Boeing’s 1,000th 767 heads to the paint hangar

Published 4:17 pm Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Boeing Co. towed its 1,000th 767 aircraft out of its Everett factory over to the paint hangar Thursday night.

This is the last 767 to be built in what has been the 767 program’s home in Boeing’s massive Everett factory. Boeing will assemble 767s at the back end of the facility beginning in February in order to make room for a temporary 787 assembly line.

The company is offering a 767-based tanker in the U.S. Air Force’s $35 billion aerial refueling tanker contest. Boeing rival EADS also is competing for the contract to replace 179 of the Air Force’s aging KC-135 tankers. EADS is the parent company of Airbus. The Air Force is expected to announce a winner in the coming months.

Without a tanker win, Boeing has fewer than 50 767s left to build. The company also is accelerating the production pace on the 767.