US aerospace giant Boeing confirmed Friday that it was halting work at a plant in Italy amid further technical problems with its already-behind-schedule Dreaminer 787 plane, according to dpa. Boeing said a production flaw had been found at the Alenia Aeronautica factory in Naples, coming on top of a separate structural flaw where the wings and the fuselage meet. The development is a further setback for Boeing even in achieving the maiden flight of the Dreamliner, much less starting to deliver the plane to customers, which is already running two years behind schedule. In June the US plane giant announced the fifth postponement of the maiden flight of the long-range 787. According to a report Friday in the Wall Street Journal, citing a Boeing spokeswoman, the company at the time already knew about the problems at the Alenia plant but did not divulge them. The technical problem involves the Dreamliner's new carbon fibre composite skin, the design of which is now being reworked by engineers to try to reduce possible fatigue and wrinkling. According to the Wall Street Journal Article, the work stoppage order at Alenia came on June 23, with Boeing stopping the production of two mid-fuselage sections when the flaws in the composite skin were found. Alenia is one of hundreds of subcontractors around the world which Boeing has engaged in building the 787. Boeing sought to downplay the problem, with a message to the media speaking of a "modification" being needed and saying that the remedy would be provided by "a fairly simple patch" on the fuselage.
