EVERETT — Sherry Snyder stood in the cold, waiting for the 787 Dreamliner to take off.
To the Boeing Co. employee, South Carolina was unimportant.
She wasn’t bothered by the fact that the second production line on the 787 was headed to the South — not on Tuesday morning, at least.
“They’re just breaking ground,” she said of the second line. “It’s going to be a while for that factory to be open. This is here and now.”
Snyder wasn’t alone in that sentiment. Many were relieved to see the spotlight shift away from South Carolina and back to Everett as the 787 took flight after more than two years of delays.
“The first flight is one of those generational milestones that holds up a mirror to what this region is and can be,” said Peter Jackson, a Northwest writer and son of the late Sen. Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson. “It also means that for a day or two at least we can avoid talking about the Palmetto tree in the room,” alluding to South Carolina’s state flag.
Still, let’s talk about that Palmetto tree.
In late October, Boeing announced its decision to locate a second line for the 787 in Charleston, S.C.
That decision caused a mix of reactions. Some blasted Boeing. Others questioned the future of aerospace in the region. The existing recession amplified those concerns.
With all that in mind, the first flight served as a welcome morale booster for many.
“We need something positive,” said Tom Wroblewski, president of the local Machinists union.
David Dilgard, a historian at the Everett Public Library, also felt upbeat. The South Carolina decision was a blow to the region’s self-esteem, but the first flight offered a lift, he said.
“It’s the 21st century, reality is virtual, and yet here in this community you still produce something that roars and flies, a real metal object that’s crafted by human beings and amazing in its size,” he said. “I think that’s very gratifying to people.”
The flight could affect more than moods, according to Bob Drewel, executive director of Puget Sound Regional Council.
Drewel, former Snohomish County executive and president of Everett Community College, is campaigning to bring a multi-billion dollar Air Force tanker contract to Boeing that would use aircraft assembled in Everett. The first flight provided ideal publicity, he said, reminding the world that Everett builds cutting-edge aircraft.
“I have a tendency to lean toward optimism, and there was nothing today that dispelled that notion,” Drewel said.
Not all were optimistic, of course. For some, the second line decision was simply too huge to ignore.
Paul Elvig, former chairman of the Republican Party in Skagit and Snohomish counties, said the first flight acted as a reminder that the 787s also will be built in South Carolina.
“The sad thing about this is the crescendo of the sound of the plane taking off is really the crescendo of Boeing going south,” he said.
Granted, going south isn’t all bad to Puget Sound aerospace suppliers.
Out of 45 aerospace companies surveyed in November by the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance, only four said the second-line decision will have a high impact on them, while 11 said it will have a moderate impact.
Even among Boeing employees, some praised South Carolina.
Roger Todd, a Boeing instructor who trained 787 mechanics, stood in the crowd on Tuesday morning to watch the first flight.
The move to South Carolina was a good way to diversify the company, he said, even if it first felt like a slap to the union. He was overjoyed to see the first flight, an indication of Boeing’s strength.
“Sharing this success with others is a good thing,” he said.
Jerry Cornfield contributed to this report.
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