Boeing says it is ready to take the first steps to make it easier to build a second 787 final assembly line in North Charleston, S.C. where it already makes part of the airplane's fuselage.

"No decision has been made" on where to locate that factory, Candy Eslinger, a company official, said. At this point, Boeing is simply saying that it intends to take "the procedural step" of filing for the necessary permits to open the factory, she said, reiterating earlier company comments that a location is to be chosen by yearend.

"This is necessary because the permitting process is comprehensive and requires a standard lead time," Eslinger said. "Making the announcement public in advance makes it easier for Boeing people to go in and engage with the appropriate [state officials] and businesses we need to work with us."

Aviation Week reported in June that the Charleston site was ranked first by Boeing as the site for the second assembly line, which is expected to be dedicated to production of the stretched 787-9 model. The line is expected to be in operation in late 2010 at the earliest.

At that time, Boeing was a half partner with Alenia in Global Aeronautica, a center fuselage integration factory in North Charleston. But in July it bought out Vought Aircraft's aft fuselage factory next door to Global Aeronautica, doubling its factory presence at Charleston International Airport.

The airport is a key link in Boeing's global logistics network that flies major wing and fuselage assemblies among factories.

Boeing's current 787 final assembly line is at its traditional wide-body assembly factory in Everett, Wash. Washington state civil and political leaders are fighting to keep all assembly of the aircraft in the state, but company officials want guarantees of "labor peace" following last year's two-month strike by the International Association of Machinists in Aerospace.

South Carolina is a right-to-work state, although about 300 machinists at Boeing Charleston are represented by the IAM. However, a decertification vote has been set for Sept. 10 to try to oust the union.

Photo credit: Guy Norris