Despite Boeing’s decision to cut production of all 737 aircraft models from 52 to 42 a month, Spirit Aerosystems will continue to produce 52 shipsets for the 737 each month, a Spirit spokesperson said Monday.
Boeing announced Friday the production cut will accommodate the halt in 737 MAX model deliveries following the March 10 crash in Ethiopia – the second in five months.
The adjustment in production will allow the company to focus resources on software updates, supplementary pilot training and other fixes to prevent the system failures that are believed to have led to the crashes – primarily the “erroneous activation of the aircraft’s MCAS function,” the anti-stall system.
Boeing spokesman Chaz Bickers said most of the 737s produced each month are MAX models, but would not say how many.
Spirit Aerosystems produces parts of the aircraft for Boeing, including 70% of the fuselage, produced in Wichita, Kansas, and wing components produced in Oklahoma locations.
Spirit Senior Manager of Corporate Communications Keturah Austin said the company is still working to understand the effects of Boeing’s announcement, but the continued production of parts for 52 aircraft will help Spirit support Boeing.
“We’re just trying to work to minimize disruption to our operations and to our employees and to our supply chain,” Austin said.
Austin said Spirit is reducing contractors and overtime and suspending hiring to fill backfill positions, but not downsizing employees.
Bickers said there is no time frame for when the lowered production will end, but Boeing is working with suppliers across the board to reduce negative effects.
“We’re goingArticle source: https://journalrecord.com/2019/04/08/boeings-737-production-cut-wont-affect-output-from-spirit/