Latest delay for Dreamliner

Boeing has announced that it will delay the maiden flight of its new Dreamliner 787 aircraft, the latest postponement to hit the project.

The flight had been due to take place on 30 June, but the firm said it had now been delayed because of a need to reinforce a side section of the plane.

First deliveries will be put back further because of the delays.

Last week, Boeing told the BBC that the Dreamliner would make its first flight "in a couple of weeks".

'No materials problem'

Boeing denied that the latest delay to befall the Dreamliner was due to the plane being constructed from a large proportion of plastic composites instead of aluminium to keep down its weight.

Boeing's head of commercial aircraft, Scott Carson, speaking last week

"Structural modifications like these are not uncommon in the development of new airplanes, and this is not an issue related to our choice of materials or the assembly and installation work of our team," said Scott Carson, chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Before the latest announcement, the long-range, medium-sized Dreamliner was already more than two years behind schedule.

Aviation analyst Jack Ablin of Harris Private Bank in Chicago said Tuesday's news "seems like a big setback".

"I'm hopeful that this issue can be resolved quickly. But my sense is that if it's big enough to delay the introduction then this is a serious concern."

Shares in the firm were down 6% in early trading in New York following the announcement.

Source: BBC NEWS