Boeing 787 Is Growing Up Right Before Your Eyes

Boeing is moving forward with its 787. The three phases of success is moving forward as witnessed.

Phase 1: Lame

From the very first Boeing, wrestled with its untried management concept by writing on napkins or note pads, and then outsourcing everything down to the wing nuts. A new way to build quality and safety. "Let the other guy do it", and firmly rubber stamp  "Boeing With Pride" on its vertical tail assembly.  The lame began to percolate through, by establishing a central parts tracking and outsourcing center of hundreds of people managing the "Just In Time "snags, snares and stumbles. This center watched in awe the fastener problems, delamination and errant supplier innovation.
This is the big picture of the Lame, a central center to watch the spectacle and correct it if can. "We (Boeing) track every item out-sourced, and know when its going to fail when it fails"! I say, "What"?


Phase 2: Blame

The phase Boeing is growing out of,  late in its initial delivery years, by proclaiming. "Yes those crimped wires on the location beacon was the supplier's mistake and it didn't happen on my watch, no way". Question, By the way, why did those batteries explode? Boeing doesn't know but they offer a blanket wrapped around those pesky batteries.  Boeing is forced to get overtly aggressive with its competitor, Airbus, as they try to quip and snip at Boeing from the CRFP ditch found in France. Boeing people are rapidly not taking it anymore. Beware supplier, its your turn and Boeing is upset. A whole cadre of suit types are in position with personal hand held smart phones in one hand and a TV microphone in the other hand, while having the supplier of the week in its cross hairs. You know, that group of suppliers carefully chosen from its napkin renderings way back in 2003, during a time when the "Outsource" mantra was king of the planet. This phase is rapidly coming to a close because enough Blame has gone around.

Phase 3: Same

Personal Responsibility will fly in this phase as the 787 and will soar to new heights making the "I told you so crowd"  come out in full force clear from those Big Boeing Barn doors from the Washington State and Paine Field county seat, Buildings 40-24 to 40-26, clear to Charleston's shinning shores.  Notice: First heard in print, or "The Blogworks" right here, "The 787 is a grand slam home run of epic proportion".

In spite of spring training held at the outsourced field of dreams.   The "Same" is that quality you would expect from Boeing. That same is catching-up to the blame game in a hurry. If the 787 where to collapse as a viable next best thing since sliced bread, it would have done so by 2011.  So the Same,  is the last phase of success, doing what you do best, building great airplanes with unabashed bravado. Not letting others control its destiny through its lame ideas or correcting problems with a cacophony of blaming statements. Boeing is well positioned for doing the same, making the world's best innovative and advance airplanes for the next 30 years. Bring on the Same and win this competition.