Boeing is gearing up to move the production of its 787 Dreamliner commercial airplanes to South Carolina. The American aerospace manufacturing company currently produces the 787 Dreamliner at a facility in Washington. Ever since it announced the 787 Dreamliner, it has used a Washinton-based facility to produce them. It appears that Boeing is taking a different direction, however, as the American aerospace manufacturing company recently announced plans to move the production of its 787 Dreamliner to South Carolina.
About the 787 Dreamliner
The 787 Dreamliner is a wide-body commercial airplane designed and produced by Boeing. It was announced over a decade ago, with the 787 Dreamliner program being officially launched in April 2004. Just a few years later, Boeing rolled out the first prototype. The 787 Dreamliner then performed its maiden flight in December 2009. Since then, Boeing has produced nearly 1,000 units of the 787 Dreamliner, attesting to its widespread popularity among commercial airlines.
What makes the 787 Dreamliner so special exactly? For starters, it’s roughly 20% more fuel efficient than its 767 predecessor. With better fuel efficiency, commercial airlines can save money when using it in their respective fleet. The 787 Dreamliner is also relatively large. As a wide-body jet, it’s able to support up to 300 passengers. Furthermore, the 787 Dreamliner has a long maximum range. It can perform routes of up to 8,500 nautical miles.
Following a series of incidents in recent months, though, federal aviation authorities grounded the 787 Dreamliner. Fortunately, Boeing expects the 787 Dreamliner to regain its wings in the coming months. The American aerospace manufacturing company is working closely with regulators to get the popular commercial jet recertified.
Why Boeing Is Moving Production to South Carolina
According to a statement, Boeing is moving the production of its 787 Dreamliner to South Carolina for consolidating purposes. “Consolidating to a single 787 production location in South Carolina will make us more competitive and efficient, better positioning Boeing to weather these challenging times and win new business,” said Boeing CEO Stan Deal.
At its Washington facility, Boeing has roughly 1,000 workers who help to build the 787 Dreamliner. Of course, it has other facilities throughout the United States where various components for the 787 Dreamliner are produced. By moving production to South Carolina, Boeing believes it will improve its maket position.
Boeing has invested a great deal of money into the 787 Dreamliner program. Reports show that the program has cost the American aerospace manufacturing company approximately $32 billion. To keep the sales flowing, Boeing is moving production of the 787 Dreamliner to South Carolina.
