Unlike their cross-town counterparts at Boeing Co.’s 787 Dreamliner plant, workers at the Propulsion South Carolina facility in North Charleston rarely get to see the results of their work in a final product.
But on Friday, they got a close-up view when Boeing flew one of its 737 MAX test planes to North Charleston so dozens of workers could climb aboard and check out the company’s newest single-aisle commercial jet in person. The local propulsion center, located about 10 miles from the main Dreamliner campus, designs and builds engine nacelle inlets and designs nacelle fan cowls for the 737 MAX.
“This is really cool for the team,” said Charlie Hix, the plant’s director. Hix said the engine parts his plant produces are typically placed on a pallet and shipped to Seattle, with the only feedback coming if something goes wrong.
“I’m seeing so many smiles on faces that are typically pretty stoic because they are getting to see their work today,” he said.
The plane that visited North Charleston is one of four test planes Boeing has for its 737 MAX program, the next generation of the company’s venerable 737 model. Friday’s visitor is decked out with passenger seats, a lavatory and other interior features not found on many test planes because its mission is to simulate airline travel – part of a certification process required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
“We fly the same routes that we envision Delta or Alaska would fly, showing the plane can take off, land, taken on passengers and
Article source: http://www.postandcourier.com/business/boeing-s-max-pays-a-visit-to-company-s-north/article_56ee9fc4-c3aa-11e6-ab8a-2303755d4500.html