Boeing has installed the first 737 Max fuselage on a new final assembly line in Renton, Washington, starting a new phase in a countdown to flight test operations beginning next year.
The milestone means the re-engining programme remains on track to deliver the first 737 Max 8 to a customer in the third quarter of 2017, according to Boeing officials.
“We have a lot more work still ahead of us but we’re very pleased with our progress to date,” says Keith Leverkuhn, vice-president and general manager for the 737 Max programme.
Boeing launched the 737 Max programme nearly four years ago with a new engine – the CFM International Leap-1B – and other new features, including a new split-tip winglet design, cockpit displays and a relofted tail cone.
Photo courtesy of Boeing
The design changes are being adopted in the production system even as Boeing’s factory and supply chain copes with record demand and rising monthly delivery rates. Output of 737NG family aircraft from the Renton factory has doubled over the past decade, rising from 21 per month in 2005 to 42 currently. The rate will continue to grow to 47 per month in 2017 and 52 per month in 2018, even as Boeing transitions the production system to the Max series.
As a result, Boeing established a third production line for the 737 in the Renton factory’s 482 building. The new assembly stations for the 737 Max run parallel to one of two existing lines for the 737NG family. Another assembly line for the 737NG is located in an adjacent building in Renton.
The third line will be dedicated initially to the 737 Max flight test aircraft, so as not to disturb output from the two 737NG assembly lines. As 737 Max customer deliveries begin 2017, Boeing will start ramping up output from the third assembly line. Eventually, all three assembly lines will transition from the 737NG to the 737 Max series.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
