Boeing Report Shows 787 Delivery Halt After Preview by Albaugh

Boeing Co. (BA) failed to deliver any of its new 787 Dreamliners in February even as total output of the company’s planes increased.

Deliveries for all the Chicago-based planemaker’s models rose 31 percent from a year earlier to 46, with no customers receiving 787s, according to data posted today on Boeing’s website. Boeing has delivered five 787s since September, all to Tokyo-based All Nippon Airways Co. (9202)

February’s delivery dearth for the $200 million Dreamliner was related to inspections needed after discovering a manufacturing error related to lamination on the fuselage, Jim Albaugh, president of Boeing’s commercial unit, said March 2. The company boosted production to 3.5 Dreamliners a month last week, ahead of schedule as it works toward a goal of 10 a month by the end of next year.

Initial deliveries have been with engines made by Rolls- Royce Holdings Plc. The version powered by General Electric Co. (GE) engines hasn’t yet been certified by authorities. Boeing said yesterday that the required test flights for that version were completed at the end of February.

The company has repeatedly declined to say what caused the additional delay to the model, which was initially due to reach Japan Airlines Co. (9201) last year. Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney had said in October that the tests were 95 percent completed. The first 787 entered service more than three years late as Boeing struggled with new materials and manufacturing processes used for the composite-plastic jet.

To contact the reporter on this story: Susanna Ray in Seattle at sray7@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Ed Dufner at edufner@bloomberg.net