Boeing 787 Chief Confident of On-Time Delivery

With an order for two aircraft, Royal Jordanian is one of nearly 50 customers for the Boeing 787, which by the day of its roll-out -- July 8, 2007 -- had accumulated firm orders for 677 aircraft. Royal Jordanian has also agreed to take additonal 787s on lease from leasing company ILFC. Credit: Boeing Photo

SEATTLE (AP) -- None of the early problems Boeing Co. encountered with suppliers for its new 787 Dreamliner jet has shaken its confidence that it will smooth out production kinks and deliver the plane on schedule, the head of the program said.

"We've had challenges. You always have challenges when you have a program this complicated going together in what is really kind of record time," Mike Bair told reporters at a briefing Friday, two days before the first 787 was scheduled to be unveiled.

The 787, Boeing's first all-new plane since airlines started flying the 777 in 1995, is scheduled to enter commercial service next May, when Japan's All Nippon Airways Co. takes delivery of the first of 50 Dreamliners it has ordered.

To date, Boeing has won 642 orders for the 787. Factoring in non-binding commitments, delivery positions are filled through 2015, two years after rival Airbus SAS expects to roll out its competing A350 XWB.

In addition, Qantas Airways announced Friday that it would buy 20 more 787s and convert purchase rights for 20 planes into options. The deal, which has not been finalized, would boost the Australian carrier's existing order to 85 787s -- 65 firm orders and 20 options.

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