(New York) The American company Spirit AeroSystems, a subcontractor of Boeing, blamed as the aircraft manufacturer for quality problems, indicated on Tuesday that it would continue to produce only around thirty copies of the Boeing 737 per month until the end of the year.
“In the latter part of 2023, the company prepared for an expected increase in production rates, but which is now delayed,” it said in a press release devoted to its first quarter results.
“The Boeing 737 production rate is currently around 31 aircraft per month, […] and is expected to remain at this level until the end of this year,” she added.
She explains having carried out with Boeing “a joint verification to ensure the quality of the products before their transport” to the Boeing final assembly plant in Renton (Washington state, northwest).
“As a result, Spirit deliveries to Boeing were delayed and undelivered units piled up in Wichita, Kansas,” generating lower cash flow than the first quarter.
According to Pat Shanahan, general manager of Spirit AeroSystems, the “steps taken to strengthen product compliance have been very significant.”
“A decision was made to fundamentally change the inspection process,” he said during a conference with analysts.
Contacted by AFP, Boeing simply referred to statements from its managers in recent weeks.
Idle cadence
The American aircraft manufacturer planned to further increase the production rate of the 737, its flagship aircraft, to reach its objective of 50 units per month in 2025/2026.
But a succession of production problems in 2023, and an in-flight incident on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 on January 5, led to an investigation by the American Civil Aviation Agency (FAA). This decided, among other things, to freeze this rate at the level of the end of 2023 (38 per month).
According to an industry expert, even with monthly production limited to 31 units, Spirit will be able, thanks to its inventories, to supply Boeing with all the quantities that the aircraft manufacturer will need in 2024.
Boeing only produced 27 in January and remained below the ceiling imposed “to incorporate improvements” in terms of quality and manufacturing processes, the group said when publishing its quarterly results on April 24.
Boeing’s new inspection protocols implemented at Spirit AeroSystems have reduced the number of non-compliance issues on delivered fuselages by 80% compared to two months ago, Dave Calhoun said that day. , boss of Boeing, on CNBC.
The two companies confirmed preliminary discussions in early March with a view to Boeing’s takeover of Spirit, which left the aircraft manufacturer in 2005 and also a supplier to the European Airbus.
Spirit AeroSystems also indicated on Tuesday that it had received, during the second quarter, indications from Boeing concerning an upcoming slowdown in production of the 787 Dreamliner.
“Deliveries should be around 25% lower than the initial plan,” with 55 units instead of the 80 scheduled, its managers said.
Boeing achieved its goal for the end of 2023 of producing five 787 Dreamliners per month, and was targeting ten units per month in 2025/2026. This model has also encountered numerous production issues since 2020.
The FAA announced Monday that it is investigating Boeing to determine whether required inspections on “certain” Dreamliners were carried out and whether employees falsified documents.
At the close of the New York Stock Exchange, Boeing shares lost 0.92% and Spirit AeroSystems shares lost 0.33%.