BigDUSA

Mad dash to finish 787 gets trickier But company vows to roll out first plane by July 8 deadline Issues with fasteners, systems will test Boeing Systems not installed. Workmanship issues with the horizontal stabilizer. Temporary fasteners that will have to be replaced. Those are only some of what 787 workers at The Boeing Co.'s Everett plant face as the mad dash begins to get the first Dreamliner assembled and out the factory door by July 8. Judging by what one source described -- and has personally seen -- it's a good thing Boeing is prepared for the extra work that it will take to get that first plane finished on time. Boeing executives have stressed that the company has contingency plans to deal with any number of issues related to 787 production, manufacturing and final assembly in order to keep the program on schedule. "The joke around here is that they will beat us if they have to, but that first plane is going to be finished on time," one Boeing mechanic at the plant said Wednesday after the last of the large 787 structures was delivered by the large cargo freighter called the Dreamlifter. That last piece was the midbody fuselage, 84 feet long and 19 feet in diameter and consisting of sections manufactured in Italy and Japan. They were attached together in Charleston, S.C., before being flown to Everett on the modified 747 Dreamlifter With that delivery, the start of final assembly of the first Dreamliner is only days away. Boeing plans to celebrate the occasion Monday with what it bills as the "grand opening" of the 787 bay where all Dreamliners will be assembled. Even Gov. Chris Gregoire is supposed to be there. What won't be apparent to her and other outsiders is just how much more must be done to complete the first plane on time. It is not as simple as merely hooking the various structures together, even though that's the long-term plan. A source with direct knowledge of the matter provided this glimpse of some of the issues. Systems. Many critical systems -- the guts of a jetliner -- were not installed by Boeing's partners before the large fuselage sections and wings were delivered to Everett over the past few weeks. This is the kind of "travel work" that Boeing has said it is prepared for. The company has hired additional mechanics to help with 787 final assembly, though it will not say how many. It is also shifting mechanics from other airplane programs. The source said dozens of 777 workers -- the biggest jetliner program in Everett -- are being moved over to support 787 final assembly now that all the large structures have arrived. New workers will be hired to replace those veteran 777 mechanics, the source said. Stabilizer defects. What may not have been expected or planned for was the arrival condition of the 787's horizontal stabilizer. This is the winglike structure on the tail. The 62-foot composite stabilizer is made by Alenia in Italy. It was the first of the large 787 structures to arrive at the Everett plant, on April 24. The source personally inspected the stabilizer recently and said it was covered with pieces of blue tape, each piece indicating some kind of defect or area that needed attention. These "workmanship" issues, as another Boeing person described them, can be fixed but it means more work. Boeing reportedly has talked with Alenia about its quality-control procedures to make sure the second stabilizer that arrives in Everett is in better shape. Fasteners. The large 787 structures arrived with many temporary fasteners -- painted red to indicate that they can't go on the finished airplane. It is not clear why temporary fasteners may have been used, but they must be replaced with permanent fasteners. In a conference call with reporters earlier this year, Mike Bair, Boeing's vice president of the 787 program, said there is a worldwide shortage of fasteners because of the increase in jet production by Boeing and rival Airbus. "The fastener industry is stretched tighter than a rubber band," Bair said at the time. Asked for comment Wednesday about the kinds of 787 issues described by the source, a Boeing spokeswoman said they were "typical" for a new airplane program and they were anticipated and planned for. Jim McNerney, Boeing's chairman and chief executive, has said Boeing is spending about $1 billion more to help with 787 issues, as well as on the new 747-8 development program. Boeing had to send dozens of its engineers to help its partners in Italy and Japan after they fell behind in manufacturing the large composite structures for the Dreamliner. The production and manufacturing system for the 787 represents a sea change not only for Boeing but the industry. Instead of doing most of the manufacturing work, Boeing has given that responsibility to its global partners. The Japanese are making the composite wings of the 787. Alenia of Italy is making sections of the composite fuselage, as are Texas-based Vought and Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kan. The only large 787 structure manufactured by Boeing is the composite tail fin. Eventually, as with all jetliner programs, the production and assembly kinks that are now so apparent will be worked out. Once they have been, Boeing believes that a 787 will spend only three days in final assembly at the Everett plant. But for now, 787 mechanics in Everett have just over 50 days to install all the systems, connect the structures and get that first plane assembled for the plane's July 8 debut. That will be followed by first flight in late August or early September, with the seventh production plane (the first six will be test planes) going to All Nippon Airways of Japan next May. In an exclusive interview with the Seattle P-I this week, at a meeting of the Star Alliance in Copenhagen, Denmark, Mineo Yamamoto, chief executive of All Nippon Airways, said Boeing has assured him the airline will get its first Dreamliner on time. Looks like Boeing has a good handle on 'theething propblems" with the 787. Still on with the July 8 roll out.

S'pore is a self contained city/state. No need for a car.

It's not a buffet but Gregg's Kitchen on 2nd Road near soi 6 serves a fine English breakfast with proper bangers. Tell him Denny sent you and knowing Gregg you won't get a discount.

Sky-Top has fairly reliable high speed internet. Pete the owner should have installed wi-fi in the rooms by now. Internet cafe down stairs is 1 baht per minute but he mentioned he was thinking of running a 'special' free internet during low season for guests.

You can live like a minor king on this amount of money.

I always get a good laugh when I read the put downs from guys who have to pay to fly to LOS. Buy a women drinks so she'll talk to him and pay her to go with him. Like I said, I get a good laugh from these guys because I just know how successful with women these guys are in their home countries.

Nice looking bunch of women. Where is your bar? How much is the barfine?

UA is $1016. during this period from JFK or Philly. I realise it's almost $200USD more but prices are starting to break. Way better then the $1400 or so I paid UA for my last trip. FWIW the best price I ever paid from JFK-BKK was $158USD R/T including taxes on Cathay. It was a mistake fare and they honored it.

As long as the check clears the short answer is no.

Sky-Top isn't.

Few months ago Sky-Top moved into the old tourist police building. Pete had the building renovated with new shower/toilet and non slip tile floor. Walls were painted and new tile was installed. AC, TV and beds were transferred from the old location. Some guys on this forum have a unrealistic expectation of what a cheap guesthouse will provide. One guy complained about the "quality" of the furniture and bed linen. I guess he's expecting 1000 count Egyptian spun cotton and mahogany or teak furniture at this price point. What Sky-Top does provide is a clean room with AC, TV, fridge and in room safe. If you have a problem, Pete the owner makes it his problem and will try and resolve it ASAP. IMHO good value for the money. For me the biggest draw is it's location. One block from Beach road about a five minute walk to Topps or BigC and last but not least a two minute walk to soi 6.

She's the in house massage girl. Tell Pete, Denny sent you. He knows who I am. BTW just joking about the in house massage girl.

www.skytopcenterpattaya.com Pete the owner is offering low season discounts. Good value for the money, clean with in room safe and two minutes from soi 6.

How much for 60K miles?

I have no problem paying US taxes. I may be moving back to the US some time in the future if I don't like the expat life. I'm getting close to making the big move.

On soi 8 I've stayed at the Flipper Lodge a few times and like it. Flipper house on soi 7 is another good hotel. Pig & Whistle between soi 7 & 8 has good rooms and good pub grub. Cheaper place to stay and good value for the money is Sky-Top on 2nd Road around the corner from soi 6. Tropical Bert's on soi6/1 is another cheap guest house thats good value for the money and has good pub grub also.. All the above have no joiner fees and are within your budget. Plus they are in the 'heart of all the action' you can handle.

It's not "low expectations" but an understanding that rooms that go for 450-700 baht per night are not going to be at the same standard as ones that go for 1000-1500 per night. I don't expect fine mahogany furniture or the bed sheets to be 500 count Egyptian cotton. I expect the room to be clean and everything works.

Unless you like humping up the stairs, I'd go for a room closest to the ground floor.

I haven't stayed at the hotel but I've been to the bar a few times and enjoyed myself. Good pub grub at a reasonable price. I plan on stopping by next week when I'm back in LOS for 30 days.

Glad to hear the good news Yes I'm still good to go for 30 March. No problem humping my bag into the truck.

Ya, I'm always interested in the wine list. If the joint doesn't serve Ripple, Mad Dog 20-20 or Thunderbird, I'm outta there. I prefer it served warm and wrapped in a brown paper bag.

That's why I asked you specific questions about the Lord Nelson. If I were to book a guesthouse and it wasn't clean, I'd leave. It could be offered for free and I wouldn't stay there. I sometimes think guys expectations are way to high considering the price of the room.

I've never stayed at the RG but you have to admit it's twice the price of the Lord Nelson and I'd expect it to be way better at that price. When you say it's an out and out dump was the room dirty, shower not clean, lousy water pressure?

Good review. A bit more descriptive of the taste of the steak would be helpful. Is it worth going out of your way for? Would you go back again?

I get better prices here in the US at Wal-Mart and they are made to United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards. On my pizza, cheese steak, hoagie and beer diet, I need all the vits I can get. It's taken a lot of years to turn my 'hard body' into the 'tub of lard'.