Boeing delivered 104 commercial aircraft in the first quarter of 2011, down slighly from the same period a year earlier.

Boeing delivered 87 single-aisle 737 Next Generation aircraft, as well as 4 767s and 13 777s.

Late in the quarter, Boeing returned 777 production to seven aircraft per month as the large-twin moves toward 8.3 aircraft in early 2013. Output of the 777 is recovering after dipping to five per month in 2010 due to the global economic recession.

The company's final assembly lines in Renton, Washington, are in the process of increasing output from 31.5 737s per month to 38 per month by the second quarter of 2013.

The newly-relocated 767 line will increase production from 1.5 to two aircraft per month by mid-year.

On its twin development programmes, Boeing is currently moving from from two to 10 787s per month by the end of 2013, and 1.5 to two 747s per month in 2012.

Boeing plans to deliver its first 747-8 freighters mid-year and first 787 beginning in July, with a combined 20 to 45 of the new jets handed over to customers in 2011.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news