WCA September 2009

inspections to look for damage to certain parts of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic rudders on Airbus A330 and A340 wide-body aircraft. The Journal article, to which Daniel Michaels contributed, concluded by recapping a March 2005 incident in which the rudder of an A300 flown by Canadian airline Air Transat ripped off in mid-air: “The pilots managed to land the aircraft safely. But subsequent inspections revealed that leakage or fluid inside certain composite parts on some Airbus models could damage rudders by undoing the internal bonds between carbon fibres.” Whatever the cause of Boeing’s troubles, its supply line shall be held blameless Staff writer Andrea James of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported on a notable feature of the Boeing Co factory in Everett, Washington: the high-tech operations centre overlooking the floor on which Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner was being readied for first flight this summer. [As noted above, the event had to be scratched.] The purpose of the new centre, which houses “about three times as many flat screens as people,” is likewise threefold: to monitor production of the big plane maker’s suppliers around the globe, to solve problems quickly, and – most essentially – to keep the 787 programme advancing. (“Boeing’s 787 Production Is Mission-Controlled,” 30 th April) By name and by nature the new 787 Production Integration Center is oriented to the Dreamliner, for reasons sum- marised by Ms James. By this past spring the airplane’s development was two years behind schedule, delayed by parts shortages, labour troubles, and faulty communication with Boeing suppliers worldwide. About 70% of the 787 is built by companies other than Boeing. Final assembly is at Everett, but production on three other huge Boeing aircraft also takes place at the plant. Coordination is an imperative if the 787 is to be ready for delivery next year, after its several postponements. According to Bob Noble, vice president of supplier management for the commercial airplanes division of the Chicago-based parent company, before building its round-the-clock Everett centre Boeing studied a number of seven-day/24-hour operations – including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Mission Control Center, in Houston, Texas. Until the Boeing centre was functional, problems at Everett took days to be resolved as emails bounced among time zones. Mr Noble said, “We needed to take advantage of the night.” According to the Post-Intelligencer , the 5,100ft 2 centre – which offers translator services in 28 languages – is designed for quick response to production problems wherever they occur. The largest conference room, located in the former crane pass-through area above the factory floor and fitted out with cameras, is called ‘Dream.’ (Three other conference rooms are known as ‘Perseverance,’ ‘Courage,’ and ‘Resolution.’) But there is nothing whimsical about the design of the centre, or its procedures.

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2009