The Case Of The Missing 787 Panel Is So Difficult!

Several days back I wrote about the missing panel from Air India's unidentified 787 is confusing, since the Indian Press gave a RED herring report on VT-ANA was the guilty airplane for dropping its panel on approach. Secondly there are no pictures on such piece yet revealed. Thirdly there does not exist a 787, VT-ANA ,as reported. Its just not in the fleet. A picture was provided of a hole representing the "missing panel" from a different jet that supplied the replacement piece moved to the damaged incorrectly number 787. It did not provide picture taken of the damaged aircraft itself of a hole.

AI blames engineer for Dreamliner panel fall, suspends him

Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/business/ai-blames-engineer-for-dreamliner-panel-fall-suspends-him-1179645.html?utm_source=ref_article

Warning! Self promoting Link:

Have You Heard About The 787 Sky Piece Falling?

So What The Farce (WTF) is going on "Sherlock"

The Seattle PI Offers a Mea Culpa and Falls on Its sward

Its the second WTF in one article.

" In a post the other day, I suggested that this problem could have been the responsibility of Boeing assembly plant workers in Charleston, South Carolina, where VT-ANO was put together. An insider at the plant told me only using the wrong attachment screws could have allowed the plane to be delivered with the panel intact and then having it fall off in flight, which is how the incident was reported by the Times. 

The fact that this panel was removed on every one of 89 Boeing 787s to conduct a manufacturer-ordered modification of the environmental control system to correct a problem of condensation and poor drainage led me further to believe the news account that the panel came off a brand new 787. 

Early Friday morning Rabinowitz sent me a link to a story in First Post, reporting that an Air India mechanic has been suspended for removing the panel and failing to put it back. How a four by eight foot gaping hold was not detected during the pilot walk around prior to the flight is mystifying for me as it is for some of you who have commented on this story.

Having already relied on information that the event happened on one plane when it probably occurred on another, I'm giving this report a skeptical eye. It does remind me, however, that not all the facts are known. I will recap the underlying issues.

Air India and many other carriers in that country aresignificantly behind in safety relative to their size and importance in the global economy. Various audits and investigations into safety oversight have been going on for several years. Air India tried and failed towin membership in the Star Alliance, due in part to its inability to meet their standards for safety.Things have hardly improved. " (End Quote) 

Two witnesses are now on record as if something does smells like a Red Herring. Boeing is mysteriously silent and Air India is clumsy at best in blaming a cause. I went back to my Sherlock manual of fake reporting and found out we do not have the real story on purpose. I don't know how much Boeing has received concerning in-kind benefits for staying quiet or if Air India is getting a tank or two of Jet A to do what they do best, be incompetent.

Anyway if somebody could put the story in proper context, it would be much appreciated. Because a panel does not drop off unless improperly attached. It not a question of design failure or assembly mis-deeds, its far more into the realm of "total kaos with the ground operation". When "the taking a break whistle blows", and you have six more fasteners to attach, you go on break. Then come back as a supervisor tells you to go a sweep dirt somewhere while the 787 taxis for take-off minus six fasteners.

Boeing by now knows the answer to the mishap.  They will protect its customer with a plausible findings and recommendation that is taking so long to report. They are not asking its many customers to go out and spend money and time inspecting customer aircraft for an Air India stumble. There is no grounding effect coming or FAA bulletin, just another Boeing black eye for the team. Air India reminds me of the love-able Key Stone Cops.