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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Boeing confirms new delay in 787's first flight, delivery 1/16/08 • Boeing edges Airbus on orders in 2007 1/16/08 • Analyst predicts weak year for jet orders 1/7/08 • Boeing's final order tally for 2007 is 1,413 1/4/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Friday, January 4, 2008 Boeing tops its 2007 delivery goal By Michelle Dunlop Herald Writer EVERETT -- The Boeing Co. met its delivery goal for 2007, handing over 441 commercial aircraft last year. Boeing beat its 2006 delivery total by 43 planes, roughly 11 percent, the company said. At last count, rival jetmaker Airbus looked to be on track to outpace Boeing when it released its delivery information at the end of November. Going into the final month of the 2007, Airbus had delivered 410 jets with the intent of hitting its target of 450 to 460 planes delivered. With 1,213 net commercial jet orders reported through Dec. 18, Boeing had broken all its previous sales records. Since the last official orders update, Boeing completed deals for more than 180 jets. Its final 2007 orders tally is expected shortly. Airbus, which listed 1,204 gross orders at the end of November, had tentative agreements for more than 200 aircraft waiting to be completed. The European company won't release its final figures until mid-January. With backlogs of more than 3,000 unfilled orders apiece, Boeing and Airbus have been ramping up production over the past few years. Both of the jetmakers have looked at increasing rates for their single-aisle 737 or A320 planes. Airbus suggested last spring that it hopes to boost production of its A320 to 40 jets monthly. Boeing officials have said they don't see the demand to justify that rate. In fact, Boeing increased 737 production by only 28 jets in 2007 over 2006. The company had boosted 737 deliveries in 2006 by 90 planes over the previous year. As for its widebody aircraft, assembled in Everett, workers managed to boost rates on the 747, delivering 16 in 2007 compared with 14 in 2006. More notably, the Everett machinists built 83 Boeing 777 aircraft -- a jump of nearly 28 percent over 2006. In reaching 83 deliveries, the company tied its highest 777 delivery year of 1999. Boeing also was distracted in 2007 with the production of its first 787 Dreamliner. The company had intended to deliver the first 787 in May but pushed it back six months. In order both to begin assembly of a new jet and to raise production rates on existing planes, Boeing steadily has added employees in the Puget Sound region. The company employed 68,570 workers in Washington last January and brought on more than 5,500 people to wrap up the year with 74,160 people.

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