Wing problems on 787 will require more elaborate fix than first thought

The problems with the joints where the carbon-fiber wings meet the fuselage on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner will take longer to fix and are more serious than originally thought. During ground-based stress tests, engineers noticed that the I-beam shaped stringers inside the wing were compressing when the wings flexed up, causing the skin of the wing to peel apart in places, the Seattle Times reported. Those problems emerged just past the plane's limit load, the stresses it might encounter in flight. Previously, those issues had been reported as happening only close to the ultimate load, which is far beyond what aircraft would encounter while flying. Because of how the center wing box is designed, the stress was being transferred to the stringers inside the wing box, causing them to compress as well. While the wing delamination problem wouldn't be dangerous at first, it could require costly regular maintenance for airlines. The fix, Boeing's engineers say, will require reshaping parts of the stringers in the wings and in the center wing box, as well as adding new bolts. Boeing said it will release an updated testing and delivery schedule in the next two months.

READ MORE: Seattle Times