As part of our drip to the Seattle Area we did go on the Boeing Factory tour. I have been there a few times but my 6 year old who shares my obsession with all things that fly was just tall enough to go. No pictures were allowed and cameras and cell phones were left back at the gift shop. We were there August 15th

We did the standard tour which showed the 747 and 777 lines which had several of both lines in various states of assembly. The 747 had a -8 in the slant position and it was being prepared for first power.

The most interesting was the 787 line. 5 airframes were in line and the view was from about 4 stories up. The building is simply massive. The first in line was still unpainted but had engines. The second in line was painted but did not have engines. The other three as you went down the line were in different states of assembly and had that beige look and NOT the green most under construction airframes look like.

What was more interesting was that unlike the other lines, the floor had 4 deep cubicles running a huge chunk of the line with more than a 1/3 occupied and people typing away on a Saturday. No doubt the Kelly Johnson pricipal of having the engineers right on the line is being practiced. The other thing was that the airframes were going in the other direction compared to the 777 and 747 lines.

After the tour we drove our way around the field looking to catch a pic of the 787 on the line.

As luck would have it Number N7872A was parked close enough for us to snap a few pictures.

The airframe from our vantage point. Note the height of the wingtip. However, as a closer picture will show the engines are off on the airframe.


THe tail number



The empty nacele



The Nose. This was as close as we could get and it attracted the attention of the Boing security who came over, asked if we were lost or okay, and then got back into thier cars are waited. We took that as our cue to leave.




[edit on 8/24/09 by FredT]

[edit on 8/25/09 by FredT]

but does it come with a heated pool?

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This was parked on the municipal side of Paine Field clearly undergoing a resoration:



The BOAC making caught my eye and I snapped a few pics but I cannot ident the type. (The rudder belongs to a 727 in really old United Livery that looks like its undergoing a restoration as well.

ANybody?

The Tail

Just seen my u2u Fred but weedwhacker beat me to it. It is indeed a DH Comet 4, for future reference the flattened oval windows are the giveaway. I remember seeing this aircraft looking prisitne sometime around 1984 after being restored by some Boeing students. I wasn't there, it was in 'Flight', lol.

Not to sure how this pretains to "Top Secret". All Boeing is doing with not allowing cell phones or cameras in certain parts of the production plant is ensuring certain images won't appear on airliners.net or jetphotos.net. I've seen in recent times post that were banned/removed from both sites originating from Seattle. The bigger issue here, for those involved in Commercial aviation is, When this plane is going to enter service. As a Boeing supporter this is becoming overdrawn, the most recent delay should have been corrected months prior.

Originally posted by FredT
The issue of first flight is a big one, but lacking any competition other than Airbus and coupled with the fact that the A350 line is sold out by and large for several years, airlines can make noise and try to get a better deal but jumping ship will put them into a bigger hole.

Hmm...

They could get an A330 now to fill the route, and an A350 later. With the proportion of the fleet parked up at its highest ever, finding additional aircraft for filling spare(!) capacity is not difficult.


The Boeing alternative would be poor in comparison - 767(?) to 787?