Will Be Fabricated In Utah And Italy By The End Of This Year

Boeing plans to move fabrication of horizontal stabilizers for the Dreamliner to Salt Lake City and Italy by the end of the year. Company officials say the move will not cost any workers in Seattle their jobs.

The components are currently being produced in the Development Center in Seattle, according to a report in Reuters. Boeing will shift that work to Utah and Alenia Aermacchi in Italy.

Boeing spokesman Doug Alder told the news service that the horizontal stabs have been in a development stage, and now that production is ramping up, the fabrication can move out of the Seattle area. But, he said, ongoing development of the horizontal stabilizer for the larger 787-9 model will protect the jobs of workers there, and jobs will be added in Utah to handle the production.

The first stabilizer from the Salt Lake City facility should be delivered early next year. Dates are still being finalized for delivery of the first of the tailplanes to be manufactured in Italy. One of the many delays of the 787-8 was due to a fabrication problem at Alenia, a division of Finmeccanica.

Delivery of the first horizontal stabilizers for the -9 Dreamliner are expected early in 2014.

FMI: www.boeing.com