Aerospace Assembly

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WASHINGTON—Some 37 states have applied to the Federal Aviation Administration to become one of six test hubs for commercial unmanned aerial vehicles.

MOBILE, AL—Airbus will begin construction of its assembly plant here April 8. Aircraft production is set to begin in 2015 with the first aircraft delivery in 2016.

SEATTLE—Boeing Co. says the first flight test of its reworked battery system for the 787 Dreamliner went “according to plan,” enabling it to move on to formal testing. The successful mission Monday means Boeing can conduct a second flight test.

SEATTLE—Boeing Co. will lay off approximately 800 Seattle-area machinists by the end of 2013 following completion of certain work on its 787 and 747-8 jumbo jets.

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC—Boeing Co. will pay $12.5 million for about 320 acres across the street from its 787 assembly plant here.

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC—TIGHITCO has opened a new, 100,000-square-foot assembly plant here to make wingtips for business jets. The facility is expected to employ 350 people.

PARIS—Airbus has won a record order worth $23.8 billion from Indonesia’s Lion Air for 234 medium-haul A320 jets.

Several respondents to my original blog say the 787's battery problems are a minor blip that Boeing will correct quickly. My impression is that the battery is becoming aviation’s equivalent of the Ford Pinto.

SEATTLE—Boeing achieved a major milestone on Tuesday as the Federal Aviation Administration approved its plan to test fixes for the battery problems that have grounded its 787 jets since mid-January.

RALEIGH, NC—Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new technique for creating stronger, lightweight magnesium alloys that have potential structural applications in the automobile and aerospace industries.