Flightblogger: The moving parts of the Charleston Decision

Flightblogger posted some very interesting analysis now that Boeing has decided to place the second 787 assembly line in Charleston.

The Surge: Boeing will set up a temporary line at Everett (on the 767 according to Flightblogger) which will handle the production ramp up until Charleston comes online. Flightblogger also said that the 787-9 will be built in Everett though he has not said if it will also be built in Charleston.

Dreamlifter: Flightblogger created an interesting table comparing the number of flights and the flight distances of flying parts into Charleston for final assembly vs flying parts into Everett. In it the Charleston line will require fewer delivery flights and fewer miles flown compared to the Everett line. Boeing currently has three LCFs and plans on adding a fourth but will probably need at least two more to support the 10/month rate coming from two assembly lines.

Lastly, Flightblogger said it is possible that airplanes coming from the Charleston line will be for customers in Europe will those from Everett will be destined for Asia/Pacific/Australia customers. While that might make sense now since the number of Asia/Pacific aircraft outnumbers those going to Europe and even South America, those dynamics could change. I don't know where those aircraft destined for North American customers (Air Canada, Continental, Delta/NW and AA) would come from but they might flow from both lines with AC, and AA taking planes from Everett and CO and DL/NW taking planes from Charleston given where their major hubs are located.

Flightblogger: The many moving parts of the Charleston line decision