[Moonman62]

This PDF presentation should answer most of your questions.

I find it interesting that the 787 can defer repair to the damage from a lightning strike, but an aluminum skinned aircraft has to be repaired right away.

Also remember that Boeing has experience with the composite tail on the 777.

[Abathar]

Thank you very much, that did answer all my questions on the repair of the composite structures vs their aluminum counterparts. Being able to bolt on patches during their heavy maintenance schedule looks like that will be a lot easier than what they do now, I also found the lightning strike info very interesting. I know how much work it is to replace cracked aluminum support frames, if they can reduce that as much as they say that alone will save so much time in hanger repair time that the cost per mile will drop considerably. They are expensive and all new, but I would fly on this bird any day now.