# Changes ahead in Boeing's big Everett (WA) plant



## CHamilton (Sep 7, 2014)

Changes ahead in Boeing's big Everett plant



> EVERETT — Boeing's venerable 747 faces an uncertain future, as do the 767 and the 777 classic. Those older airplane models have threadbare customer demand.
> 
> Robots, meanwhile, have slashed the number of people needed to paint a 777 wing, and more bots are on the way to automate other tasks.
> 
> With so many changes coming — from the Boeing Co. product line to the way the planes are made — what will the Chicago company's Everett plant look like in a decade?


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## jis (Sep 7, 2014)

Not to mention that a lot of new generation planes' production is being assigned to the new Charlston factory in Sout Carolina. Looks like the 787-9 may be exclusively manufactured there, and maybe even the 777X.


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## rickycourtney (Sep 7, 2014)

jis said:


> Not to mention that a lot of new generation planes' production is being assigned to the new Charlston factory in Sout Carolina. Looks like the 787-9 may be exclusively manufactured there, and maybe even the 777X.


Read the article.

The 787-10 will be assembled exclusively in Charleston, while the 787-8 and 787-9 will continue to be assembled in both Everett and Charleston.

The 777X will be assembled exclusively in Everett because the composite wings will be built in Everett (at a factory behind the assembly building). The wings are too big to build in one location and transport them to another location for assembly.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Sep 7, 2014)

I'm eager to see how the 777X is going to do.


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## xyzzy (Sep 7, 2014)

I think the 777X will do well unless Boeing screws it up or Airbus goes down and dirty on A350 pricing. There are now more orders in the books for the 777X than for the 773ER, and as airlines get more comfortable with 787 performance I believe they'll shift future orders to the 777X. There are still a lot of 744s to be replaced. And from a personal point of view, the additional 4 inches of interior cabin width in the 777X will partially alleviate the crowded 10-abreast 777 economy cabin.Thankfully there won't be any 4-3-4 economy cabins unless Boeing convinces regulators to change the policy.


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## jis (Sep 7, 2014)

rickycourtney said:


> jis said:
> 
> 
> > Not to mention that a lot of new generation planes' production is being assigned to the new Charlston factory in Sout Carolina. Looks like the 787-9 may be exclusively manufactured there, and maybe even the 777X.
> ...


You're right of course. I was thinking 787-10 and typing 777X.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Sep 8, 2014)

xyzzy said:


> I think the 777X will do well unless Boeing screws it up or Airbus goes down and dirty on A350 pricing. There are now more orders in the books for the 777X than for the 773ER, and as airlines get more comfortable with 787 performance I believe they'll shift future orders to the 777X. There are still a lot of 744s to be replaced. And from a personal point of view, the additional 4 inches of interior cabin width in the 777X will partially alleviate the crowded 10-abreast 777 economy cabin.Thankfully there won't be any 4-3-4 economy cabins unless Boeing convinces regulators to change the policy.


The A350 kinda got ahead of the game compared to the 777X, but I wonder which will outperform the other. Rare to see two models going head-to-head in the widebody sector. I mean, the 767 was smaller than the A330 while the 777 was bigger.

I'm afraid an airline will try to put 3-5-3 in the 777X.


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## railiner (Sep 8, 2014)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> xyzzy said:
> 
> 
> > I think the 777X will do well unless Boeing screws it up or Airbus goes down and dirty on A350 pricing. There are now more orders in the books for the 777X than for the 773ER, and as airlines get more comfortable with 787 performance I believe they'll shift future orders to the 777X. There are still a lot of 744s to be replaced. And from a personal point of view, the additional 4 inches of interior cabin width in the 777X will partially alleviate the crowded 10-abreast 777 economy cabin.Thankfully there won't be any 4-3-4 economy cabins unless Boeing convinces regulators to change the policy.
> ...


3-5-3 would certainly be better than 4-3-4.....imagine being in a window seat and needing to use the restroom......


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## jis (Sep 8, 2014)

Is the 777X fuse wider than the 777 Classic? If not, I'd be amazed if someone actually tried a 3-5-3 on it.


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## xyzzy (Sep 8, 2014)

Yes, four inches wider. The question with 11-abreast is whether there would be enough exit doors.


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## jis (Sep 8, 2014)

At least that will make 10 abreast almost comfortable  But 11 abreast? I doubt it.


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## xyzzy (Sep 8, 2014)

11-abreast in the 77X would mean seats that are 16½ inches wide. I can't imagine that, but thirty years ago no one but the most greedy air charter operator would have imagined 30 inch seat pitch.

Mainly I think the extra four inches is a concession to Airbus which constantly reminds airlines that Airbus designs allow for a little more butt room.


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 8, 2014)

It might work if they issue catheters, put sleeping potion in everyones one free soda or water and limit the passengers height to 5' 6" or less!

Hopefully Ryan Air, Spirit etc don't think of these draconian measures let alone the mainstream airlines!


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## jis (Sep 8, 2014)

But basic 17" - 17.5" seat width has been around for a long long time.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Sep 8, 2014)

I think ANA's domestic 777-300's have 16.5" seating and there are some airlines with 2-4-2 767's and 3-3-3 A330's, I think someone also had a 3-4-3 DC-10.

So 3-5-3 in a 777X might not be out of contention after all.


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## railiner (Sep 9, 2014)

I flew in Provincetown & Boston's DC-3, which had four across seating....the DC-3 was designed as two and one. The flight from Hyannis to Boston was short, so endurable.

I wonder just what the width of that seat was....it increased the capacity from 21 to 28 passenger's.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Sep 9, 2014)

Here's an album of airline seating: http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?album=21659.

Notice this one: http://www.airliners.net/photo/Emirates/Airbus-A340-313/1669275/L/.


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## Green Maned Lion (Sep 11, 2014)

That looks really uncomfortable. Look here:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/Eonyoshi/hosted_pictures/website/volvo34.jpg~original


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## xyzzy (Sep 11, 2014)

When DL first got MD-11s in the early 1990s, they were 10-abreast because DL leased them from an Asian operator (can't remember which) who went high-density. Complaints were vociferous, and DL's own MD-11 deliveries came 9-abreast like most airlines.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Sep 12, 2014)

xyzzy said:


> When DL first got MD-11s in the early 1990s, they were 10-abreast because DL leased them from an Asian operator (can't remember which) who went high-density. Complaints were vociferous, and DL's own MD-11 deliveries came 9-abreast like most airlines.


Prehaps JAL who whould've use them for Japan Domestic?


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## xyzzy (Sep 12, 2014)

My error. DL leased the two MD-11's from Air Europe. The aircraft went on to fly for VASP.


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