Boeing uses likewise Catia!

If you read a bit more into what the problems vis-a-vis Airbus A380 have been you will find out that those problems had nothing to do with the fact that CATIA (any version) is a faulty software tool but with the fact that Airbus was using Different versions of CATIA (Catia 4 and Catia 5) at different locations and that those software versions lead to the problems . boeing has come out and said that it and all its suppliers use the Catia5 software for all of their work in addition to other software licenced from elsewhere.

From the BW article (the other one was not in english) There are a few technical details such as –

– The article is 6 months old

–

Test versions of the nose section, for instance, were deemed unacceptable by Boeing

Those were the barrels that got rejected due to quality control , they were over and above the required barrels , Boeing tried a new manufactering technique on the 7th barrel (after having 6 succesfull barrels) and there were some TOOLING errors (with the experimental techique) which showed Air bubbles thereby failing quality control tests , however they went back built 2 more barrels (barrel 8 and barrel 9) and those were succesfull so this issue has been long sorted out .

Software programs designed by a variety of manufacturers are having trouble talking to one another.

After the Airbus CATIA phiasco boeing has come out and said that they dont see this problem as they are exclusivly on CATIA 5 that is incase you watched a couple of the press confrences .

And the overall weight of the airplane is still too high

The weight was declared (in nov 2006 ie 5 months after the publisbhing of the article) to be 2-2.5 tons overweight (but within contractual promises-performance wise) however as of today the CEO is on record of saying that only 500 lbs ( not kilos) remains to be shaved and that the performance increase will be 2% over the contractually obligated ammount.

especially the single biggest part of the 787, the carbon-fiber wing

Read the SPi article regarding the wing , boeing left the extra weight on the wing so that it could meet the Lighting strike Requirments .

here is a BW article as recent as today –

Boeing’s 787 on schedule, demand strong

Boeing Co.’s 787 Dreamliner remains on schedule for its first test flight next summer and for delivery to airlines in 2008 despite the ongoing challenge to make it lighter, the new head of the company’s commercial airplanes unit said Wednesday.

Scott Carson told an investment conference in New York that Boeing has 435 firm orders for the new jet from 35 customers along with another 21 nonbinding commitments. The continuing demand makes it “the very strongest product launch in the history of this industry,” he maintained.

Boeing officials have said since earlier this fall that they need to trim the 787’s weight significantly from parts scattered throughout the entire plane, in some cases switching from aluminum to titanium, in order to meet its promises for greater fuel efficiency.

Carson, the unit’s sales chief until September when Alan Mulally left to become CEO of Ford Motor Co., said the first six 787s, all test aircraft, will be above weight specifications. All the company’s energies are focused on the seventh and a plan is in place to get the weight off, he said.

Boeing shares rose 79 cents to $91.52 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange, just off last month’s all-time high of $92.05.

Sizzling demand for the 787 coupled with lengthy delays involving Airbus’ planned A380 superjumbo have enabled Boeing to seize momentum and close the gap on Airbus in the commercial airplane market. But Carson, making his first formal presentation to Wall Street, expects the competition to remain intense and said his company must fight complacency with things going so well.

“People say, ‘Well, you’re in a favorite position to Airbus because they’re struggling,'” he said. “I say Airbus emerges from this stronger than they’ve ever been in, and we better be ready for it.”

Asked when the largest U.S. carriers are likely to order new planes again, Carson said he expects UAL Corp.’s United Airlines, AMR Corp.’s American Airlines and Delta Air Lines Inc. to be ready in late 2007 or 2008.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8LREPBG5.htm