:
Quoting UpperDeck (Reply 4):
I can't believe we're even talking about this, there's still thousands missing.
Quoting Navigator (Reply 13): Yes I think it is premature. I think thoughts like this could wait until search for survivors is ended and damage to factories and transportation links has been seen to its full extent. I do not think my first thoughts come to this since this is a disaster that potentially can affect the whole world economy. Maybe key workers did not even survive?? The least we need to worry about in that case is supply chains in the area of the disaster.
Hope Japan will recover
Pity isn't going to help Japan recover. A functioning supply chain, however, will help tremendously!
"If goods do not cross borders, soldiers will" - Frederic Bastiat
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