Boeing says it can lighten 787

SEATTLE — The head of Boeing Co.’s 787 program said Monday that the company is confident it can lighten the hot-selling plane by an estimated 2 1/2 tons, slimming it enough to fulfill promises that it will be much more fuel efficient than any similar commercial jet flying today.

Boeing Chief Executive Jim McNerney recently called the 787’s weight a “dogged issue” that would force the aerospace giant to boost research and development spending on the plane by $300 million this year and in 2007. That’s on top of about $335 million in extra R&D spending Boeing committed to the 787 earlier.

“We know exactly where we have to go to take weight out of the airplane,” Mike Bair, vice president and general manager of the 787 program, said.

Boeing has estimated it needs the 787 to shed roughly 5,000 pounds. Once that happens, Bair said, the company will be able to meet the commitments it’s made to the 36 customers that have ordered the plane so far.