Boeing, Airbus Unveil Woes at Air Show

Boeing Co.’s 787 Dreamliner is overweight and experiencing delays with some suppliers, the company said here Sunday while stressing that the long-range, fuel-efficient jet remained on budget and on schedule.

Rival Airbus, in contrast, announced this weekend that the widely expected redesign of its planned A350 -- billed as a competitor to the 787 -- would nearly double the development cost of the plane.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Chief Executive Alan Mulally, speaking in London on the eve of the Farnborough International Airshow, declined to say where 787 supply problems were occurring or by how much the plane was exceeding its target weight.

“We’re a little over where we want to be at this time on weight but ahead of where we were on previous programs, so we’re really focused on weight-efficient structure right now,” he said.

Mulally said the plane remained on course for its first flight in mid-2007 and entry into service the following year.

“Some partners are a little behind on the schedule, but we’re working with them on recovery plans,” he said, adding that “the systems are coming together really well, the electrical power looks good” and the plane’s Rolls-Royce and General Electric Co. engines are “very, very close to their performance goals.”

Boeing does not disclose development costs for its aircraft, reported to be about $9 billion. Company spokesman Charlie Miller said the supply and weight issues would not affect the program’s budget.

“At the moment there’s nothing that’s actually going to increase costs or delay the schedule,” Miller said.

With 360 orders in the bag two years before the first delivery, Boeing claims that the Dreamliner has already earned the title of most successful jet launch.

The plane’s popularity has contributed to the woes at European rival Airbus, which has won just 100 orders for its planned A350.

Tom Enders, co-CEO of Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defense & Space Co., confirmed Saturday that the company would announce a long-expected revamp of the A350 at the Farnborough air show, increasing its development cost to about $10 billion from the previously estimated $5.7 billion. Details are to be announced today.

Airbus is seeking to reassure customers and investors at Farnborough -- one of the biggest events in the aeronautical industry with about 1,500 exhibitors from 35 countries -- that it is on the road to recovery.

Last month’s announcement of a further seven-month delay for the A380 super-jumbo sent EADS shares plunging and led to the departure of Airbus Chief Executive Gustav Humbert and EADS co-CEO Noel Forgeard.

The 555-seat A380 will take part in the daily flying displays at Farnborough, where 300,000 visitors are expected this year, but Airbus executives are likely to face a tougher crowd indoors.

Airbus reported last week that its sales fell by more than half in the first six months of the year to 117 planes, compared with Boeing’s 480 orders for the same period.

In addition to showings by Boeing and Airbus, Brazilian plane maker Embraer is slated to showcase its 190 airliner, one of its largest models at 180 seats.

Lockheed Martin Corp. will give an update on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is set to begin test flights in October in Texas and be ready for use by the U.S. Marine Corps in 2012. The company won a $19-billion contract from the Pentagon in 2001.

Raytheon Co. will display Britain’s newest spy plane, the Sentinel R1, which adds a sophisticated radar system to a Bombardier Global express business jet.