Production in Everett will replicate the 737 assembly process used at Boeing’s Renton, Wash., facility, with the addition of a wing transport tool designed to move partially completed wings for final assembly.

With construction and tooling in place, Boeing is focusing on hiring and training hundreds of workers to support the new line. The workforce will include a mix of new hires and experienced employees from Renton, Everett and Moses Lake, Wash., to maintain safety and quality standards.

Training includes 12 weeks of foundational instruction followed by structured on-the-job training, or SOJT, in Renton, where new employees are paired with experienced mechanics to prepare for production roles.

“This will be my first time working on the 737 program,” said John V., a longtime Boeing mechanic now serving as an FAA and customer coordinator for the North Line. “But we are doing the training right.”

Once operational, the North Line will begin with low-rate initial production, or LRIP, a phased approach that slows output to validate processes, ensure quality and make adjustments before full-scale production.

“It’s like running,” said Jennifer Boland-Masterson, production leader for the Everett line. “You don’t start with a marathon. You start with shorter distances and build up from there.”

Aircraft produced during LRIP will be used to demonstrate conformity to the Federal Aviation Administration, allowing the line to operate under Boeing’s production certificate.

Following LRIP, the North Line will be integrated into overall 737 MAX production, adding capacity for rates above 47 aircraft per month.