Jump to content

Boeing Everett Factory

Coordinates: 47°55′32″N 122°16′19″W / 47.92556°N 122.27194°W / 47.92556; -122.27194 (Boeing Everett Factory)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by SounderBruce (talk | contribs) at 07:47, 29 March 2024 (Undid revision 1216122916 by Zjin1 (talk): reopening already mentioned with the correct year). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Boeing Everett Production Facility
Aerial view of the main assembly building in 2008
Map
Built1967
LocationEverett, Washington, United States
Coordinates47°55′32″N 122°16′19″W / 47.92556°N 122.27194°W / 47.92556; -122.27194 (Boeing Everett Factory)
IndustryAerospace
ProductsAirplane assembly
Employees30,000[1]
ArchitectBoeing
StyleIndustrial
AreaTotal: 1,000 acres (400 ha)
Main building: 98.3 acres (398,000 m2)[1]
VolumeMain building: 472,370,319 cubic feet (13,376,037.9 m3), see List of largest buildings
Address3003 West Casino Road
Everett, Washington
Owner(s)Boeing Commercial Airplanes

The Boeing Everett Factory, officially the Everett Production Facility, is an airplane assembly facility operated by Boeing in Everett, Washington, United States. It sits on the north side of Paine Field and includes the largest building in the world by volume at over 472 million cubic feet (13,400,000 m3) and covers 98.3 acres (39.8 ha).[1]

The entire complex covers approximately 1,000 acres (400 ha) and spans both sides of State Route 526 (named the Boeing Freeway). The factory was built in 1967 for the Boeing 747 and has since been expanded several times to accommodate new airliners, including the 767, 777, and 787 programs. More than 5,000 widebody aircraft have been built at the Everett factory since it opened.[2]

Facilities

The Boeing Everett complex sits on 1,000 acres (400 ha) in southwestern Everett, about 22 miles (35 km) north of Seattle.[3][4] It includes up to 200 separate buildings and facilities, mostly on the north and east sides of Paine Field's main runway, and straddles both sides of State Route 526 (named the Boeing Freeway).[5][6] The complex includes a fire station, a medical clinic, a gymnasium, on-site security, and seven restaurants and cafes.[7][8] As of 2022, Boeing has 30,000 workers at its Everett site who are scheduled in three shifts, primarily during daytime hours.[9][10] The company is the largest employer in Everett and Snohomish County.[11][12]

The main assembly building, immediately north of the Boeing Freeway, covers 98.3 acres (398,000 m2) and is organized into six production lines that are separated by walls, offices, and other spaces.[13][14] It is the world's largest building by volume at 472,370,319 cubic feet (13,376,037.9 m3) of interior space according to Guinness World Records;[4][15] the building is large enough to fit all of Disneyland or 75 American football fields.[7] The production lines move at a rate of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) per minute[8] and are guided by 26 overhead cranes that move along 31 miles (50 km) of track.[16][17] These cranes are suspended along the roof trusses, which are 300 to 350 feet (91 to 107 m) long and are supported by columns that are 90 feet (27 m) tall.[18] A network of pedestrian and utilities tunnels span 2.33 miles (3.75 km) under the factory floor;[19] employees also use a shared fleet of 1,300 bicycles and tricycles to move around the factory floor.[4][12]

Interior of the main assembly building between two production lines

The main building is 114 feet (35 m) tall[12] and has six hangar doors that are each 82 feet (25 m) tall and 300 to 350 feet (91 to 107 m) wide. The doors have a six-part mural that was recognized as the world's largest digital image in 2006 by Guinness World Records.[20][21] The building has a central ventilation system but lacks air conditioning; it is instead cooled by opening the doors for outdoor air.[22] The building is heated through residual warming from employees and equipment, including the 1 million overhead lights in the factory.[4][23] An urban legend states that clouds used to form inside the main building due to its size prior to the installation of upgraded ventilation systems.[4][23] Adjacent buildings include a composite wing manufacturing plant with 1.2 million square feet (110,000 m2) of floor space;[13] paint and seal buildings; and an auxiliary fuselage assembly plant for the Boeing 777X.[24][25]

The north side of the factory complex is connected to the flight line at Paine Field via a taxiway that crosses over the Boeing Freeway west of Airport Road;[26] airplanes are towed from the factory to flight line facilities at night to avoid disrupting traffic.[27] The south side includes a set of three paint hangars,[27] a delivery center with conference rooms,[28] and parking spaces for airplanes.[29] The flight line area connects to the main runway at Paine Field, which is 9,010 feet (2,750 m) long and is the only one at the airport that can accommodate jetliners.[30] The runway has also used for commercial service since the opening of a new passenger terminal at the airport in 2019.[31] Additional spaces for parked airplanes are on the west side of the runway and southwest of the main building;[32] Paine Field's short crosswind runway has also occasionally been used to park airplanes since 2010;[33][34] the runway and an adjacent taxiway have been leased by Boeing from the county government to store airplanes.[35][36]

History

Boeing opened its first facilities in Everett on October 13, 1943, at a former auto garage to produce sections for the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. The company had several small shops in the city, but their presence in the area was reduced by 1963.[37] The first 25 orders for the Boeing 747, to be the world's largest jetliner, were sold to Pan American World Airways for $525 million (equivalent to $4.9 billion in 2023) in March 1966. The program would require a larger factory than their Renton facility, which was instead planned to be used for the conceptual 2707 supersonic airliner.[38] Among the sites considered by Boeing for a new factory were Monroe, Washington; Moses Lake, Washington; Cleveland, Ohio; and Walnut Creek, California.[37][39]

On June 17, 1966, the company announced that it had selected a site adjacent to Paine Field as the future home of its Boeing 747 assembly plant.[40] Boeing purchased 780 acres (320 ha) north of the airport, which had primarily been used by the U.S. military and small businesses;[37][41] a 75-year lease for use of Paine Field was also signed with the county government, which owned the airport.[42] The company had already spent several months acquiring properties around the airport in preparation of the announcement and cleared parts of the site by late May.[39][43]

The 158-million-cubic-foot (4,500,000 m3) factory, planned to become the world's largest building by volume, was built in sections beginning in late June.[44][45] The first section housed a mockup of the Boeing 747 that had been under assembly at the Renton factory.[46] A railroad spur connecting the site to the mainline tracks at Mukilteo was constructed through Japanese Gulch.[47] The first 113 workers at the Everett factory began work on January 3, 1967, and prepared for the assembly of the relocated Renton mockup.[48] The factory was officially opened on May 1, 1967, four months after the first workers had arrived to start construction of the 747.[37] Construction of the factory involved 4.5 million cubic yards (3,400,000 m3) of soil to be excavated.[49]

The main factory building was originally 43 acres (17 ha) and later expanded by 45 percent in 1979 as part of the Boeing 767 program and another 50 percent in 1990 for the Boeing 777.[50][51] The company acquired 68 acres (28 ha) of Paine Field property from the county government in 1989 to expand its flight line.[52]

To accommodate the Dreamlifter, a converted 747-400 which delivered 787 sections to the plant, a base was constructed on the western edge of Paine Field's runway. Opening in October 2013, the 17-acre (69,000 m2) base, called the Dreamlifter Operations Center, was funded by Snohomish County with $35 million in bonds; it is owned by the county via the airport, with Boeing originally leasing the site and servicing the bonds.[53] Following Boeing's decision to shutter the 787 production line in Everett and consolidate 787 production in South Carolina, the lease on the Dreamlifter Operations Center was transferred to FedEx for use as a cargo base.[54]

Several workers at the Everett facility tested positive for COVID-19 in early March 2020, prior to a full shutdown of operations.[55] The factory was shut down for three weeks until workers were able to return with mandatory face masks, social distancing, and staggered start times to reduce potential exposure.[56]

Current production aircraft

Boeing 767

Main article: Boeing 767

The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body, twin-engine, jet airliner. First introduced in 1979 to complement the larger 747, the aircraft was capable of carrying 218 passengers in a typical three-class configuration over a range of 5,990 nautical miles (6,890 mi; 11,090 km) and a cruising speed of Mach 0.80 (530 mph, 851 km/h, 470 kn).

Production of passenger variants ended in 2017 after its successor, the 787 Dreamliner, entered service in 2011. Freighter and military variants remain in limited production.

These are the 767 variants currently in production as of 2023:

Boeing 777

Main articles: Boeing 777 and Boeing 777X
A Boeing 777 Freighter before a test flight

The Boeing 777 is a large-size, wide-body, twin-engine, jet airliner. Production of this plane began in 1993. As of November 2023, the factory is being retooled to produce the 777X, the next-generation of the aircraft. The 777-9 provides seating for 426 passengers and a range of over 7,285 nmi (13,492 km; 8,383 mi).

These are the 777 variants currently in production as of 2024:

Boeing 737 MAX

Main article: Boeing 737 MAX

The Boeing 737 MAX is a mid-size, narrow-body, twin-engine, jet airliner. Production of the aircraft is expected to begin in the second-half of 2024. This will be the fourth production line for the Boeing 737 MAX and will be the first 737 model not produced at the Boeing Renton Factory. The line will replace the discontinued Boeing 787 line at the factory.[58][59]

In January 2024, the FAA announced it would not grant any production expansion of the 737 MAX as a result of the in-flight loss of a plug door panel of a MAX 9 jet.[60][61][62]

Former production aircraft

Boeing 747

Main article: Boeing 747
The flight line area, including paint hangars, next to the main assembly building in 2011.

The Boeing 747 is a large-size, wide-body, four-engine, jet airliner. The 747-8I, the last passenger variant in production, is capable of carrying 467 passengers in a typical three-class configuration, has a range of 8,000 nmi (9,200 mi; 15,000 km) and a cruising speed Mach 0.855 (570 mph, 918 km/h, 495 kn). The Boeing 747 was one of the first wide-body aircraft to be produced and was the first jet to use a wide-body configuration for carrying passengers. Because of the vast size of the 747, the Boeing Everett Factory was designed and built to accommodate the assembly of these large planes as there was not enough room at the Boeing facilities in Seattle. Production of this aircraft began in 1967 and continued until 2022, with the last 747-8F (N863GT) rolling out in December for customer Atlas Air.[63][64][65]

Boeing 787

Main article: Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Jetstar's first 787 being built.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a mid-size, wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner. The current passenger variants in production, are capable of carrying 242–290 passengers in a typical two-class configuration, have a range of 7,355–7,635 nmi (8,464–8,786 mi; 13,621–14,140 km) and a cruising speed of Mach 0.85 (562 mph, 902 km/h, 487 kn). Production of this plane began in 2006.

In February 2011, Boeing announced that some 787 work was being moved to a plant in North Charleston, South Carolina in order to relieve overcrowding of 787s at Everett caused by large volumes of 787 orders.[66] In July 2014, Boeing announced that the 787-10 variant, the longest variant of the 787, would be produced exclusively in South Carolina as the fuselage pieces for that variant are too large for the Dreamlifter to fit for transport to Everett.[67][68]

Undertaking drastic cost-cutting measures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting impact on aviation, Boeing announced in July 2020 that it would consider consolidating all of its 787 assembly in a single location; the company chose to move all production to South Carolina on October 1, causing backlash from the Washington state government.[69][70] The move was completed in February 2021; it was cemented with Boeing's agreement to transfer its lease of the Dreamlifter Operations Center to package courier FedEx in April 2021. FedEx, which takes over the lease on November 1, plans to use it for its cargo airline operations.[71]

The two 787 variants formerly produced in Everett were the 787-8 and the 787-9.

Tours

Following several months of unofficial visits, Boeing began offering factory tours with the first rollout of the 747 in 1968.[72][73] The first year of tours had over 39,000 visitors, which later grew to 55,000 annually by the 1980s; a dedicated tour building was constructed in 1984 and later replaced by the Future of Flight Aviation Center in 2005.[72][19] The new center has a theater, exhibits, a Boeing Store gift shop, and café.[citation needed] As of 2020 over 150,000 people come each year to visit the factory. The Boeing factory tour was suspended from 2020 to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[74]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Everett Production Facility". Boeing. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  2. ^ Thomas, Geoffrey (August 22, 2018). "Boeing's Everett factory complex is the biggest building in the world". The West Australian. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  3. ^ Riley, Rachel (April 12, 2021). "State order targets Boeing Everett plant's polluted history". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e Dowling, Stephen (December 11, 2018). "What it's like to work in the biggest building in the world". BBC Online. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  5. ^ Gates, Dominic (March 18, 2020). "Boeing workers increasingly angry, worried as coronavirus infections rise inside the factories". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  6. ^ Everett Site Shuttle System (PDF) (Map). Boeing. April 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2024 – via Community Transit.
  7. ^ a b Jones, Jay (June 12, 2011). "Boeing's jumbo jets are built here". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Wattles, Jackie (August 9, 2018). "An exclusive tour of Boeing's gigantic jet factory". CNN. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  9. ^ Podsada, Janice (December 7, 2022). "Final 747 rollout signals end of an era for Boeing, Everett". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  10. ^ Catchpole, Dan (March 27, 2017). "Some at Boeing worry new work shifts will worsen traffic". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  11. ^ "Annual Comprehensive Financial Report For The Year Ended December 31, 2022". Snohomish County Finance Department. July 31, 2023. p. 171. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Flores, Brian (August 16, 2018). "Life inside the Everett's Boeing production facility: It's like a city". Q13 Fox News. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Gates, Dominic (May 19, 2016). "Boeing shows off new 777X wing center". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  14. ^ Gates, Dominic (January 30, 2023). "Boeing to set up a new 737 MAX assembly line in Everett". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  15. ^ "Largest factory (by volume)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  16. ^ "Wonder How Boeing Airplanes are Built?" (Press release). Boeing. August 26, 2003. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  17. ^ German, Kent (June 18, 2011). "Inside the world's largest airplane factory". CNET. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  18. ^ Vail, Charlie; Hubbell, Jeff; O'Connor, Brian; King, John; Pall, Avtar (August 2004). "Seismic Upgrade of the Boeing Commercial Airplane Factory at Everett, WA, USA" (PDF). International Association for Earthquake Engineering. p. 4. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Watkins, Amy (June 2, 2014). "Boeing tour a worldwide attraction". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  20. ^ Catchpole, Dan (September 11, 2014). "New giant artwork coming together at Boeing's Everett plant". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  21. ^ McDougall, Connie (September 6, 2007). "An audience with Boeing's prophet of profit: The 787 Dreamliner". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  22. ^ Gartrell, Adam (February 7, 2008). "Inside Boeing's mega-factory". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  23. ^ a b Paur, Jason (February 10, 2010). "Take a Peek Inside the 747-8 Test Plane". Wired. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  24. ^ Gates, Dominic (April 9, 2014). "Boeing will use robotic technology to speed 777X fuselage work". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  25. ^ Gates, Dominic (November 26, 2016). "At Boeing's 777X wing factory, robots get big jobs". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  26. ^ Gates, Dominic (April 30, 2009). "First 787 is ready for its close-up". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on May 3, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  27. ^ a b Corliss, Bryan (June 29, 2003). "Leaving the nest". The Everett Herald. pp. E1, E4. Retrieved March 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ Gates, Dominic (April 3, 2013). "Boeing opens new jet-delivery center". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  29. ^ Bjorkman, Eileen (September 20, 2014). "Paine Field and beyond: Control tower has county's 'best view'". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  30. ^ Podsada, Janice (October 10, 2018). "Main runway at Paine Field gets a paving do-over". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  31. ^ Blethen, Ryan (March 4, 2019). "How the first day of commercial flights from Paine Field went". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  32. ^ Gates, Dominic (October 13, 2010). "Boeing 787s stack up at Paine Field awaiting FAA approval". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on December 22, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  33. ^ Catchpole, Dan (April 12, 2015). "Supply chain problems keep Boeing parked on Paine Field runway". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  34. ^ Farley, Glenn (April 10, 2019). "Planes stack up across Puget Sound as Boeing 737 MAX grounding lingers". KING 5 News. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  35. ^ Negroni, Christine (February 19, 2013). "New Dreamliner Headache: Parking Space". The New York Times. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  36. ^ Catchpole, Dan (September 29, 2016). "Boeing leases more pavement for plane parking at Paine Field". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  37. ^ a b c d Dominguez, Alejandro (March 25, 2012). "Boeing's history in Everett". The Everett Herald. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  38. ^ Schulze, William (October 1, 1966). "Boeing Unveils Mockup of SST". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. 32.
  39. ^ a b Catchpole, Dan (January 22, 2016). "How Boeing's incredible 747 launched the Everett factory". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  40. ^ Twiss, Robert L. (June 17, 1966). "Paine Field Site Chosen; Assembly Plant for Boeing 747 Jet". The Seattle Times. p. 1.
  41. ^ Lane, Bob (June 17, 1966). "Snohomish County Signs Contract For Boeing Use of Field". The Seattle Times. p. 4.
  42. ^ Lane, Bob (May 20, 1966). "Huge, Level Field in Making For Boeing—or Something". The Seattle Times. p. 4.
  43. ^ Morris, Maribeth (June 18, 1966). "Monday Start For Boeing Plant". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. 1.
  44. ^ Hannula, Don (August 1, 1966). "Boeing 747 Plant to Be Biggest of All in Volume". The Seattle Times. p. 1.
  45. ^ Schulze, William (July 8, 1966). "Another Step For Boeing 747". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. 1.
  46. ^ Moody, Dick (July 15, 1966). "Fir Is Flying on Boeing Railroad Spur". The Seattle Times. p. 64.
  47. ^ "First Boeing Team On Job in Everett". The Everett Herald. January 3, 1967. p. A1. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  48. ^ Wolcott, John (June 29, 1976). "Boeing 747 changed face of county". p. SC4. Retrieved March 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  49. ^ Orsini-Meinhard, Kirsten (July 4, 2007). "And the planes just keep rolling..." The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  50. ^ McNally, Shana (July 2, 2000). "World's largest building earns its wings". The Orlando Sentinel. Associated Press. p. L7. Retrieved March 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  51. ^ Lane, Polly (May 5, 1989). "Boeing plans expansion, renovations". The Seattle Times. p. C7.
  52. ^ Wilhelm, Steve (July 30, 2013). "Boeing Everett Dreamlifter center to open in October". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  53. ^ Gates, Dominic (August 6, 2021). "FedEx takes over Boeing facility, will begin cargo operations out of Everett". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  54. ^ Gates, Dominic (March 11, 2020). "You can't build a jet while working from home: How Boeing, other manufacturers are grappling with coronavirus". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  55. ^ Podsada, Janice (April 21, 2020). "Wary Boeing workers return to the assembly lines in Everett". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  56. ^ "Boeing Begins Assembling 3rd KC-46A Tanker Aircraft". Boeing. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  57. ^ Ostrower, Jon (January 30, 2023). "Boeing to open 737 Max line at Everett plant". The Air Current. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  58. ^ Gates, Dominic (January 30, 2023). "Boeing to set up a fourth 737 MAX assembly line in Everett". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  59. ^ Gates, Dominic; Rosenblatt, Lauren (January 24, 2024). "FAA blocks Boeing production push but clears way for MAX 9s to fly again". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  60. ^ Josephs, Leslie (January 24, 2024). "FAA halts Boeing 737 Max production expansion, but clears path to return Max 9 to service". CNBC. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  61. ^ "FAA Orders Halt To Boeing 737 MAX Production Growth Plan | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  62. ^ "Boeing receives last 747 order, ending production of the storied airliner". CNET. Red Ventures. January 12, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  63. ^ "The very last 747 jumbo jet just rolled off Boeing's assembly line". CNN. Warner Brothers Discovery. December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  64. ^ Chokshi, Niraj; Menghistab, Meron Tekie; Tamayo, Jovelle; Wasson, Lindsey (January 31, 2023). "The Last Boeing 747 Leaves the Factory". The New York Times. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  65. ^ "Boeing looks to ease overcrowding at Paine Field". Retrieved February 27, 2011.
  66. ^ "Boeing: Boeing in South Carolina". www.boeing.com. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  67. ^ Yeo, Ghim-Lay (July 30, 2014). "Boeing to assemble 787-10 in South Carolina". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  68. ^ Tangel, Andrew; Cameron, Doug (September 30, 2020). "Boeing to Move All 787 Dreamliner Production to South Carolina". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  69. ^ Gates, Dominic (October 1, 2020). "Boeing makes it official: Washington state will lose 787 production next year". The Seattle Times. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  70. ^ Gates, Dominic (April 19, 2021). "FedEx close to a deal to operate out of Paine Field as Boeing abandons its 787 Dreamlifter center". The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  71. ^ a b "Two Millionth Visitor Tours Everett Factory With Boeing CEO" (Press release). Boeing. August 4, 1998. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  72. ^ "Boeing: Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour -- Fact Sheet". Archived from the original on May 19, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  73. ^ Podsada, Janice (October 1, 2023). "Boeing's iconic Everett factory tour to resume". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Boeing Everett Factory.
Records
Preceded by Largest building by volume
1967–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boeing_Everett_Factory&oldid=1216133439"