Boeing Closer to Assembling First 787 Dreamliner (Second Dreamlifter Rolls Out in Taiwan)

Boeing.com ^ | Jan. 12, 2007 | Staff

[Paleo Conservative]

EVERETT, Wash., Jan. 12, 2007 -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) is showing steady progress toward building the first 787 Dreamliner with the rollout of its second specially-modified freighter and a successful first pickup of 787 parts from Japan.

The load consists of section 43, a forward fuselage section made by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and section 11/45, the center wheel well and center wing tank, made by KHI and Fuji Heavy Industries and joined at FHI. These were loaded onto the 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter -- now known as the Dreamlifter -- earlier today at Centrair Airport in Nagoya. The large composite parts are destined for Charleston, S.C.

"Today is an exciting day for Boeing and our Japanese partners," said Scott Strode, 787 vice president of Airplane Development and Production. "Transporting these parts from FHI and KHI is the first step in assembling the first 787. We're very pleased with how it went and with the quality of the parts received."

In another sign of production readiness, the second Dreamlifter rolled out of the hangar Jan. 7 in Taipei, Taiwan, sporting its distinctive new white and blue livery. The airplane will take its first flight in the next several weeks.

Three Dreamlifters are being modified by Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corporation at its facility at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

[JRios1968]

Taipei??

Oh, wait...

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Another reason these jobs and manufacturing is going over seas is that, even if the companies wanted to pay high salaries and wages, they want a good work ethic and a job well done and not pay a high price for some lazy bad work ethic worker and have to get rid of them, and the cost of retraining someone and the same thing happens.
I saw it all the time were I worked at, lazy bad work ethic workers who wanted to get paid $ 15 dollars an hour, but didn't want to work, or do a good job. Another reason could be ? some companies got tired of litigation and being hit with law suits.

[PAR35]

The Russians were always good at designing really large cargo planes.

[RunningWolf]

Wow that is quite an airplane! But it looks to me that rear fuselage/empenage might be attached to the front more as a production type joint rather than something made for a more quick-repeatable operation.

I would be interested in some feedback on that.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Moog as in "the Monitar" ?

[Paleo Conservative]

Wow that is quite an airplane! But it looks to me that rear fuselage/empenage might be attached to the front more as a production type joint rather than something made for a more quick-repeatable operation.

The empanage must be externally supported when the tail door is opened. the hinges are strong enough just to hold the empanage in place when the door is closed. It would add too much unnecessary weight to the plane to be able to support the tail door without external support. These planes will only be flying to a handfull of airports that have all the required support equipment on the ground. Also, the Dreamlifters aren't available for sale. I wouldn't be surprised if they could be chartered for special freight like the Airbus Belugas.

[Paleo Conservative]

I noticed the windows in the nose haven't been plugged. I bet Boeing will be using that space to transport employees between the various production sites.

[AGreatPer]

Never heard of this Evergreen Company. We used to have an Evergreen Airlines around here but they went out of business.

What next, Japanese parts and cars in NASCAR. Wait a moment, Toyota is in this year.

[Paleo Conservative]

Never heard of this Evergreen Company. We used to have an Evergreen Airlines around here but they went out of business.

http://www.evergreenaviation.com/

What next, Japanese parts and cars in NASCAR. Wait a moment, Toyota is in this year.

Read my response in post #7.

[Paleo Conservative]

http://www.evergreenaviation.com/supertanker/index.html

http://www.sprucegoose.org/

[Cogadh na Sith]

Have we lost so much of our manufacturing base that we couldn't produce these components domestically?

Yes. The unions destroyed it.

[LM_Guy]

How much ( % ) of the 787 is being manufactured outside of the USA and imported?

At one time Boeing bought all of its parts from USA manufactures.

The aerospace industry was one of the few industries left in the USA that was helping us keep our Current Account Deficit from sliding over the cliff. Looks like the USA trade deficits are now just going to continue accelerate toward the negative end !

[66coronet]

With a world economy some countries require a part of the product will be produced in their country in order to allow that countries businesses to be allowed to buy the product or to waver the high tax put on the product. That's why lots of car companies (thought as over seas companies) are made in the USA for the north American market.
http://www.heraldnet.com/boeing/CENTEROFTHEWORLD_smaller.jpg

[66coronet]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/275465_japan27.html
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20060627/Building-787-0627b.gif

[dalereed]

There's a company leasing space from a friend of mine in Oceanside, CA that is streatch forming aluminum parts for Airbust, it works both ways.

[dalereed]

"Maybe Japan doesn't have unions."

It isn't jsut unions, the younger generations in this country don't have any work ethics.

My wife tears her hair out when the 20-50 people not only don't show up, show up late, and do just enough work not to get fired.

[JSteff]

"Boeing has been outsourcing major structural components to Japanese companies since the start of the 747 program over 40 years ago."

Correcto and it positively helped keep Boeing in the world game. KAL and JAL became some of the largest buyers of the 747 models. Better a multinational Boeing gets the business than a multinational AirBus.

[fredbred]

The irony is that the Airbus A380 has a larger percentage of parts made in the USA than the Boeing 787.

So which one is really “Made in the USA”?