Boeing and its heritage companies, such as Douglas Aircraft Co., McDonnell Aircraft Corp. and North American Aviation Inc., have produced hundreds of different types of airplanes, helicopters, missiles, rockets, satellites, spacecraft and other flying objects over the last 10 decades.
The world was a much different place when William Boeing started to build aeroplanes in a small boathouse along the shore of Seattle’s Lake Union in 1916. Flying machines were still a novelty. Most aviation records, such as altitude, distance and speed, were held by European aircraft manufacturers and pilots.
During the past 10 decades, Boeing and its heritage companies, such as Douglas Aircraft Co., McDonnell Aircraft Corp. and North American Aviation Inc., have designed and built a wide variety of aircraft. Boeing has evolved from seaplanes to space planes.
FINDLAY TOWNSHIP, PA—General Electric has opened a new operation here that will specialize in applying additive manufacturing technology to support the conglomerate’s various business units. The $39-million Center for Additive Technology Advancement will employ 50 engineers.
Traditionally, it has taken months or even years to get equipment to astronauts up in space, depending on the launch re-supply schedule. Zero-gravity 3D printing, however, may soon completely eliminate the need to send parts or equipment to spacecraft.
While designing the A350 XWB (extra wide body) airplane in early 2010, Airbus’ engineers proposed a revolutionary way to build the plane’s wings at the company’s plant in Broughton, UK. Specifically, they wanted the wings built horizontally rather than the traditional vertical method.
MOBILE, AL—The first Airbus jet assembled in the United States has flown for the first time. The A321, destined for JetBlue, took off from the Mobile Aeroplex March 21 at 9:36 a.m., performed its test sequences, and landed safely at 1:02 p.m.