Bernstein Research sees further 787 delays, bigger range shortfall

"Boeing's 787 customers face delivery delays of up to an additional six months, according to a report issued Friday by New York-based Bernstein Research that also suggest a 10%-15% range shortfall for early delivery aircraft. The May 1 client report, a wrapup after Boeing's 787 certification briefing on April 29 (ATWOnline, April 30), is Bernstein's sixth reassessment of 787 production and forecasts that the manufacturer will not reach its target production rate of 10 aircraft per month until mid-2013, six months later than the latest target (ATWOnline, Feb. 9). Bernstein warned that it is "not comfortable with assuming that [Boeing] will achieve its goal of making first delivery in Q1 2010 to All Nippon Airways, and even less comfortable assuming a production rate of 10 per month by the end of 2012," and has thus "stretched the time from first flight to the target production rate by an additional six months, with production rates reaching six per month at the end of 2012 and reaching 10 per month in mid-2013." At its April 29 briefing, Boeing reiterated its plan to fly the 787 by June 30." Next.