In an effort to attract buyers for its much-delayed 787 Dreamliner, Boeing today announced it will introduce a rotable exchange services program to support the operation of the aircraft.
The program will help airline customers reduce inventory costs by providing access to a Boeing-managed inventory pool of parts, available to ship within 24 hours of request.
"The 787 Rotables Exchange Services Program will provide a dedicated pool of high-value, dispatch-critical parts for airlines, while helping them to improve operations support and cash flow," said Dale Wilkinson, vice president, material services for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
"The program manages configuration, warranty and reliability for the covered parts, freeing the airline to focus on passengers and the operation of the airplane."
The exchange program is available to support initial entry into service for 787 operators, and is the first time such a program has been developed in conjunction with entry into service of a new fleet type.
Under the Rotable Exchange Program, the airline removes a part from its airplane and ships it for exchange with a new unit from Boeing's exchange pool.
Boeing plans to support up to 600 high-value rotable parts, including such items as the auxiliary power unit and variable frequency starter generator. By providing coverage for parts typically priced in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, the exchange program can provide considerable inventory cost savings for airlines.
