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LONG BEACH, Calif., May 23, 2006 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today delivered its final two 717 airplanes to Midwest Airlines and AirTran Airways in a ceremony before thousands of employees, retirees and dignitaries in Long Beach, Calif. The deliveries conclude commercial airplane production in Southern California that began in the 1920s with the Douglas Aircraft Co. The 717 program, which produced 156 airplanes, pioneered breakthrough business and manufacturing processes for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Our production system is an industry benchmark because of the lean manufacturing and employee involvement practices we pioneered on the 717 in Long Beach," said Boeing Commercial...

The final Boeing 717 was rolled out of the former Douglas Aircraft production site at Long Beach, California just before dawn today in preparation for the start of flight tests and delivery to AirTran Airways in May (pictured below). The last aircraft officially marks the end of commercial aircraft manufacturing on the site and emerged from the now empty Building 80 assembly line that over the past 48 years has produced 976 DC-9s, 1,191 MD-80s and 115 MD-90s. A further 556 DC-8s, 446 DC-10/KC-10s and 200 MD-11s were also produced in the adjacent Building 84. The final 717 is the...

Charges relate to company expenses on USAF 767 Tanker and 717 line closure Company remains firmly committed to USAF 767 Tanker program CHICAGO, Jan. 14, 2005 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] announced it plans to recognize pre-tax charges totaling approximately $615 million, or $0.48 per share, related to the U.S. Air Force 767 Tanker program and expenses incurred to end production of the 717. The charges will be incorporated in the company's fourth-quarter and full-year 2004 results, scheduled to be released on Feb. 2, 2005. The charge related to the initial production of aerial refueling tankers for the...

LONG BEACH — The Boeing Co. is expected to announce today that it will end production of the 717 the last commercial jetliner built in California and eliminate at least 750 jobs. The aerospace giant will close the Long Beach plant that manufactures the 717, which traces its lineage to the McDonnell-Douglas Co., once orders for 18 of the planes are filled, according to an internal memo obtained by the Press-Telegram. Boeing executives began informing workers of the program's termination at about 2 p.m. Thursday. The last 717 will likely roll off the moving assembly line in mid-2006, Pat McKenna,...