CHICAGO, May 11 (UPI) -- Despite a three-month grounding of the 787 Dreamliner jet, U.S. plane manufacturer Boeing said it would deliver a record number of jets this year.
Boeing continued to build 787 Dreamliners even as regulators around the world grounded the jet due to fires that began in the plane's lithium-ion battery system.
However, now that regulators have approved of a retrofit system for the batteries, Boeing said it would increase production of the jets from five a month to seven and then to 10 per month by the end of the year, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.
Boeing said it would deliver 60 Dreamliners this year keeping to a schedule announced before the jets were grounded. In total, the plane maker is set to deliver 645 jets in 2013, which would be a company record.
To reach that number, Boeing said it is also increasing production of its 737 and 777 jets.
Boeing has orders for 800 Dreamliner jets. Only 50 were in commercial use when regulators ordered them in mid-January to remain on the ground until a new battery system could be developed.
