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Boeing delivers first 777 at higher production rate

Feb. 27, 2013, Chicago, Il. - Boeing has delivered the first long-range wide-body777 Freighter constructed at a increased production rate of 8.3 a month, or 100 airplanes annually, to South Korea's flag carrier Korean Air.


February 27, 2013  By aerospace-technology.com

The production boost program was announced by Boeing in October 2012.

Boeing has kept to its production target of 8.3 aircraft a month or 100 a year, in an effort to meet the increasing demand for fuel-efficient airliners and compete with the rival Airbus.

The program began after the first airplane parts entered the factory in Everett.

The 777 Freighter was built using new production techniques such as flex-track drilling in the body and wing panels, automated floor drilling and wing painting, according to Boeing.

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Over the past 32 months, Boeing has increased the production rate of its 777 program twice. In 2011, the company increased the monthly rate from five to seven airplanes; and in 2013, the production rate went up to 8.3 jetliners a month.

Featuring a three-class cabin layout, the 777 can accommodate 301 to 386 passengers, has a range of 5,240 nautical miles (nm) to 9,395 nm.

It is available in six variants the 777-200, 777-200ER, larger 777-300, longer-range 777-300ER and 777-200LR and the 777 freighter.

So far, Boeing has received some 1,431 firm orders for the twin-engine 777s from 66 customers worldwide and delivered 1,072 jet liners.

In December 2012, Boeing separated the production and design units at its commercial aeroplane division as part of its efforts to boost production by more than 25 per cent over the next 18 months.

Korean Air operates scheduled flights to 13 domestic and 113 international destinations in 39 countries worldwide and also offers charter flights for cargo transportation.

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