Aircraft

Vought Aircraft Industries’ head of 787 operations, Ted Perdue, has suddenly left the company, one of Boeing’s key suppliers for the 787 Dreamliner programme.

Reports citing a recent Vought company memo say Perdue has left the company to “pursue other interests” and that Vought CFO Keith Howe will lead the 787 division in the interim.

Perdue’s departure comes just a month before the first 787 is due to be rolled out of the airframer’s Everett production plant.

Vought builds the Boeing 787’s aft fuselage, the first of which was recently delivered to Boeing’s Everett facilities. The company has not indicated whether the management change is related to production issues on the 787.

Ted Perdue was vice president of the 787 division for Vought Aircraft, a position he was appointed to in October 2006.

Neither Vought nor Boeing could immediately be reached for comment.

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