<< Previous   of   Next >> The Boeing Co.  (click to enlarge) Boeing started final assembly on its fifth 787 jet in Everett on Thursday. This is the third Dreamliner that the company will put into its flight certification program later this year. Boeing continues work on two 787s that will be used in flight tests.

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Boeing's 787 line picking up speed

The company begins final assembly on its fifth Dreamliner and reports improvement in components from its suppliers.

By Michelle Dunlop
Herald Writer

EVERETT -- The Boeing Co. began final assembly of a fifth 787 jet Thursday, demonstrating progress on its delayed Dreamliner program.

Workers in Everett began work on the company's third flight-test 787 aircraft. Boeing has pieced together two additional jets that will be use for test purposes but will not be delivered to customers.

By the end of next month, Boeing intends to turn on electrical power for the first Dreamliner, a significant step in beginning the 787's flight test program later this year.

Major structures for the third 787 for delivery arrived more complete than did sections of previous planes, said Jack Jones, who was named recently as the vice president of the 787 final assembly section.

"The second flight-test airplane had a 50 percent reduction in the amount of incomplete work as compared to the first airplane," Jones said. " 'Traveled work' on this airplane is 65 percent less than on the first."

Boeing officials had estimated last month that sections of the third aircraft would be 75 percent more complete than those of the first. After receiving all the parts last week, the company revised down its estimate to 65 percent, said Mary Hanson, spokeswoman for Boeing.

"That's still a significant improvement," she noted.

Boeing pointed to incomplete work from its worldwide partners and production problems as reasons for delaying the delivery of its Dreamliner by nearly 18 months. The jetmaker plans to deliver the first 787 in the third quarter of 2009 and a total of 25 Dreamliners by the end of next year. All 25 jets are in various stages of production around the world, the company said Thursday.

Under Boeing's revised schedule, the company will install the interior for a 787 -- the third Dreamliner -- this summer.

"When that happens this summer, it will be the first time we'll see the 787 in what is close to a final delivery configuration," Jones said.

Jones, 53, took over for Steve Westby, who retired on Wednesday from Boeing after 31 years with the company. Jones has been with Boeing for more than 25 years and most recently served as the director of field operations and delivery.

Since its launch in April 2004, the 787 Dreamliner has won nearly 900 firm orders valued at $151 billion from 58 airlines.

Reporter Michelle Dunlop: 425-339-3454 or mdunlop@heraldnet.com.