By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday said that it expects Boeing to resume deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner in the coming days after the regulator found the manufacturer made necessary changes to meet certification standards.
Boeing halted deliveries in May 2021.
American Airlines is likely to receive the first 787 airplane delivered by Boeing since the halt, sources said. American Airlines said on a July earnings call it expects to receive nine 787s this year, including two in early August.
The FAA had earlier approved Boeing’s plan for specific inspections to verify the airplane meets requirements and that all work has been completed.
Boeing has presented to the FAA for approval the first of about 120 787s awaiting delivery. The FAA said it “will inspect each aircraft before an airworthiness certificate is issued and cleared for delivery.”
Boeing has faced production issues with the 787 for more than two years. In September 2020, the FAA said it was investigating manufacturing flaws in some 787 jetliners.
Boeing suspended deliveries of the 787 after the FAA raised concerns about its proposed inspection method. The FAA had previously issued two airworthiness directives to address production issues for in-service airplanes and identified a new issue in July 2021.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Mark Porter and Cynthia Osterman)
