Boeing Claims Gains In Fixing Problems

Boeing Co.’s drastic measures to solve its airplane production problems seem to be working, although it will be mid-1998 before managers know for certain if everything has been fixed.

Boeing said Tuesday it expects to have delivered 335 planes by the end of 1997, close to its original projections of 340 to 350. The company expects to deliver another 550 planes in 1998.

“We’re pretty pleased with the progress that we have made, but certainly we are apprehensive about how we hold onto that progress,” Boeing President Harry Stonecipher said.

In early October, Boeing announced it was taking several steps to correct problems caused by unprecedented customer demand for its commercial jets.

Part of the plan called for stopping the 747 jumbo-jet production line for 20 days, and slowing final assembly of some 737 airplanes. The production slowdown was designed to allow employees to finish work that was running behind schedule, and to give parts suppliers a chance to catch up.

In a status report Tuesday, the company said things are slowly falling into place. The 747 line resumed full production in mid-November, and work is picking up on the next-generation 737 line.

“We are encouraged by the results” of the recovery program so far, said Bob Dryden, executive vice president for airplane production for Boeing Commercial Airplane Group.