Новости компании Boeing

Oman Air CEO Visits Seattle to Take Delivery of New Boeing 737-800

SEATTLE, July 2, 2003 -- Oman Air CEO Abdul Rahman Al Busaidy completed a week-long trip to the United States with delivery ceremonies for the airline's latest addition to its Boeing fleet, a new 737-800.

Busaidy began his U.S. trip in Washington, D.C., meeting with Exim Bank officials, and culminated his tour with a visit to Seattle, where he was hosted by Boeing Commercial Airplanes' President and CEO Alan Mulally and other company executives.

Oman Air's Boeing 737-800 was purchased as part of a five-airplane order and was arranged though Exim Bank. These airplanes will replace Oman Air's fleet of older Boeing and Airbus airplanes.

"These new 737s have proven to be the right choice for our expansion plans," said Abdul Rahman Al Busaidy. "We have achieved unprecedented levels of reliability and profitability. We are delighted with this airplane and the ongoing support we receive from Boeing."

Oman Air recently received JAR 145 Certification in recognition of excellence in maintenance.

"Oman Air introduced Boeing's new family of 737s to the Middle East and already has set the standard for operational efficiency and profitability in the single-aisle market," said Doug Groseclose, senior vice president of International Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "The Next-Generation 737 is the technological leader in its market."

Boeing Reports Second Quarter Deliveries

CHICAGO, July 2, 2003 – The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced deliveries across its commercial and defense operations for the second quarter and first six months of 2003.

Major program deliveries during the second quarter and the year to date, including deliveries under operating lease (which are identified by parenthesis), were as follows:


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Major Programs 2nd Quarter 2003 Six Months
2003

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Commercial Airplanes Programs
717 3 (3) 6 (5)
737 Next Generation * 44 85
747 4 10
757 4 9
767 7 16 (1)
777 12 19
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Total 74 145

Integrated Defense Systems Programs
F-15 1 2
C-17 4 9
F/A-18E/F 9 20
T-45TS 3 7
C-40 0 1
Delta II 1 2
Delta IV 0 1
Satellites 2 3

*Includes one inter-company Project Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft delivered in the second quarter

Converted Farm Machine Improves Boeing Production Process Humble hay loader finds a new career

by Cheryl Addams

Innovators sometimes find their inspiration in the most humble of places.

In the spring of 2001, Larry Larson and his colleague, Bob Harms, who help build Boeing 757 airplanes in a factory near Seattle, found theirs in a barnyard in rural Washington state.

The two men are part of a factory team called the "Moonshine Shop" at The Boeing Company, which is charged with discovering new ways to decrease the costs and time required to build Boeing jetliners. (The Moonshine Shop gets its name from a Japanese lean manufacturing philosophy where innovators develop new methods in clandestine -- by the light of the moon late at night.)

That spring, the two colleagues had set off on a mission: find a simpler way to lift heavy parts and assemblies, especially passenger seats, from the factory floor to the airplane door. The pair went looking for existing machines they could adapt for that task.

"We stopped at a carnival and watched the way Ferris wheel seats move upwards," said Larson. "We looked at ski lifts and considered roofing material loaders. We went to see how sugar beets are loaded, and then we started looking at farm equipment."


Rows of seats easily load into this Boeing 737 during final assembly at the Renton, Wash., factory. The seat loader concept was modeled after hay loaders (or hay elevators) used in eastern Washington, and has dramatically reduced production time. - Ken DeJarlais photo
Larson, who lives in rural Washington, had seen hay elevators (also called hay loaders) in operation on neighboring farms – lifting individual hay bales up into barn lofts. He knew the elevators had potential for other uses and began visiting farm equipment dealers and scrap yards to see what was available.

"We saw a lot of hay elevators both new and used," reported Larson. "They were lightweight, easy to move, had a proven track record and could lift 125-pound (56-kilogram) bales of hay up into barns. They were very simple to modify, too."

The quest for the right one that could be modified to lift airplane parts eventually led to the Level Best Ranch, a hay farm that is a two-hour automobile ride east and over the Cascade Mountains from Seattle, and to Jack Wheatley, a rancher who also likes to tinker with machines.

"We took a look around his shop, which was heated with a homemade furnace, and we could see right away that Jack was a moonshiner," said Larson. "When Harms explained what we were looking for, Jack scratched his chin and thought for a while. Then he said he could make a hay elevator to our specifications."

Meanwhile, back in the airplane factory, Harms was calculating just what adaptations a hay loader would need before it could load the airplane seats, which each weigh 50 to 100 pounds (22 to 44 kilograms).

"Once Jack got our specifications, he made our custom elevator in three days," said Larson. "It was 24 feet (7 meters) long, so we borrowed a neighbor’s truck to deliver it from Jack’s ranch to the 757 final assembly line."

To meet safety requirements, Harms added guards to the elevator. He also added a top and a bottom fixture – and tracks – so the seats, which had wheels attached, could be rolled onto the elevator and up to the airplane.

Other employees in the factory were skeptical.

"People thought we were stark-raving nuts," recalled Larson. "They thought we were wasting the company’s money."

However, when the team used the modified hay elevator to move seats the first time that summer, that attitude quickly changed.

"Now people were amazed; mouths dropped open," Harms chuckled. "It was like a party atmosphere."

Before the team’s efficiency efforts, the process for loading passenger seats onto each airplane was cumbersome. After seats would arrive at Boeing, wheels were attached to each seat, and then the seats were delivered to the factory floor in a large container. An overhead crane lifted the container from the factory floor to a mezzanine. Seats were unloaded and rolled into the airplane door, where wheels were removed before seats were installed inside the passenger cabin. The crane then delivered the empty container to the factory floor, lifted the next container onto the mezzanine and repeated the process until all seats were in. The process took 12 hours.

Today, using the hay loader concept, seats roll across the floor to a holding area on the factory floor near the airplane. When it’s time for installation, the seats are rolled to the seat loader, which carries them up to the airplane door. The process takes about two hours and eliminates the need for cranes, a common factory bottleneck.

Once the 757 seat loader was in operation, word reached the Boeing 737 assembly line in the next building. Soon, members of the 737 Moonshine Shop team came to watch it operate.

"They said, ‘We think we could use that on the 737,’" Larson recalled. "So, we brought the 737 Moonshine guys across the mountains to visit Jack Wheatley. The team suggested some improvements to the design, and it wasn’t long before he had built one to their specifications."

Eventually, the news about the hay elevator that became a successful seat loader traveled 40 miles north to the factory where the larger Boeing commercial airplanes are assembled.

Soon, moonshine teams for the Boeing 767 and 777 were working with Jack Wheatley to build seat loaders based on the 737 and 757 prototypes. These much larger elevators are about 43 feet (13 meters) long and incorporate improvements which make the loader even more efficient.

Two years later, the airplane production lines are still using the modified farm machine. However, continuous improvement is the goal of the Moonshine Shops. And today, Harms is at work on a new seat loader that will cut production time by eliminating the need for wheels to be attached and removed from the seats before they are loaded onto the airplane.

"The philosophy of lean manufacturing is lifelong improvement," said Larson. "The need for innovation never ends."

Boeing Redefines 'The Box' with Its New 7E7 Dreamliner AirplaneInnovative approaches lead to an airplane fresh from the ground up

by Leslie Nichols

Thinking outside the box is one thing, but Boeing is reinventing the box with its new 7E7 airplane, from initial concept and name to design, interiors, materials and final assembly processes.

"We are looking at our new airplane as an opportunity to change the way we do business," said Rob Pollack, vice president of Branding for Boeing Commercial Airplanes Marketing.

With 200 to 250 seats, the Dreamliner will be the most advanced and efficient commercial airplane in its class and will set new standards for environmental leadership and passenger comfort. The company expects to formally offer the new airplane to customers in early 2004 with entry into service to follow in 2008.

What's in a name?

An example of the novel approaches Boeing is applying to the 7E7 is the naming. A team led by Boeing Commercial Airplanes Marketing cultivated a variety of internal and external sources to generate ideas. An external naming consultant and numerous employees offered several ideas for names that the team thought would best fit the brand Boeing wants to create for the 7E7.


Standing near the Boeing exhibit podium and the 7E7 model, Rob Pollack, vice president of Branding for Boeing Commercial Airplanes Marketing, asks reporters attending the announcement of the winning 7E7 name at the Paris Air Show to join in a toast to celebrate the airplane's name of Dreamliner. - Ed Turner Photo
Then Boeing entered into a new marketing approach and alliance with AOL Time Warner Inc. to understand the priorities and needs of the flying public. People from around the world were invited to participate in the "Name Your Plane" effort and choose from among four potential names: Dreamliner, eLiner, Global Cruiser and Stratoclimber. Boeing and AOL Time Warner Inc. also made a special effort to involve children in the naming. A special issue of TIME For Kids, sent to more than 2 million students in grades four through six, featured the history of flight, introduced kids to the 7E7 and invited them to help name the new plane.

People from six countries -- China, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and United States -- were eligible to enter a sweepstakes as well as vote. The vote totals for those countries were China, 8,712; France, 24,461; Germany, 14,015; Japan, 6,083; the United Kingdom, 13,519; and the United States, 400,603. Nearly 478,000 people in 166 countries around the world voted, and more than 7,100 Boeing employees voted in the internal sweepstakes. The grand prize in both the external and employee sweepstakes was a two-hour "flight" in a Boeing 737-700/-800 flight simulator. (Visit www.newairplane.com for the external winners' names).

By a mere 2,500 votes the world selected the name "Dreamliner," which was announced June 15 at the Paris Air Show.

"The people of the world made a great choice," Pollack said. "The name Dreamliner reflects a new airplane that will fulfill the dreams of airlines and passengers with its efficient operations, enhanced cabin environment, and the ability to allow profitable connection to more cities without stopovers.

"The name also demonstrates how the airplane's economics will enable more people around the world to fulfill their dreams of traveling to new places, experiencing new cultures and staying connected to one another."

The passenger becomes the customer

The public was also invited to join the World Design Team, a virtual community whose members will have opportunities to provide input to the development of the 7E7, including surveys concerning design elements and sneak peeks as the design of the exterior and interior evolves.

"You can expect to see a whole new approach to how we tell the world about the airplane and encourage participation and feedback in the work we are doing," Pollack said.

Further examples of how the Dreamliner is establishing new traditions include more innovative exterior designs for the new airplane.

According to Mike Bair, senior vice president of the 7E7 program, "We are using the 7E7 concept similar to how automobile designers use concept cars, to stretch our imaginations, to consider new possibilities and to help us design the best possible product for our customer."

Bair said Boeing wants to go beyond the early, conventional image of the 7E7 to "something that people will know by sight -- like the way we all know a 747 when we see one." Designers will continue to consider alternative design features through the summer and finalize the airplane configuration by the end of the year.

In a revised look at commercial airplane production, final assembly of the 7E7 is targeted to take approximately three days instead of the 13-17 days that today's airplanes take.

"Three isn't a fixed number," Bair said, "but it gives you the idea of the magnitude of difference we are working toward with this airplane. It will be dramatically less."

The reduction in time will come from final assembly receiving fewer, bigger pieces that are easier to join and the implementation of lean manufacturing techniques.

And, in a major shift from conventional practices, Boeing has decided that the 7E7 will be the first commercial jet ever to have a majority of the primary structure -- including the wing and fuselage -- made of advanced composite materials instead of aluminum.

"Composites offer us a variety of advantages including better durability, reduced maintenance requirements and increased potential for future developments," Bair said. "We believe this choice will help position Boeing to take advantage of the most modern materials technologies as we enter the second century of flight."

It takes a village to make an airplane

In conjunction with an announcement that the Boeing 7E7 will be made primarily of composite materials, Boeing released a new image of the super efficient airplane. Work on development of the airplane continues on schedule. More than 40 airlines from around the world are engaged in dialogues with Boeing about the 7E7.
Like all Boeing airplanes the 7E7 will be a global effort requiring participation from partners and suppliers around the world. At the Paris Air Show, Bair announced the airframe candidate companies that were selected to participate in the design and manufacture of large subassemblies: Alenia Aeronautica, Fuji Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Vought Aircraft Industries. In addition, several Boeing sites will be participating at this level.

Bair noted that other companies that participated in the materials technology development effort will likely become suppliers to the program by working with one or more of the main team members.

Boeing is also teaming with more than 20 international systems suppliers to develop technologies and design concepts for the 7E7. As the technology development work concludes later this year, the same companies will compete to become ongoing suppliers to the program.

According to Walt Gillette, vice president of Engineering, Manufacturing and Partner Alignment for the 7E7 program, "Just as we brought the world's best materials and aircraft structures experts together to help evolve materials and aircraft structures technologies, we have assembled a team of systems experts to help us understand the possibilities and best choices for systems on the 7E7."

Members of the Systems Technology Team include: ECE Zodiac, Messier-Bugatti and Thales from France; Diehl and Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg from Germany; Teijin Seiki from Japan; FR-HiTemp and Smiths Aerospace from the United Kingdom; and BAE SYSTEMS (also United Kingdom), Connexion by Boeing, Crane Aerospace, Fairchild Controls, Goodrich Corporation, General Dynamics, Hamilton Sundstrand, Honeywell, Matsushita Avionics Systems, Moog, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Rockwell Collins, and Triumph Group from the United States.

And some of the last steps in the process -- final assembly of the 7E7 -- may involve yet another new approach to building Boeing jets. If the airplane is not assembled at a Boeing site in Washington State, the work will be done in one of the other states competing for the final assembly work. Proposals were due to Boeing on June 20, and the company will decide in late 2003 where the 7E7 Dreamliner will be built.

Boeing Stores Reach Out to Shoppers Worldwide

by Rick Roff

Boeing products are a familiar sight around the world, with some 14,000 commercial aircraft, 6,000 military aircraft and 345 Boeing-launched satellites currently in service.

And aviation aficionados everywhere can own a piece of the aerospace legend by shopping at the Boeing Store.

More than an employee gift shop or surplus parts store, the Boeing Store has 15 retail locations in seven states -- nine of which are open to the public -- two traveling stores and an e-commerce site.


Boeing employees James Moe, Charlene Noll and Steve Reines, from left, have years of retail business experience that is helping to make improvements in The Boeing Store.
From 800 to 1,000 different items are offered in each of the Boeing Store retail locations at any time, and new merchandise is rotated into inventory seasonally. Brand names include Swiss Army, Dufeau, and K'NEX. For collectors, the Boeing Store offers more than 50 aircraft models, ranging from snap-together kits to handcrafted executive-quality models.

The related e-commerce site, BoeingStore.com carries nearly 500 items and offers 24-hour ordering and live customer service. The site also features custom matting and framing of an exclusive collection of aircraft prints and photographs, allowing customers to preview their selections online.

In response to customer requests, Boeing Stores, Inc., is making significant improvements to several of its operations in the Puget Sound, Wash., area that will improve accessibility and create a more enjoyable shopping experience. These changes will be the model for future improvements around the country.

Mikal Wasch, senior manager of Boeing Stores, Inc., said the effort is part of a larger move across the company to stabilize the Boeing Stores' business performance, improve customer satisfaction and provide an experience in keeping with the Boeing name and reputation.

"Last year we made great strides in enhancing our business practices and operations including staff, equipment and approach," Wasch said. "These improvements in Puget Sound will be even more apparent to the average shopper."

The goal in planning changes to the stores is to offer improved traffic flow and more efficient checkout, saving time for busy shoppers, while providing a pleasing environment that evokes the romance of flight. The Boeing Store in the main lobby of the 25-01 Longacres Flight Center building in Renton, Wash., received new fixtures and décor during its recent expansion and remodeling. And in the Everett, Wash., 40-92 building, a new kiosk will be installed next to a branch of the Boeing Employees Credit Union, bringing a new level of convenience to Boeing employees in that facility.


More than an employee gift shop or surplus parts store, the Boeing Store has 15 retail locations in seven states -- nine of which are open to the public, such as this site in Renton, Wash. -- two traveling stores and an e-commerce.
The store near the Boeing factory facility in Renton, Wash., is undergoing the biggest change. The east side of the building will have a covered public street entrance and coffee cart. The grand reopening of the store is planned for June 26 and 27 and will include refreshments and special guests.

"The Renton location is definitely a different approach for us in this area, and it's exciting," Wasch said. "We have an opportunity to directly offer Boeing Stores to the public. The tremendous worldwide Boeing brand obviously is very appealing in this region and around the world."

Boeing maintains a high degree of control over the merchandising program to ensure that products carrying the Boeing name reflect the quality and innovation for which the company is known. Many of the products offered are custom-designed and not available anywhere else. E-commerce sales at BoeingStore.com have grown significantly this year as international shoppers have discovered that they can select from an assortment of unique merchandise with convenient 24-hour shopping and customer service.

Hiring regional sales managers with experience in retail sales merchandising, design, marketing and general business operations, and adding expertise in allocations, bank reconciliation and traveling stores operations, already has brought positive results, Wasch said. But although providing a good value is important, it's only part of the stores' appeal.

"Employees, aviation enthusiasts, and kids visit our stores and Web site because they are intrigued by the Boeing brand and want to own a piece of an aerospace legend," Wasch said.

Компания "Боинг" открывает двери своих магазинов д

Компания "Боинг" открывает двери своих магазинов для покупателей из разных стран мира

Продукция компании "Боинг" известна во всем мире. В настоящее время в эксплуатации находится 14000 гражданских самолетов, 6000 военных самолетов и 345 спутников, построенных этой компанией.

Любители авиации в любой стране могут приобщиться к легенде аэрокосмической отрасли, приобретая товары в сети Boeing Store.

Помимо магазина сувениров и комплектующих, предназначенного для сотрудников компании, в семи штатах США существует 15 розничных магазинов компании "Боинг", семь из которых открыты для широкой публики, и два передвижных магазина. Кроме того, изделия с логотипом компании можно приобрести в интернет-магазине, размещенном по адресу Link is broken.

Ассортимент каждого магазина Boeing Store включает от 800 до 1000 наименований товаров. В каждом сезоне в продажу поступают новые изделия. В частности, через сеть компании "Боинг" продаются изделия таких известных компаний, как Swiss Army, Dufeau и K"NEX. Коллекционерам компания "Боинг" предлагает более 50 моделей самолетов. Их спектр включает и пластиковые наборы для детей и сделанные вручную модели, которые могут украсить кабинет руководителя любой компании.

Ассортимент интернет-магазина BoeingStore.com состоит примерно из 500 наименований товара. Покупатели могут размещать заказы в любое время суток. Магазин также предлагает услуги службы по работе с покупателями. Заказчик может выбрать рамки для оформления фотографий самолетов, приобретаемых в интернет-магазине и подробно рассмотреть товар перед покупкой.

В соответствии с пожеланиями покупателей, руководство сети Boeing Stores, Inc. приняло решение о внесении ряда усовершенствований в работу своих магазинов, расположенных в районе Пьюджет-Саунд, шт. Вашингтон. Эти усовершенствования призваны повысить посещаемость магазинов, а также сделать их более удобными для покупателей. Аналогичные усовершенствования планируется внедрить во всех магазинах сети.

Микал Уош (Mikal Wasch), старший менеджер Boeing Stores, Inc., сказал, что проводимые изменения являются частью плана, направленного на стабилизацию бизнеса торговой сети, улучшение обслуживания покупателей и укрепление положительного имиджа компании "Боинг".

М. Уош сказал: "В прошлом году нами были предприняты значительные шаги, направленные на улучшение наших бизнес-показателей. В частности, мы проводили переподготовку персонала, обновляли оборудование и вырабатывали новые подходы к бизнесу. Посетители магазинов Boeing Stores в районе Пьюджет-Саунд смогут по достоинству оценить усовершенствования, внесенные в нашу работу".

Изменения, вносимые в работу магазинов, должны повысить качество обслуживания покупателей, ускорить работу касс, а также создать атмосферу романтики, ассоциирующуюся с полетами. В ходе расширения и реконструкции магазина Boeing Store, расположенного в главном вестибюле офисного здания компании "Боинг" Longacres Flight Center (Рентон, шт. Вашингтон), был изменен дизайн магазина и заменено торговое оборудование. В здании 40-92 (Эверетт, шт. Вашингтон) киоск Boeing Store будет установлен непосредственно у входа в Кредитный союз сотрудников компании "Боинг" (Boeing Employees Credit Union), что позволит существенно повысить уровень обслуживания персонала, работающего в этом здании.

Самые значительные изменения претерпит магазин, расположенный рядом с заводом компании "Боинг" в Рентоне. В восточной части магазина будет сделан новый крытый вход, рядом с которым расположится кафетерий. Открытие магазина намечено на 26-27 июня. В рамках мероприятий, посвященных открытию магазина, будут устроен прием, в котором примут участие почетные гости.

М. Уош сказал: "Открытие магазина в Рентоне станет демонстрацией нашего обновленного подхода к бизнесу. Доступ в магазины нашей сети будет открыт всем желающим. Такой известный бренд, как "Боинг", очень популярен как в этой части страны, так и во всем мире".

Компания "Боинг" тщательно контролирует поставки продукции, реализуемой через торговую сеть с тем, чтобы товары с логотипом "Боинг" соответствовали самым высоким стандартам качества и отражали дух компании. Многие товары, продаваемые через Boeing Store, разработаны специально для компании "Боинг" и не продаются в других магазинах. В минувшем году значительно выросли объемы продаж интернет-магазина BoeingStore.com, так как все большее число людей в разных странах мира узнают о возможности покупать уникальные изделия с логотипом "Боинг" в любое удобное для них время, а также пользоваться услугами службы по работе с покупателями.

М. Уош отметил, что практика найма региональных менеджеров, имеющих опыт в области закупок товаров для розничных сетей, дизайнеров, специалистов по маркетингу, работе с банковскими платежными системами, функционированию передвижных магазинов, а также экспертов в других областях бизнеса уже принесла положительные результаты. Однако увеличение прибыли является хотя и важной, но не единственной функцией Boeing Store.

М. Уош сказал: "Сотрудники компании "Боинг", любители авиации и дети посещают наши магазины и Web-сайт потому, что им нравится бренд "Боинг" и они хотят приобрести для себя частицу этой легенды".


Источник: компания "Boeing"

"Боинг" ищет новые пути оптимизации сборки граждан

Компания "Боинг" ищет новые пути оптимизации сборки гражданских самолетов: на помощь призваны сеноукладчики

Иногда даже простая техника может стать основой для самого инновационного решения
Весной 2001 года Ларри Ларсон (Larry Larson) и его коллега Боб Хармс (Bob Harms), работающие по программе Боинг 757 на заводе, расположенном рядом с Сиэтлом, оказались на ферме.

И Л. Ларсон и Б. Хармс работают в компании "Боинг" в составе группы специалистов "Moonshine Shop", основной задачей которой является определение путей уменьшения затрат и сокращения сроков строительства самолетов. (Группа Moonshine Shop получила название по одному из направлений японской доктрины экономичного производства. Ее последователи разрабатывали новые методы совершенствования производственных процессов в тайне, под покровом ночи).

Весной 2001 года перед специалистами группы стояла сложная задача. Им нужно было найти упрощенные методы подъема тяжелых компонентов и узлов, таких как ряды кресел, для их перемещения внутрь фюзеляжа строящегося лайнера. Л. Ларсон и Б. Хармс попытались найти какой-либо существующий механизм, который можно было адаптировать для решения этой задачи.

Л. Ларсон рассказывает: "Мы посетили карнавал, где осмотрели колесо обозрения. В качестве вариантов рассматривались подъемники, используемые на лыжных курортах, механизмы, применяемые в строительстве для подъема кровли, машины, используемые при сборе сахарной свеклы: После этого мы обратили внимание на сельскохозяйственное оборудование".

Л.Ларсон, который жил в доме, расположенном в сельской местности, часто наблюдал за тем, как работают сеноукладчики на окрестных фермах. Они поднимали стога сена и складывали их в сенохранилища. Л. Ларсон понял, что это оборудование может использоваться и для решения других задач, после чего он начал посещать дилеров сельскохозяйственного оборудования и площадки хранения списанного сельхозоборудования с целью выяснения, какое оборудование есть в наличии.

Л. Ларсон рассказывает: "Мы осмотрели самые разные модели сеноукладчиков. Как новые, так и подержанные. Это небольшой по весу механизм, легко перемещаемый и высоконадежный. Его грузоподъемность составляет около 55 кг Кроме того, его несложно модифицировать".

Поиск сеноукладчика, оптимально подходящего для использования на авиастроительном предприятии, привел исследователей на ферму Level Best Ranch, находящуюся в двух часах езды к востоку от Сиэтла. Ферма принадлежала Джеку Уитли (Jack Wheatley), который, к тому же, тоже любил повозиться с машинами.

"Мы осмотрели его мастерскую, которая отапливалась печью, построенной хозяином, и сразу поняли, что Джек исповедует ту же философию, что и мы. Когда Хармс объяснил ему, что нам нужно, Джек на какой-то момент задумался. После чего сказал, что сможет сделать сеноукладчик, отвечающий нашим требованиям".

Б. Хармс, вернувшись на завод, стал оценивать изменения, которые необходимо внести в конструкцию сеноукладчика для того, чтобы его можно было использовать для подъема пассажирских кресел весом от 22 до 44 кг на борт строящегося самолета.

Л. Ларсон рассказывает: "После того, как Джек получил от нас спецификации, он подготовил нужный нам сеноукладчик всего за три дня. Он имел длину 7 метров. Поэтому мы были вынуждены арендовать грузовик у соседа Джека, чтобы доставить машину с фермы в цех сборки Боинг 757".

Б. Хармс, в целях соблюдения норм техники безопасности, дополнил конструкцию сеноукладчика защитными поручнями, системами креплений в верхней и нижней части, а также направляющими, по которым кресла, оборудованные колесиками, могли подаваться на укладчик и в салон самолета.

Отношение персонала предприятия к подобному использованию сеноукладчика было скептическим.

Л. Ларсон вспоминает: "Люди думали, что мы сошли с ума. По их мнению, мы впустую тратили деньги компании".

Однако это мнение кардинально изменилось после того, как летом 2001 года укладчик впервые заработал.

Б. Хармс смеется: "Люди стояли с открытыми ртами и с удивлением следили, как новая машина работает. Это было забавно".

До момента внедрения нового укладчика процесс загрузки кресел в салон самолета был очень сложен. После доставки кресел на завод, на каждое кресло устанавливали колесики. Затем кресла привозили в цех в большом контейнере. Контейнер поднимали с помощью мостового крана. Кресла закатывали внутрь самолета и устанавливали в салоне после демонтажа колесиков. После чего пустой контейнер опускали на пол цеха, кран поднимал следующий контейнер, и все операции повторялись до тех пор, пока не было установлено последнее кресло. Весь процесс занимал 12 часов.

Сейчас, после начала использования нового укладчика, кресла доставляются в цех, в зону рядом с самолетом. Когда настает время установки кресел, кресла закатывают на укладчик, который поднимает их к входу в салон. Процесс установки занимает всего два часа. Кроме того, отпала необходимость использования крана, что всегда являлось проблемой.

О внедрении нового укладчика в цехе сборки Боинг 757 стало известно в соседнем цехе, где собирают лайнеры Боинг 737. Вскоре сотрудники группы Moonshine Shop, работающие по программе Боинг 737, смогли ознакомиться с работой нового оборудования.

Л. Ларсен вспоминает: "Они сказали: "Думаем, мы сможем использовать этот укладчик при строительстве Боинг 737". Мы отвезли их в горы, на ферму Джека Уитли. В разговоре с ним они предложили внести ряд усовершенствований в конструкцию укладчика. Вскоре Джек сделал новую модель машины в соответствии с их пожеланиями".

В это время новость об использовании сеноукладчика для доставки кресел на борт самолетов уже достигла другого завода компании "Боинг", где собирают широкофюзеляжные лайнеры, расположенного в 70 км от Сиэтла.

Вскоре группы специалистов Moonshine Shop программ Боинг 767 и Боинг 777 обратились к Джеку Уитли с просьбой сделать аналогичные укладчики на базе тех, которые использовались по программам Боинг 737 и Боинг 757. Созданные укладчики имели большую длину (13 м) и в их конструкцию были внесены дополнительные усовершенствования, сделавшие их еще более эффективными.

Сейчас, два года спустя, модифицированная сельскохозяйственная техника до сих пор используется при сборке самолетов. Однако следует помнить о том, что группы Moonshine Shops ставят перед собой цель постоянного совершенствования. В настоящее время Б. Хармс работает над созданием методики, которая позволила бы избежать необходимости устанавливать и снимать колесики с кресел при их погрузке на борту.

Л. Ларсен сказал: "Философия совершенствования производственного процесса не имеет границ. Потребность во внедрении инновационных решений сохранится всегда".


Источник: компания "Boeing"

New Book Details History of the Boeing Company

CHICAGO, July 9, 2003 – Marking the centennial of powered flight, Boeing Stores, Inc., and AGS BookWorks have released “The Story of The Boeing Company,” the first complete, full-color coffee-table book chronicling the history of the world’s leading aerospace company.

The book details the stories of the companies that today make up The Boeing Company—Boeing, Douglas, McDonnell, North American Aviation, and Hughes Space & Communications—beginning with the birth of the company in 1916, just 13 years after the Wright brothers’ first flight, and continuing through nine decades of innovation in commercial, defense and space flight. Nearly 300 pages of exhaustively researched text and rare archival photographs tell the remarkable saga of the people and products that built a company that is still exploring new frontiers.

Written by renowned aviation author Bill Yenne, “The Story of The Boeing Company” contains many never-before-seen photographs from company archives. The story of Boeing mirrors the story of flight, and the company has been responsible for a Who’s Who of aviation achievements, including the Boeing B-17, B-29, 707 and 747; the Douglas World Cruisers and DC-3; the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II; the North American P-51; and the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft.

Yenne is a San Francisco-based author of more than three dozen books on aviation and other historical topics. He previously authored highly regarded histories of Boeing, North American and McDonnell Douglas.

“The Story of The Boeing Company” was produced and published by AGS BookWorks, a division of American Graphic Systems, Inc., San Francisco, and is distributed exclusively by Boeing Stores, Inc. The 11- by 11-inch, 288-page hardbound book contains more than 300 photographs and illustrations. The book (ISBN 0-9727382-2-3) retails for $45.00 and is available from the Boeing Store; visit the web site at Link is broken for store locations or online ordering.

Royal Air Maroc Continues to Grow its Fleet with Boeing 737s

SEATTLE, July 10, 2003 -- Royal Air Maroc today took delivery of a new Boeing [NYSE: BA] 737-800. The Morocco-based carrier continues to develop its routes to destinations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East with the new medium-range airplane. This delivery marks the first of 20 additional 737s the carrier will receive.

"These new 737s will allow us to increase capacity while complementing the country's forecast for growth in tourism to the region," said Mohamed Berrada, Royal Air Maroc chairman and chief executive officer. "We are very pleased to operate the 737, one of the most cost efficient and reliable airplanes in the market."

Morocco's flag-carrier operates scheduled passenger and cargo services from Casablanca to points in Morocco, North and West Africa, Europe and the Middle East, as well as New York. Royal Air Maroc operates a fleet of 30 Boeing airplanes that include 737s, 757s, 767s and 747s.

"Providing reliable and durable products like the 737 will help Royal Air Maroc exceed passenger expectations," said Doug Groseclose, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of International Sales. "We look forward to being a part of the growth of Royal Air Maroc."

The digitally designed 737-600s/-700s/-800s/-900s are the newest and most technologically advanced airplanes in the single-aisle market. Outfitted with a new wing and more powerful engines, the new 737s can fly higher, faster and farther than previous models and its nearest competitor.

In addition, the new 737's flight deck features the latest liquid-crystal flat-panel displays and is designed to accommodate new communications and flight management capabilities that promise to reduce flight delays and enhance flight-crew efficiency.

Recently the 737's pre-eminence as the world's most popular and reliable commercial jet transport was further established when All Nippon Airways finalized an agreement to purchase 45 Boeing 737-700 airplanes. AirTran Airways - the Orlando, Florida-based airline also recently confirmed an order to expand its existing fleet with 28 737 airplanes with options for 50 more.

Royal Air Maroc, based in Casablanca, Morocco, is known for applying the highest standards to ensure passenger safety and comfort.

Since its inception, 215 airlines have purchased more than 5,200 737s, making it the best-selling commercial airplane in history.

Air Plus Comet Becomes World's First Operator of Boeing 737-300 with Winglets

MADRID, Spain, July 10, 2003 -- Air Plus Comet yesterday became the world's first operator of a Boeing 737-300 with advanced-technology blended winglets and the latest carrier in Spain operating Boeing airplanes.

The winglets, which curve out and up from the plane's wing tips, improve an airplane's performance and allow it to fly more than 185 kilometers farther than a 737-300 without winglets.

Winglets also offer excellent environmental benefits, including reduced fuel use, takeoff and landing noise, and in-flight engine emissions.

"As the first worldwide customer for the new 737-300 blended winglet, we will be the first to experience the fuel savings and environmental benefits they bring," said Alejandro Avila, Air Plus Comet technical director.

The 737-300, leased from Aircraft Leasing Management, was delivered today. Headquartered in Madrid, Air Plus Comet provides long-distance charter flights between Spain and European locations and the Americas. It began operations in 1997.

Its 737-300 seats 148 passengers and will primarily be used on Canary Island and European routes.

"This winglet-equipped 737 is another example of how Boeing Commercial Aviation Services can help improve an air carrier's economics, increase aircraft reliability and deliver superior passenger comfort," said Daniel da Silva, vice president of customer support for Boeing Commercial Aviation Services in Europe.

Aviation Partners Boeing, a joint venture of Boeing and Aviation Partners, Inc., developed the winglets. The winglets can be installed on 737-300, -400, -700 and -800 models. More than 28 carriers fly nearly 300 winglet-equipped 737s.

Air Plus Comet also recently added a Boeing 747-200, seating 392 passengers, for Caribbean routes.

Boeing Demonstrates Wireless Technology at Changi Airport

First Successful Project Under CAAS-EDB AIRSTRIP Initiative

SINGAPORE, July 10, 2003 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] Crew Information Services has joined the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) to successfully demonstrate leading-edge wireless gatelink technology at Terminal 2 of Changi Airport.

The Boeing Gatelink project is the first to be completed under the Airport Systems Technology Research and Innovation Platform (AIRSTRIP). Over five months, Boeing Crew Information Services, with the funding and support of Boeing Ventures, worked with Singapore companies such as Stratech Systems and COB Technology to design, install and test a wireless gatelink system covering the tarmac areas of Terminal 2 at Changi Airport. Singapore Airlines gave a major boost to the program by allowing Boeing engineers to install test equipment onboard one of its airplanes.

AIRSTRIP is a joint CAAS-EDB initiative to encourage companies to test-bed suitable new technologies and concepts in Changi Airport, which acts as living, working laboratory for companies to validate their leading edge technologies and revolutionary ideas under real operational conditions in one of the world's busiest airports. The new technologies, products and services could then be commercialized and rolled out to regional and global markets from Singapore. Areas of interest under AIRSTRIP include passenger identification and tracking, check-in, baggage handling and screening, aircraft tracking, airport security, wireless communications, vehicle management and more.

Wireless gatelink is a system that utilizes Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) technology to transmit data throughout an airport environment, enabling instant sharing of data between aircraft, passenger terminals, maintenance operations, baggage handling, ground-support equipment and more. Such instant sharing of data would help airlines to increase operational efficiency and improve on-time performance.

"Boeing's successful trial and commercialization from Singapore will bring about an effervescence of opportunities for collaboration between Boeing and Singapore-based suppliers," said Mr. Teo Ming Kian, Chairman of Singapore EDB. "Singapore offers a platform for aerospace companies to capture the growing regional and global markets. Our excellent connectivity, skilled workforce, strong R&D capabilities and innovation platforms such as AIRSTRIP will put us in good stead as a thriving Global Aviation Hub."

"Changi Airport is the ideal test-bed for such aviation-related technology innovations, as CAAS firmly believes in harnessing technology and innovative ideas to enhance operational efficiency at Changi," said Mr. Wong Woon Liong, Director-General of Civil Aviation, CAAS.

The project kicked off in January this year when Boeing first surveyed the terminal areas to determine the optimal placement of access points to ensure total area coverage. Working with Singapore-based companies COB Technology and Stratech Systems, Boeing next designed and built the system and its equipment, before installing it at Terminal 2. In April and May, Boeing engineers conducted demonstrations of the system's capabilities during the airport's overnight hours, avoiding disruption of the terminal's regular operations.

"We couldn't be more pleased about the opportunity to demonstrate this technology in partnership with Singapore EDB, CAAS and SIA," said Anil Shrikhande, vice president, Boeing International Relations. "Singapore is the leader in advanced airport technology in Asia, and this partnership, which builds on a long and productive relationship between Boeing and Singapore, will help us take this technology in the right direction. Once again, Changi Airport is leading the way to the future."

About Boeing

Boeing Crew Information Services is dedicated to building content, applications, and services that connect all the data generated by an entire flight operation – in the air, on the ground and in the hangar -- in a manner meaningful to all users: airports, pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, operations departments and more. Boeing Ventures seeks out and provides funding for new-technology ventures under the Chairman's Innovation Initiative, leveraging the intellectual capital of the entire Boeing Company for next-step growth.

About EDB

Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) is the lead agency that plans and executes strategies to sustain Singapore as a compelling global hub for business and investment. The EDB facilitates multinational and Singapore-based companies to enhance and upgrade to higher value-creating operations across manufacturing and internationally traded services, in a knowledge-driven globalized economy.

About CAAS

CAAS is the owner, manager and developer of Singapore Changi Airport. It assumes a key role in making Singapore a major air hub for the Asia Pacific region. It was formed to anticipate and deal effectively with the changing needs and demands of the aviation industry and to spearhead the development of civil aviation in Singapore.

Boeing Announces Partners for Fuel Cell Demonstrator Airplane Project

CHICAGO, July 11, 2003 – Boeing today announced its partners for a demonstrator airplane project aimed at exploring the use of fuel cell technology for future aerospace applications. The research project, led by the Boeing Research and Technology Center in Madrid, Spain, includes Intelligent Energy (UK), Diamond Aircraft Industries (Austria), the Spanish companies Sener and Aerlyper, and Advanced Technology Products (ATP), from the United States.

The project will evaluate the potential application of fuel cell technology -- which is cleaner, quieter and more efficient than current gas turbine technology -- for future commercial airplane products. As part of the evaluation, the project will develop and flight-demonstrate an electric-motor-driven airplane powered by fuel cells.

With respect to the five partners collaborating in the project, Diamond Aircraft of Austria will supply the demonstrator airplane, based on a certified Katana Xtreme motor-glider (in Europe called the Super Dimona); Intelligent Energy of the United Kingdom will provide the Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell hardware and technical support; Sener will design and build a fuel cell controller unit to be used in research activities; Aerlyper will integrate the electric motor into the airplane and perform airframe modification work; and ATP will supply the motor, batteries, and controllers to complete the electric propulsion system, and perform the flight testing of the airplane.

“Boeing will collaborate with these companies to investigate the integration of fuel cells into aerospace vehicles, a potential new field of application, which promises to reduce emissions while increasing the efficiency of electrical power generation,” said Miguel Hernán, managing director of the Madrid Center. “Research into environmentally acceptable technologies is a key focus for the Center’s work in Europe.”

In addition to the five partners involved, two Spanish universities will also collaborate in this project. The Polytechnic University of Madrid will test a sub-scale version of the fuel cells that will power the demonstrator airplane and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia will work to understand the possible failure modes of this completely new form of airborne electrical power generation.

Work to integrate the fuel cells into the demonstrator airframe is expected to begin at the end of summer 2003. This would enable a possible flight test in late 2004 or early 2005. While test results are not expected to allow for any near-term applications of the new technology to production aircraft, they are expected to contribute to the eventual use of this technology in aircraft to provide cleaner, more efficient performance.

In addition to being inherently cleaner and quieter than current technology gas turbines, fuel cells can generate approximately twice as much electricity from the same amount of fuel. Unlike a battery, which needs to be recharged, fuel cells keep working as long as the fuel lasts. While fuel cells and electric motors will not replace jet engines, they could potentially replace gas turbine auxiliary power units, which provide electricity and air for airplane systems.

The Madrid Research and Technology Center, which is part of the Boeing Phantom Works advanced R&D unit, was opened in July 2002 to serve as a center of excellence in environmental, safety and reliability and air traffic control technologies. Because Spain in particular and Europe in general have demonstrated strong interest and results in these areas, the Boeing R&T Center plans to collaborate with industries, academia and other research centers across Europe to advance technology development in these areas.

Boeing and X-31A Team To Receive Prestigious International Award

CHICAGO, July 14, 2003 – The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and the X-31A team -- past and present -- will receive the von Karman award from the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS) at a ceremony Tuesday evening in Dayton, Ohio.

The award -- founded by ICAS in 1980 in memory of the Theodore von Karman, a proponent of international collaboration in aeronautical sciences – is in recognition of the outstanding technical achievements of the multi-national X-31 team since the late 1980’s in designing, building and flight demonstrating the X-31A, the world’s only international experimental aircraft to date.

Designed with a thrust vectoring control system to make the aircraft more highly maneuverable, the single-seat, X-31A demonstrated its improved capabilities in two major multi-national flight test programs -- the Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability (EFM) program (1990 –1995) and the Vectoring ESTOL Control and Tailless Operational Research (VECTOR) program (April 2000 - May 2003).

The EFM program comprised Boeing, DARPA, the U.S. Navy, NASA, Germany’s defense procurement agency (BWB) and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS). For the recently completed VECTOR program, Boeing Phantom Works teamed with the U.S. Navy, BWB and EADS.

“The X-31A was a success in all categories, from important research results gained to developing low cost prototyping processes, but in particular in demonstrating two extremely successful international research and development collaborations,” said Mike Heinz, acting vice president of Boeing Phantom Works Integrated Defense Advanced Systems.

The X-31A first flew in 1990, and in 1995, demonstrated its thrust vectoring capabilities at the Paris Air Show, where it was dubbed a “show stopper” by the air show and trade press.

The thrust vectoring system of the X-31 consists of three paddles at the rear of the fuselage that can direct the jet engine’s thrust. Integrated into the vehicle’s control systems, the system provided precise control at high angles of attack where conventional aircraft had lost aerodynamic control. This in turn allowed the plane to turn much tighter and faster than conventional fighters, yielding significant air combat advantage.

During the 581 flight EFM program – the most flights of any X-plane -- the X-31 flew well beyond the aerodynamic limits of any conventional aircraft by demonstrating controlled flight at 70 degrees angle of attack, a controlled roll around at 70 degrees AOA, and a rapid minimum radius, 180-degree turn using a post-stall maneuver, dubbed the "Herbst Maneuver."

After being stored for several years, the X-31 was returned to service in 2000 to demonstrate ESTOL (extremely short takeoff and landing) capabilities also enabled by its unique thrust vectoring system. When the program ended in May, the X-31A demonstrated landing speeds of only 124 knots at 24 degrees AOA -- compared to the normal landing speeds of 175 knots at 12 degrees AOA -- and landed in about 1,700 feet rather than the more typical 8,000 feet.

“Now that we’ve concluded flight testing, our challenge is to take what we’ve learned from the X-31A and see how we can apply the technologies to operational systems,” said Gary Jennings, VECTOR program manager for Boeing Phantom Works.

The X-31A is on display at the Deutsches Museum near Munich, Germany and eventually will be displayed at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

The Boeing Phantom Works is the advanced research and development unit and a catalyst of innovation for The Boeing Company. It provides advanced solutions and innovative, breakthrough technologies that reduce cycle time and cost while improving the quality and performance of aerospace products and services.

Boeing 7E7 Team Moves to Main Everett Facility
July 14, 2003
Paul Dees, an engineer working on the Boeing 7E7, is one of the many employees who recently relocated to the main Boeing [NYSE: BA] Everett facility. The Boeing 7E7 team -- including program management, airplane development, supplier management, suppliers and the associated support functions -- has moved out of the Bomarc facility less than two miles away from the main Boeing Everett plant. The move will allow the 7E7 team to grow and remain collocated as it progresses toward seeking authority to offer the new airplane later this year or early in 2004.

Boeing дал отсрочку
Continental купит его самолеты позже

Скотт Маккартни
Линн Лансфорд

15 июля 2003

Continental Airlines, пятая по величине авиакомпания США, намерена отложить закупку большей части самолетов Boeing по контракту на общую сумму около $2,5 млрд.
По данным близкого к переговорам источника, Continental достигла договоренности с Boeing о пересмотре условий контракта на поставку 56 самолетов B737. Общая стоимость лайнеров по каталогу составляет $4 - 4,5 млрд, но с учетом скидок они должны были достаться Continental всего за $2,5 млрд. Предполагалось, что контракт будет выполнен за пять лет. По новым договоренностям, закупки 36 машин начнутся не раньше 2008 г. Кроме того, Continental ведет переговоры о переносе срока поставки 11 машин B757-300 по другому контракту с Boeing. Официальные представители Continental и Boeing отказались комментировать условия контракта.

Эксперты отмечают, что крупные авиакомпании, испытывающие серьезную конкуренцию со стороны авиаперевозчиков-дискаунтеров, вынуждены идти на такие меры в условиях продолжающегося кризиса авиаперевозок. Сама Continental последовательно сокращает свой флот: с 2001 г. компания вывела из эксплуатации 82 самолета, и на 2004 - 2005 гг. запланированы новые сокращения парка.

В Boeing отмечают, что уже несколько американских авиакомпаний решили отложить закупки самолетов, заказанных на ближайшие два года. Соответствующие заявления должны быть сделаны в ближайшее время.

В общей сложности мировые авиакомпании сняли заказы на более чем 800 самолетов B737. Тем не менее B737 остается самой популярной моделью Boeing: эти региональные машины, цена которых по каталогу варьируется от $47 млн до $68,5 млн, по-прежнему охотно закупаются и эксплуатируются большим количеством динамично растущих авиакомпаний-дискаунтеров. Положение с заказами на более вместительный самолет B757, цена которого по каталогу составляет от $73,5 млн до $89,5 млн, намного хуже. Сейчау Boeing есть заказы всего на 18 машин этой модели, включая заказ Continental на 11 машин этой модели. Задержка с отгрузкой этих самолетов для Continental может заставить других потенциальных заказчиков отказаться от B757, что может привести к снятию этой модели с производства. Уже сейчас Boeing рассматривает возможность выпуска нового самолета, рабочее наименование которого B7E7, он благодаря более низким (примерно на 15% ) операционным издержкам на его эксплуатацию потенциально может заменить самолеты B757 и B767.

В целом решение Continental ставит под сомнение надежды ведущих авиастроительных компаний на скорое завершение кризиса авиаперевозок, о которых они говорили на недавнем авиасалоне в Париже. (WSJ, 14. 07. 2003, Владимир Волков)

Источник - ведомости

Testing, Testing...

Flight-Testing for the Boeing 777-300ER Ensures Customers Receive a Service-Ready, Safe and Airworthy Airplane

by Debbie Heathers

The day is sunny and clear, and almost anywhere in the world it would be a picture-perfect day. But not today at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. With the clear skies comes a brisk 10-knot wind from the southwest -- 5 knots more than is allowed for runway testing to occur.

It is just after sunrise and the team that Boeing has temporarily reassigned to the Southern California Air Force base is energetic and ready to go. But today's plans are halted when word comes the winds are too high.

A message on a communication board leaned against a yellow storage tub reads "preflight TBD > 11 a.m."

The problem is that it is not yet 6 a.m. And the 45-minute drive back to hotels in Lancaster and Palmdale, Calif., causes everyone to remain on-site.

As the team arrives at the borrowed Air Force facility set up as its operations center, animated banter ranges from world events to airplane testing. But mostly it is the wind they talk about.

And they wait.

Ensuring safety, security
As with all of its new-model airplanes, Boeing intends to perform flight and ground testing on the two 777-300 Extended Range flight-test airplanes. Flight tests began Feb. 24 with the first flight of WD501, the first flight-test airplane. A second flight-test airplane, WD502, entered the flight-test program in early April.

"Flight-testing is extremely important to Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration as well as the traveling public, who expect nothing less than uncompromising safety and security from a Boeing-built airplane," said Joe Kranak, Boeing flight-test chief engineer.

"The primary purpose of flight-testing is to demonstrate to ourselves and to the world's regulatory agencies that our airplane meets or exceeds all of their requirements and is service-ready. Should problems arise during this process, the team is poised to respond quickly and ensure that testing can proceed."

The testing at Edwards AFB is just one part of the 777-300ER's 1,600-hour flight- and 1,000-hour ground-test program, which is expected to culminate in certification of the airplane by the FAA in early 2004. First delivery is scheduled for April 2004 to International Lease Finance Corp., and its customer Air France.

The world is its runway
No place in the world is too far away and no conditions too extreme to test a Boeing commercial airplane.
"We go all over the world to test," said Frank Santoni, 777 chief test pilot. "We typically go to Iceland for the crosswinds and tailwinds, to South America for the natural ice, and to the Australian outback for hot weather. We go to airports outside of our home base of Puget Sound to test, because they are more efficient for the different types of testing that are required."

The team performs its critical tests at Edwards Air Force Base, primarily because it's not too busy with commercial traffic and has long runways.

While on these remote assignments engineers will test the airplane under extreme conditions, from minus 29 degrees Fahrenheit and foggy in Glasgow, Mont., to minus 54 F in the Baffin Islands in Canada, to 95 F and humid in Singapore to dry and 112 F in Alice Springs, Australia.

While at these locations every replaceable component must be tested, removed and replaced in a variety of harsh environments.

Launching a new airplane, and the associated flight-testing process, involves a huge investment of time. According to Larry Muri, lead flight-test mechanic, the flight-test team is responsible for verifying compatibility, durability, longevity and maintainability of each airplane, the associated components and any innovations. The flight-test group also works in concert with the FAA each step of the process.

Compounding these challenges, the team often works 12- to 16-hour shifts, while living out of a suitcase and traveling with the plane to its destinations, often for weeks at a time.

The work of preparing for a flight test begins before the airplane is built. Schedules and tests are approved before the airplane gets to the production stage. Then, once the plane is airborne and lands safely after completing its first flights, comprehensive tests begin and continue nearly around the clock for months.

Changes are primary focus
In order to certify the 777-300ER to enter passenger service, the FAA requires Boeing to perform numerous tests. Many of the tests for the 777-300ER are a result of changes from earlier 777 models: the 777-200, 777-200ER and 777-300 airplanes.

The 777-300ER is based on the popular 777-300 airplane. The 777-300ER extends the 777-300's range by more than 1,700 nautical miles to 7,420 nautical miles or is able to carry an additional 55,000 pounds of cargo.

Other changes to the 777-300ER include

• Extending each wing by 6.5 feet, and adding raked wingtips to improve the overall aerodynamic efficiency. Raked wingtips, similar to those on the 767-400ER, help reduce takeoff field length, increase climb performance and reduce fuel burn.

• Strengthening the airplane's body, wing, empennage and nose gear to support the increased takeoff weight of 759,600 pounds.

• Installing new main landing gear, wheels, tires and brakes.

• Adding a supplementary electronic tailskid. This software feature helps prevent inadvertent scraping of the tail on the runway at takeoff or landing by commanding elevator movement if the airplane's nose-up attitude exceeds preset limits.

• Modifying the struts and nacelles to accommodate the significantly higher-thrust engines.

• Providing a new higher-thrust derivative of the General Electric GE90 engine than is offered on the existing 777s. The new engine provides 115,000 pounds of thrust -- the most ever on a commercial jetliner.

"These areas will be the focus of the 777-300ER's year-long flight-test program," Kranak said.

The pilot's role in flight-testing
Boeing Commercial Airplanes pilot Frank Santoni has been involved in the 777 since the testing of the first airplane in the program.

"Not even 20 percent of what we do is flying the airplane," Santoni said. "In addition to being pilots, we're also engineers. We work with engineering and manufacturing to build new features, and we work with sales and marketing to help sell the airplane."

Test pilots are the first to find out if Boeing ideas really work.

"It's a great job if you like to fly, but it's a different job from that of an airline pilot," Santoni said. "We not only test the airplane in the typical flight envelope but we also spend a great deal of time outside of where an airline pilot will fly. This ensures that the airplane behaves as expected should it ever be exposed to these unusual conditions. We also are faced with understanding and evaluating any changes we introduce due to discoveries during our testing."

The idea of a test program is not to take an airplane beyond its limits; the purpose is to find the limits so warning systems can be set to prevent pilots from reaching those limits.

"The bottom line is we help make changes that improve the airplane's performance, passenger comfort and the pilot's ability to fly the airplane," Santoni said.

Boeing's policy for flight-testing allows only pilots on board for an airplane's first flight. Gradually essential personnel, such as engineers and flight-test crew are allowed on to perform onboard analysis.

"These folks can make decisions and change testing immediately, if needed," Santoni said. "We beam the data to the ground, but we also can analyze the data while we're still in the air. The onboard crew is able to perform three or four experiments to maximize our time and minimize costs."

Not your typical airplane
The 242-foot-long 777-300ER is filled with rows of computer workstations and printers, racks of data storage and 45 60-gallon water barrels. During flights an engineer moves water among the barrels, shifting the weight between the front and rear of the airplane, which changes the airplane's center of gravity.

Computer workstations allow engineers to view what's happening on the flight deck. Video screens show the pilot's flight and navigation displays, and each screen includes a digital time stamp. If something goes wrong, the videotape relays can pinpoint the exact sequence of events.


Also inside the airplane are temporary sidewalls and overhead ceiling panels, which allow anyone on board to see the roomy open space in the crown of the airplane. Eventually this space will house an overhead flight attendant and crew rest.

While there are only about 75 passenger seats on board, the airplane eventually will be refurbished with a new interior and seats. The 777-300ER can carry 365 passengers in a three-class configuration.

At the rear of the airplane is a giant reel that houses a trailing cone. The cone is dragged behind the airplane during flight, and measures the static pressure (altitude) behind the airplane. During the test, the cone is extended up to 125 feet behind the airplane, so the instrument is outside the pressure field the airplane creates as it moves through the air.

Hundreds of tests
In the early stages of the flight-test program, as is typical with any new model, initial testing focused on clearing all major facets of the basic flight envelope required prior to the granting of Type Inspection Authority by the FAA. Once the team obtained TIA in mid-March, it began testing immediately, interspersing certification tests along with ongoing engineering tests.

Types of certification tests scheduled include maximum gross weight takeoffs, check climbs, stall-speed performance and buffet-boundary performance. Engineering data collection has involved brake anti-skids tuning, Brake System Control Unit software evaluations, tail strike protection development, landing gear actuation evaluation, as well as a number of other tests.

While operating out of Edwards, the WD501 team conducted numerous Boeing and FAA certification tests including takeoff performance, abuse takeoffs and ground minimum control speed tests. Other tests at Edwards included stability and control, air minimum control speed, stall characteristics, GE90-115B engine15-knot tail wind and inlet compatibility demonstrations, and flight control modal suppression function evaluations.

Beginning in late summer and continuing through the third quarter, both airplanes will be used for extended operations and systems trials.

So how's it going so far?
"Our pilots and engineers are quite pleased with the performance of the test airplane," said Lars Andersen, Boeing 777 Longer Range program manager. "Both of our 777-300ERs have been remarkably trouble free, with none of the major surprises that are sometimes typical of a new model."

According to pilots, crews say they have difficulty distinguishing the 777-300ER from the current 777-300 model. "Even with the airplane's new semilevered landing gear, our pilots haven't noticed a significant operational difference, other than the improved performance afforded by the GE90-115B," Andersen said.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Plans Additional Employment Reductions

SEATTLE, July 17, 2003 -- Boeing Commercial Airplanes today announced it will reduce employment by an additional 4,000 to 5,000 people by the end of 2003 due to continued weakness in the commercial airline industry. The reductions will be accomplished through layoffs and attrition.

These are in addition to the 5,000 employment reductions for this year Commercial Airplanes forecast in November 2002. Commercial Airplanes estimates that its year-end 2003 employment total will be between 55,000 and 56,000 people. This total includes approximately 800 employees who left the company with the recent divestiture of a facility in Corinth, Texas.

"This is an unprecedented and very difficult time for all of us in the commercial aviation business," said Alan Mulally, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO. "While we are optimistic about the long-term outlook for the industry, many of our airline customers continue to face significant challenges as they struggle to recover their financial health and regain the ability to order new airplanes and related services. These actions are extremely painful for all of us at Boeing. We recognize and appreciate everything that employees affected by this decision have done for our company."

The company also said today that its next round 60-day notices will be issued tomorrow to 660 employees. The effective layoff date for those receiving 60-day notices tomorrow is Sept. 19, 2003.

Boeing will continue to provide a variety of services through career transition centers, and organizational and individual counseling to help all of its employees deal with this transition.

Senator Rudman to Lead Independent Review of Boeing

CHICAGO, July 17, 2003 – The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] announced today that former Senator Warren B. Rudman will lead an independent review of the company’s policies and procedures regarding ethics and the handling of competitive information, including any management or cultural factors that could affect how these policies and procedures are respected and enforced.

The Air Force and the Department of Justice are reviewing whether Boeing employees misused information from Lockheed Martin in 1997 and 1998 during the competition for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. The competition resulted in awards of space launches to both companies. Boeing continues to cooperate with these reviews.

“Senator Rudman has an outstanding reputation for independence and integrity. He will be given total access to Boeing information and people,” said Boeing Chairman and CEO Phil Condit.

“I have asked Senator Rudman to verify that the EELV incident was an exceptional violation of company policy and to make recommendations for any improvements he deems warranted,” Condit said. “We intend to make public the results of his review.

“There is no doubt that our standards of behavior were violated; that is unacceptable. Boeing has a valued legacy of high ethical standards and we do not want this hard-earned reputation to be harmed by the actions of a few,” Condit said. “Boeing’s integrity and behavior must never be questioned and no one should be able to allege that we have acted improperly or that we would compromise our own internal review process.”

Senator Rudman is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. He is a former U.S. Senator from New Hampshire and Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee. Most recently he was a member of the Conference Board’s Commission on Public Trust and Private Enterprise, which recommended significant reforms related to corporate governance, business ethics, and auditing and accounting issues. He is a director of the Chubb Corporation, Allied Waste, Boston Scientific, Collins & Aikman and the Raytheon Company.

Boeing said it hoped that Senator Rudman would be able to complete his review in 60-90 days, but that the timing is not as important as the thoroughness. Senator Rudman will choose the other members of his team.

До конца 2003 г. Boeing планирует сократить 35 тыс. рабочих мест

Американская корпорация Boeing планирует сократить до конца 2003 г. дополнительно 4-5 тыс. рабочих мест. Как говорится в сообщении компании, неблагоприятные условия рынка стали причиной дополнительный сокращений персонала. Увольнения затронут подразделение по выпуску самолетов, которое после терактов в США 11 сентября 2001 г. переживает глубокий кризис. В штате этого подразделения находится 61 тыс. сотрудников. Параллельно с увольнениями персонала будет проходить и сокращение производства, сообщает AP со ссылкой на заявление представителя Boeing Билл Когсвелл. По расчетам руководства Boeing, в рамках выхода из кризисной ситуации корпорация до конца 2003 г. должна в общей сложности сократить 35 тыс. рабочих мест.


Источник: веб-сервер "Утро.Ру"

Boeing Confirms 15 More 737-700s for Southwest Airlines

SEATTLE, July 21, 2003 --The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today confirmed a previously unidentified Southwest Airlines order for 15 additional 737-700 airplanes, increasing the carrier's firm orders to 261 for that model.

Deliveries are scheduled for 2004. Boeing had carried the order on its Web site as an unidentified customer since booking it during the second quarter.

At list prices, the airplanes are valued at approximately $750 million.

"Despite the difficulties in the airline industry, we credit the fortitude and dedication of the employees of Southwest Airlines with allowing us to increase our deliveries of Boeing 737-700s," said Jim Parker, vice chairman and CEO of Southwest Airlines. "With 42 firm orders for 2004 we will be assuring that even more Americans have the Freedom to Fly."

Southwest, the launch customer for the 737-700, has received 132 of the model since 1997 (through the end of June 2003). For the remainder of this year, it is adding 12 more 737-700s to its all-Boeing fleet of nearly 380 airplanes.

"Southwest Airlines' customer service success continues," said Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We're honored that Southwest continues to choose the 737 and Boeing for their business partner. Southwest is the low fare role model for airlines around the world, and the reliable, maintainable, economical and comfortable 737 is a big part of that success."

Dallas-based Southwest, the fourth largest U.S.-based carrier in terms of customers boarded, serves 58 cities in 30 states. It operates nearly 2,800 flights daily.

Last month the carrier said it would add performance-enhancing Blended Winglets™ to its current and future 737-700s. Those winglets extend the airplane's range, save fuel, lower engine maintenance costs and reduce takeoff noise.

The Next-Generation 737 models provide passengers with all-new, more spacious interiors with more accessible overhead luggage bins. They are the most technologically advanced single-aisle airplanes, designed to fly higher, faster, farther, more quietly and with greater fuel efficiency than previous 737s or competing airplanes.

The 737 is history's best-selling commercial airplane family. More than 5,300 have been ordered by 218 customers since its inception.