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Contact:
Warren Lamb |
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Contact:
Warren Lamb |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
97-79
PUSAN, Korea, March 31, 1997 -- The Aerospace Division of Korean Air delivered the nose structure for the second McDonnell Douglas (NYSE: MD) MD-95 test aircraft, during a ceremony here Friday, March 28. Korean Air is one of 14 supplier-partners around the world building major components and systems for the new 100-seat passenger twin jet.
Delivery of the nose came at the conclusion of a MD-95 steering committee meeting in Pusan, attended by the supplier-partners.
"Korean Air is a critical member of the MD-95 team," said Walt Orlowski, president of Douglas Aircraft Co., the commercial aircraft division of McDonnell Douglas. "They have made great progress and are scheduled to produce all other noses for the airplane."
Y.H. Cho, president and chief executive officer of Korean Air, said that after more than 20 years of aerospace manufacturing, Korean Aerospace is proud to have developed the partnership with McDonnell Douglas for supplying the MD-95 nose.
The Korean Air nose is scheduled to arrive at Douglas Aircraft Co. in Long Beach, Calif., in early May. After the structure has additional systems installed, it will be joined with the MD-95 fuselage of the second aircraft.
McDonnell Douglas produced the first MD-95 nose to allow time for Korean Air to ramp-up its manufacturing process.
Korean Air has sent design engineers to Long Beach to work with Douglas employees. Likewise, Douglas quality assurance, engineering employees and International Program Manager John Kim are based in Pusan.
Final assembly of the first MD-95 is scheduled to begin in the second quarter this year, with roll out of the aircraft due in early 1998.
"We're all excited about the MD-95," said Orlowski, "because it is currently the only new aircraft designed primarily for the 100-seat market." He predicted that the MD-95 will be even more successful than the popular DC-9, and that it will operate with lower costs than any other competing airplane.