Boeing delivered the last two 717s on Tuesday in Long Beach. Fittingly, AirTran got the last one, reports the Los Angeles Business Journal. http://losangeles.bizjournals.com/losangeles/stories/2006/05/22/daily19.html
Key Quote: “The final 717 was the 87th addition to AirTran’s fleet of 717s, making AirTran the world’s largest operator of that aircraft, designed specifically for short-haul, high-frequency routes.”
Boeing is closing the commercial jet factory at Long Beach, CBS noted. http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_143151158.html
Key Quote: “Some workers at the 717 factory have moved to a nearby Boeing facility to work on the company’s $184 million C-17 military planes, according to Boeing spokesman Gary Lesser. Boeing is currently filling an order for 180 of the military planes, the last of which is scheduled to be delivered in 2008, Lesser said.”
Here’s Boeing’s official statement on the end of the 717: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060523/sftu157.html?.v=15
Key Quote (from Boeing commercial airplane chief Alan Mulally): “The 717 has forever redefined how we build airplanes. We’re extremely proud of the airplane, our employees and our many supplier partners on the program.”
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