Boeing Co. confirms it has ordered an Italian factory to halt work on sections of the 787 fuselage, casting further doubt on the plane’s production schedule. Boeing reportedly discovered flaws in the composite skin of the two fuselage sections produced by Alenia Aeronautica in Naples. The problems could “lead to significant degradation of the structure,” Boeing wrote in its letter ordering Alenia to halt its work. The letter, dated June 23, was first reported on an aviation blog and confirmed by Boeing on Thursday.

the Alenia factory in Italy hasn’t resumed manufacturing of new fuselage parts. Boeing engineers continue to try to rework the design to reduce the potential for fatigue and “wrinkle” in the Dreamliner’s composite skin on that part of the fuselage. Work also continues on the fuselage barrels that had been fabricated before production was halted nearly two months ago.

Source: Wall Street Journal