Who left that there??

[The Inspector]

Reports that some ANA captain has managed to alllow every other 787 Captain to sleep better by being the first one to scratch an airplane. Even before it's inaugrial flight they struck a jetway with an engine nacelle, damage minimal.

Kinda like buying a new car and waiting for some one to scratch it or door bump it so you can relax.

[CAPFlyer]

Surprised it didn't get ramp rash from some over confident rampie running the K-loader into it.

[The Inspector]

Actually, ramp rash was a huge consideration factor in the design, customers were adamant about not having the airplanes delayed @ the gate by a tug strike or a food (term used loosely) truck bump. Among the things Boeing did do was send ANA a piece of CFRP and a big Ball Peen hammer to whack it with. It's actually pretty bullet proof from ramp strikes. Remember it's designed to go 6 years between 'C' checks and 12 years between 'D' checks

[CAPFlyer]

It may not be grounded by it, but it'll still scratch the paint job.

Oh, and there's nothing that can keep you from being grounded when the idiot fueler runs into the engine because he didn't do his safety stops and realizes too late the brakes weren't working...

[The Inspector]

Crowds of mechanics standing near the jetway, each armed with a 1/4 oz. cup of paint and a #003 brush, it'll look like an F1 pitstop when they allowed refueling, 63 guys jump on the plane and 3.6 seconds later they jump back and the airplane goes from CONTINENTAL to ETHIOPIAN mnarkings.

[Enemy Ace]

I'm not so sure i want to ride on something that goes 12 years between a heavy check....

[CAPFlyer]

Just because it goes 12 years between heavy checks doesn't mean it doesn't get inspected thoroughly. Most of the "C Check" anymore is done when they strip the interior out for refurbishment which happens every couple of years, so I expect that the only thing the real "C Check" will do is open up the wing and tail, stuff you shouldn't have to look at much anyway unless you suspect something is wrong.

[The Inspector]

Precisely! Plus modern airliners have 'progressive letter checks'. The 757/767 (and others) 'C' was divided into dozens of sub items and on a weekend check you may do an 'A', 'B' and 'C' 30 check where you open a designated panel on the right side leading edge, if it looks OK then it's assumed that the corresponding panel and whats under it on the left side is OK too, maybe remove and inspect under a few cargo floor boards. So, until a major 'C', a 'D' or, a bridging check, the days of ripping into a pretty new airplane are getting more and more rare plus operators are doing more and more interior reconfigs or IFE systems upgrades about every 18 or so months trying to keep butts in the revamped seats or the lease is up and the new customer wants a new interior (that's also why so many airliners are overall cloud white with vertical only logos) so that's a perfect time to do a 'C' or small 'D' on the tube and floor beams, spot trending items, and fix things on non routines all the information of which goes to the manufacturer and the Feds data bases.

The plus on the 87 is that it's Carbon Fibre so it's not going to corrode, and spilled coffee and pop, and cocktails plus leaky cargo is what tends to eat up an aluminum airframe, want to se a maintenance manager go stark pale white and quiver like a dog passing a strand of barbed wire? Tell him you suspect a mercury spill in that airplane.

An airplane makes money when it's sitting@ gate B 31ready to load, not in the hanger being beat upon, want to know who in the airline REALLY owns that airplane? Just tell the marketing dogs what they want isn't important, and the Hanger Manager will tell everyone 'this just came down from on high, we're all working 12's until this is done'