First Airplane Off The Line Will Be Operated By Copa Airlines

The first Next-Generation 737 built at the new production rate of 38 airplanes a month has been rolled out of Boeing's main assembly building. Panamanian customer Copa Airlines will take delivery of the 737-800 in early April.

The airplane will now undergo functional, systems and flight testing over the next three weeks before being delivered.
 
Boeing is in the process of increasing the production rate on its 737 program from 35 to 38 airplanes per month because of market demand for the world's best-selling commercial jetliner. Next year, the 737 production rate will increase to 42 airplanes per month. Over the past two years, production of the 737 has risen more than 20 percent, from 31.5 to 38 airplanes a month.

Construction of this first airplane at the accelerated production rate began in late January, when initial parts of the spars - internal support structures in the wings – were loaded into an automated spar-assembly machine. 
 
Copa Airlines operates a fleet of more than 50 Next-Generation 737s.

(Image provided by Boeing)

FMI: www.boeing.com