Boeing’s struggling Dreamliner programme gets a new manager

The head of Boeing Co.'s troubled commercial airplane business, Scott Carson, has announced that he is stepping aside as part of a sweeping management shake-up. He will be replaced by Jim Albaugh, 59, in charge of Boeing's defence –based business since 2002.

Though Carson, 63, retires from Boeing effective 1 January 2010 he exits his current post immediately.

Boeing's troubled 787 Dreamliner programme has fuelled rumours that heads would roll at the commercial airplanes division at some point of time. Lately, it was being said that Crason would exit once the Dreamliner took first flight.

Carson's exit comes after the announcement by the company that production issues with the 787 had been fixed. Nearly 2 1/2 years behind schedule, the futuristic aircraft, built of composite materials, is now scheduled to take its first flight by the end of the year and be readied for delivery to launch customer All Nippon Airways in late 2010.

The Dreamliner programme has struggled with manufacturing and design glitches. The futuristic design has also ensured that the aircraft has more than 800 orders on the books, an all time record for any pre-launch aircraft in the history of aviation.

Boeing also announced that it would take a $2.5-billion non-cash charge against third-quarter earnings, writing off the amount it has spent to develop and build the first three 787s. The company has now determined that it would not be able to sell the planes.