Alcoa (NYSE:AA - News) today congratulated the employees of Boeing on reaching an historic milestone in commercial aviation: the production of the 1000th Boeing 777 airplane. The Boeing 777 was launched in October 1990 with an order from United Airlines and since has become one of the most successful programs in aviation history.
“We are proud to have been a part of the Boeing 777 program since its inception through to this historic moment… and beyond,” said Olivier Jarrault, Group President Alcoa Engineered Products and Solutions and leader of Alcoa’s aerospace market team. “With a backlog of almost 400 planes – and many, many more orders likely to come for this successful program – we look forward to continuing to deliver high-value solutions that increase fuel efficiency and lower operating and maintenance costs.
“We will continue working with Boeing to innovate for current and next variants within the program, including identifying applications across multiple areas of the airplane where our newest aluminum lithium alloys can increase fuel efficiency even further, while also lowering operating costs and production risk,” said Jarrault.
There are approximately three million parts in a Boeing 777 provided by 500 suppliers from around the world. Alcoa supplies a variety of materials from wing tip to wing tip and nose to tail to help make the 777 one of the most reliable airplanes in the industry, including:
More than 280,000 pounds of sheet and plate products for critical fuselage and wing structures;
Extrusions used in wing and fuselage stringers, spar caps, seat tracks and keel beams;
Forgings used in wheel components and structural wing box components such as structural frames and landing gear components;
Nearly one million fasteners, including internally and externally threaded, holding key elements of the airplane together; and
Advanced single crystal, high pressure turbine airfoils used in the GE90-115B, the exclusive engine for the extended range Boeing 777 models, as well as low pressure turbine airfoils, thermal barrier coatings and titanium structural components within the engine and airframe.
Alcoa supplies parts to the 777 from the following locations: Tucson and Chandler, Arizona; Carson, City of Industry, Fullerton, Newbury Park, Simi Valley, Sylmar, and Torrance, Calif.; Branford, CT; Lafayette, IN; Davenport, Iowa; Whitehall, Michigan; Dover, NJ; Cleveland, Ohio; Morristown, Tenn.; and Wichita Falls, TX; and Hampton, VA.
The 1000th Boeing 777 is a 300ER (extended range) model and will be delivered to Dubai-based Emirates in March. Boeing has responded to strong customer demand by introducing six 777 models. Alcoa has been a part of the growth of the 777 family and looks forward to supporting future Boeing 777 innovations as a result of positive response from airlines and air passengers around the world.