In accordance with the FAA, Boeing will repair new manufacturing defects on 787 Dreamliners earlier than deliveries resume

A Boeing 787-10 aircraft being built for Singapore Airlines (front, left) sits in the final assembly area with other aircraft prior to a handover ceremony for the first Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner at Boeing South Carolina in North Charleston, South Carolina, USA 25. March 2018.

Randall Hill | Reuters

The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday Boeing will fix another manufacturing defect discovered on some of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft that have not yet been delivered to customers.

Boeing stopped delivering the wide-body aircraft for the second time in a year in May as the FAA reviewed the manufacturer’s method of evaluating the aircraft. Boeing announced incorrect spacing in some parts of certain 787 aircraft, including the fuselage, for the first time last year, interrupting deliveries for five months.

The FAA said the latest problem “near the nose” was discovered on certain 787 Dreamliners that Boeing made but did not ship.

“This problem was discovered as part of the ongoing system-wide inspection of Boeing’s 787 shmming processes required by the FAA,” the agency said. The FAA’s comments were previously reported by Reuters.

“While the problem is not an immediate threat to flight safety, Boeing is committed to repairing these aircraft before deliveries resume,” the FAA said.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment and it was not yet clear how long the process could take. The company has around 100 Dreamliners that have not yet been delivered.

Most of the price of an aircraft is paid when it is delivered to customers. Further delays could therefore put another financial strain on Boeing, which is trying to regain a foothold after two fatal crashes exposed its best-selling 737 Max and the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Based on data, the FAA will decide whether or not to make similar changes to 787s already in commercial service,” the FAA said.