I went digging through some US aerospace history today, and if I'm not mistaken, today marks the first time a new commercial jetliner final assembly site has been established in the United States since Lockheed built the L-1011 final assembly line in Palmdale, California in 1968.
To go along with this massive expansion is a palpable excitement coming from Charleston about this new opportunity. The promise of the new line, and its potential to transform the city was described by the Charleston Post and Courier this way:
Today's ground breaking in North Charleston, South Carolina is certainly the biggest expansion in commercial production capacity Boeing has seen since the company merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997.
Boeing released a rendering of the site (featuring 767s?) that depicts a massive final assembly building next to the former Vought 787 plant and Global Aeronautica. The greatly expanded Boeing Charleston site includes six flight line spots, jet blast guards and a heck of a lot of parking.
I went ahead and took Boeing's rendering to the next level and applied it to a satellite photo of the existing Charleston facility and came up with the above rendering. The double-wide final assembly building is said to be horseshoe-shaped - like the 777 line - to accomodate pre-integration of all the parts flowing through the building. If nothing else, we might be seeing the worlds largest factory door.
In case you were wondering, at first glance, S Aviation Ave. looks to be the best place to spot from.
The line is set to be operational by July 2011 - just 20 months from now - followed by the first 787 delivered from Charleston in the first quarter of 2012.
To go along with this massive expansion is a palpable excitement coming from Charleston about this new opportunity. The promise of the new line, and its potential to transform the city was described by the Charleston Post and Courier this way:
Boeing's influence likely will reach beyond the plant itself. Planes with foreign logos will be lined up on the airport's tarmac. Students in schools will study the aerospace industry within direct sight of their future profession. Aviation suppliers will hum with orders to support Boeing's operation. International workers and visitors will bring a cosmopolitan flair and flock to cafes and restaurants that will spring up to serve the plant.
"It is rare for a region to get such a gift as a Boeing plant," said Terry Shook, a Charlotte-based urban planning expert.Actually, it's unprecedented. Well, at least since 1967 when the 747-100 line was first built in Everett.
Today's ground breaking in North Charleston, South Carolina is certainly the biggest expansion in commercial production capacity Boeing has seen since the company merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997.
Boeing released a rendering of the site (featuring 767s?) that depicts a massive final assembly building next to the former Vought 787 plant and Global Aeronautica. The greatly expanded Boeing Charleston site includes six flight line spots, jet blast guards and a heck of a lot of parking. I went ahead and took Boeing's rendering to the next level and applied it to a satellite photo of the existing Charleston facility and came up with the above rendering. The double-wide final assembly building is said to be horseshoe-shaped - like the 777 line - to accomodate pre-integration of all the parts flowing through the building. If nothing else, we might be seeing the worlds largest factory door.
In case you were wondering, at first glance, S Aviation Ave. looks to be the best place to spot from.
The line is set to be operational by July 2011 - just 20 months from now - followed by the first 787 delivered from Charleston in the first quarter of 2012.
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