Friday, December 3, 2010

Spirit to shift workers from 787 program

The Wichita Eagle

Spirit AeroSystems is temporarily moving most of the people working on the 787 program to other programs.

"You don't want to get behind on a program; you don't want to get ahead on a program," said Spirit spokeswoman Debbie Gann.

An electrical fire on a 787 Dreamliner aircraft during a flight test last month is prompting Boeing to redesign the power distribution panels and update its systems software.

Boeing said in a recent statement that a revised program schedule is expected to be finalized in the next few weeks.
One of the advantages at Spirit is the ability to move employees from program to program, Gann said.
For example, shifting employees from the 787 to the busy 737 single-aisle aircraft program, where employees have been working a lot of overtime, will allow those employees to have a more normal schedule, she said.
Workers who are moving from the 787 program work in Spirit's South Hangar and in its Composite Fuselage Facility, known as the CFF building.
The buildings won't be closing and the lines aren't shutting down, Gann said. But "we are slowing down work and moving a lot of those employees," Gann said.
When those employees will return to 787 production will depend on Boeing's plans for its schedule, she said.