Final Two Boeing 717s Delivered To Midwest, AirTran
The end has been in sight for some time... but commercial
aircraft production at the former Douglas Aircraft plant in Long
Beach, CA officially came to an end Tuesday, as Boeing delivered
the last two 717-200 airliners to Midwest Airlines and AirTran
Airways. The deliveries conclude commercial airplane production in
Southern California that began in the 1920s with the Douglas
Aircraft Co.
The 717 program -- Boeing's designation for the former MD-95
airliner that it inherited after buying out McDonnell Douglas in
1997 -- produced 156 100-seat airplanes over it decade-long
production run.
Despite something of a reputation as the red-headed stepchild in
the Boeing lineup (the 717 competed against the smaller versions of
Boeing's own 737), on Tuesday Boeing put the best light on the
now-orphaned program, saying it pioneered breakthrough business and
manufacturing processes for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
"Our production system
is an industry benchmark because of the lean manufacturing and
employee involvement practices we pioneered on the 717 in Long
Beach," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and Chief
Executive Officer Alan Mulally. "The 717 has forever redefined how
we build airplanes. We're extremely proud of the airplane, our
employees and our many supplier partners on the program."
The MD-95 program was launched by an order from AirTran Airways
in 1995 -- and whatever its name, the airplane quickly became
renowned by customers for its excellent economics, performance and
reliability.
Douglas opened the Long Beach factory in 1941 as part of
President Roosevelt's Arsenal of Democracy -- a request to the
nation's industries to halt civilian production and assist in
making wartime equipment. The facility produced almost 10,000
airplanes for World War II before transitioning to commercial
airplane production after the war. Douglas merged with the
McDonnell Aircraft Company in 1967, forming the McDonnell Douglas
Corporation.
"Truly, it is our people who have acted with tremendous pride
and have achieved all of these great accomplishments," said Pat
McKenna, vice president and general manager of the 717 program.
"They have done this not only on the 717 program but throughout the
Douglas history."
More than 15,000 airplanes have been produced in the Long Beach
factory. Across the parking lot from the former commercial aircraft
plant, Boeing still assembles the C-17 Globemaster III military
transport... a program that may be facing its own final days, with
the White House insisting production of the heavy-lifter be
terminated in 2008.