When building an aircraft, it’s usually the final assembly line that gets all the credit. For Boeing, this generally means the two facilities in Washington – Renton, and Everett – plus the South Carolina site. But in reality, parts come from all over the world, and the Boeing 777X is no different. We’ve taken a closer look at where this plane is actually manufactured.
With the Boeing 777 being the best-selling widebody aircraft to date, it’s no surprise the upcoming 777X is highly anticipated. The 777X will enter service in 2023, and all eyes are now on the production and certification of the aircraft.
The first two 777X went into the final assembly line at the manufacturer’s Everett plant in Washington in 2018. But this is just the final assembly where everything comes together. The parts for the 777X were made long before they reached Everett.
Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.
Parts from around the world
The 777X will use the exclusive GE9X engine from General Electric. According to GE, the engine is tested and manufactured at specialist locations worldwide, including Evandale, Ohio, and Massa, Italy. The fan blades and compressor are both tested in Italy. Interestingly, over 300 of the engine parts are made using a 3D printer.
Another notable feature of the Boeing 777X is its folding wingtips. These are made by German company Liebherr Aerospace. The company has two primary production plants based in Lindenberg, Germany, and Toulouse, France.
An international effort
Some parts for the 777X come from even further afield. Boeing recently opened its first office in Hanoi, Vietnam. The manufacturer already works with a supplier from Vietnam for the doors for the 777X which are assembled at the MHI Aerospace Vietnam facility. The same facility makes inboard flaps for the Boeing 737.
More parts for the 777X come from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Some of the core materials for the 777X will be sourced in the UAE, including the empennage and floor beams and more of the structural parts. The structure from the UAE will be made of carbon fiber pre-impregnated materials such as epoxy. The venture at Al Ain will make the 777X the first commercial aircraft to use composite materials for structural parts.
Boeing also works with AVIC’s Shenyang Commercial Aircraft Corporation (SACC) to supply parts for the entire 777 family. The manufacturer’s horizontal stabilizers on the 777s are made in China. According to the Global Times, over 10,000 Boeing aircraft have parts made in China.
The interior
Once you get inside the aircraft, the international input doesn’t stop. According to airframer.com, UK-based company Ipeco will provide High-Comfort Attendant Seats for the crew, pilot, and observer seats in the cockpit. A major contributor to the Boeing 777X is Collins Aerospace.
Based in North Carolina, the company is working with Boeing on everything from Galley inserts, seating, air management to navigation, flight controls, ice detection, and cargo systems. The company might be US-based, but it has 150 sites in over 25 countries, meaning many more parts for the Boeing 777X will arrive in the US in time for assembly.
While the Everett plant might get to claim final production, like all modern aircraft, parts for the 777X have come from all over the world.
What do you think of the 777X? Are you excited to see it take to the skies? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
from Simple Flying https://ift.tt/3zatosV
via IFTTT
Comments
Post a Comment