Assembly rate increases on Boeing's Next Generation 737 and 747-400 are to go ahead, with the US manufacturer confident that its production problems are under control. Output of 737s will double in number to 14 a month in April, and 747-400 production will increase from four to five a month in July.
Commercial Airplane Group president Ron Woodard says that Boeing and its suppliers "continue efforts to stabilise production in preparation for the next rate increase". Reductions in parts shortages and jobs behind schedule are ahead of the recovery plan, but "...we've planned in a little burble as we work our way through the production rate increases," he adds.
"Our biggest risk continues to be our struggles with the 737 Next Generation programme," he says. The doubling in production rate will take effect with aircraft number 53, as planned, and only "10 to 15 days off our original schedule", Woodard says. The 747 rate increase takes effect with aircraft number 1166, rather than 1162 as planned, but Boeing will still meet rescheduled delivery commitments to customers, he says.
Suppliers are already increasing output of 737 parts to 14 a month as they gear up to a proposed rate of 21 a month in the fourth quarter. At the same time, production of the "classic" 737 is being cut from 14 to 10 a month in April, dropping to three a month by year end.
Woodard aims to cut overtime to 12% this year from its October peak of 21%. It is now 17%.
Source: Flight International
