


WASHINGTON >> Boeing Co. received preliminary US regulatory clearance to restart deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft, paving the way for the end to a drought that drained cash and dented the planemaker’s reputation for quality.
The Federal Aviation Administration approved Boeing’s plans to inspect and repair tiny manufacturing flaws in the Dreamliner’s carbon-composite frame, two people familiar with the plan said late Friday.
The jet manufacturer had largely halted deliveries since late 2020 as its engineers found improperly filled gaps in about 20 locations. The FAA agreement is a milestone for the company, but it won’t immediately resume sales. Boeing must still make required fixes and get FAA inspectors to approve each aircraft, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information hasn’t been publicly announced. While timing of delivery resumptions remains unclear, the company is aiming to begin in the week of Aug. 8, one of the people said.
A total of 120 of the jets, which retail for as much as $338 million, had been constructed but were parked and waiting for the FAA’s approval to resume sales to customers such as American Airlines Group Inc., according to Boeing. “We will continue to work transparently with the FAA,” Boeing said.