Randy's Journal: Archives
29 November 2005
Sentimental journey
Every airplane we produce is a sentimental favorite to someone. And I’ve taken the time to talk about some of those sentiments here from time to time.
So as production progresses on the last 717-200 - which will be delivered in 2006 - I wanted to share some thoughts, and a great new work of art commemorating the program.
This limited-edition artwork of a 717 outside the Long Beach, California Commercial Airplanes plant is being presented to supplier partners as final 717 parts are shipped to Long Beach.
As you can imagine a lot of people are going to be sad to see the 717 go. It’s the last of the McDonnell Douglas-heritage commercial airplanes, and that’s a big deal for all airplane enthusiasts. And for the people of Southern California, as well. Commercial airplanes have been built in the region for more than 70 years - beginning with the DC-1 that made its maiden flight in July of 1933.
Unfortunately, the market for jets in the 100-seat category doesn’t support continued production. But there’s no question that during its run, the 717 has been highly profitable for its operators, and will continue to be for years to come.
It was first developed by McDonnell Douglas as the MD-95, then later renamed 717 after the merger with Boeing in 1997. And it’s a great example of how customers use our products for short range flying. Airlines such as AirTran and Midwest are thriving with the 717 because of its on-time reliability and low operating costs.
Innovation in Long Beach: the 717 moving line.
There’s a lot of pride among the workforce in Long Beach. The economical 717 has been a money-maker for its customer airlines, and an innovator for commercial airplane production. From the outset back in the mid-1990s, the program introduced concepts that have since changed the way we do business throughout Commercial Airplanes - partnering with global suppliers, lean manufacturing, and the moving assembly line.
The final 717 airplane is in preliminary production right now, and will be finished in May of 2006. But the breakthroughs in production technologies and the spirit of continuous improvement demonstrated by our Long Beach team will live on long after that last airplane we deliver takes off into the sky.