Business

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Friday, October 5, 2007 Boeing must step it up to meet goal The company handed over 109 jets in the third quarter but needs a boost to reach its target for '07. By Michelle Dunlop Herald Writer EVERETT -- The Boeing Co. needs its most productive quarter since 2001 if the company hopes to hit its goal of delivering 440 to 445 commercial jets this year. The aerospace company delivered nine planes more in the July- to-September time frame this year than it did during the same quarter in 2006. Boeing turned over 109 aircraft to customers in the third quarter, bringing its tally to 329 deliveries this year. However, Boeing remains about 116 to 121 jet deliveries shy of its goal. Boeing's chief executive Jim McNerney wants to overtake rival Airbus in total commercial jet deliveries next year when Boeing is expected to deliver its first 787 Dreamliner. For the past several years, the European plane maker has enjoyed the title of the world's largest producer of commercial jets. The company hasn't released its third-quarter deliveries but had delivered 294 aircraft at the end of August. Airbus officials estimate the company will deliver 450 to 460 planes in 2007. Single-aisle plane deliveries continue to top both Boeing and Airbus delivery tallies. Boeing handed over 81 Renton-built 737s last quarter and has delivered 250 of the single-aisle planes this year. At the end of August, Airbus had delivered 237 of its A320 jets. Over the past two quarters, Boeing has bumped up production of its Everett-built 777, delivering 21 and 20 of the planes, respectively. That's three more twin-aisle 777s than it delivered in the first quarter of this year. Overall, Boeing delivered five more jets in the second quarter with 114 than it did in the third with 109. A fourth-quarter output of 116 to 121 planes will be the most jets Boeing has delivered since 2001, when it delivered 144 planes in the fourth quarter. On Thursday, Boeing also updated its year-to-date orders total, adding orders for 35 737s. One of those 737s is a Boeing Business Jet; the rest were attributed to an unidentified customer. Boeing has 893 net orders in 2007. The company listed a backlog of 2,923 unfilled jet orders at the end of August, including 1,719 orders for 737s, 118 for 747s, 56 for 767s, 346 for 777s and 684 for 787s. At the end of August, Airbus listed orders for 713 of its aircraft. Boeing's stock declined 22 cents Thursday to close at $104.50. Reporter Michelle Dunlop: 425-339-3454 or mdunlop@heraldnet.com.

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