That is not the case. Large, durable goods such as airliners are a substantial portion of any industrialized nation's economy. In the case of the United States, sales by Boeing and Lockheed are a non-insignificant portion of GDP. In the case of Europe, Airbus is the direct recipient of substantial state subsidy. There has never been a case of a single airliner not experiencing technical difficulties. The 787 is no different, neither is the A380. The Seattle press always makes much of Airbus' mis-steps - Boeing, at least until eclipsed by Microsoft in 2004, was the largest employer in the region. The Guardian piece is a flagrant attempt to destroy confidence in a rival nation's durable goods. Is the 787 completely safe? Nothing is completely safe. Trying to pretend that there's something revolutionary and scary about the 787 in order to damage a competitor is "fair play" but for fuck's sake, put your back into it.It’s just a piece of journalism that raises questions about the cause of the current issues.
I agree with your comments regarding the aviation market, and I am sure the current issue with lithium ion batteries will be addressed quickly with little long term impact on Boeing. I disagree that The Guardian is trying to push a political or economic agenda with the intention of discrediting a US product. The adoption of new technology on the 787 is revolutionary for the airline industry - it is why the 787 will be successful - and should not cause concern. However, when passengers hear that an entire fleet of aircraft has been grounded due to safety concerns, they naturally lose confidence and want answers. Writing an article that examines some of the macro-economic/political drivers should not be off limits.
The 787 is evolutionary, not revolutionary. Composites for commercial aircraft were pioneered by the 777 more than 15 years ago. Fly-by-wire first came out in commercial aviation with the A320 in 1988. Glass cockpit? 777 again. Once more, with feeling: The entire A380 fleet was grounded. The DC-10 fleet was grounded. Considering every argument about the 787 deals with composite materials, having battery problems is a long damn way from warranting "a nightmare waiting to happen."