Why A Microscopic Defect Can Ground A Boeing 787 That Has Flown Safely For 15 Years

When aircraft deliveries are suspended, the public usually assumes the underlying issue is obvious and substantial: an engine problem, a significant structural irregularity, or another defect that can be readily seen and understood. Few would expect the trigger to be a manufacturing deviation measuring just 0.005 inches (0.13 mm) wide, roughly the thickness of a human hair.