Boeing this week announced further delays to its 787 Dreamliner program, citing this fall’s eight-week machinist strike. “Given the duration of the IAM [International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers] work stoppage, first flight of the 787 Dreamliner will not be accomplished in the fourth quarter of 2008,” according to the Boeing statement issued Nov. 4. “The timeframe for first flight has not been established and will be based on the strike recovery assessment. The program is working to determine a new program schedule that will be announced when it is finalized.” The 787 program has been dogged with numerous delays and production problems since its inception. First customer deliveries had been set for 2009. Boeing workers ratified their new five-year contract Nov. 2.