RIDLEY PARK, Pa.–Boeing [BA] recently held ribbon cutting ceremonies marking the opening of the new H-47 helicopter factory, while celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
“This upgraded facility will allow Boeing to increase production and work toward securing a second CH-47F multi-year contract, with the potential to generate taxpayer savings in excess of $400 million,” said Jean Chamberlin, vice president and general manager, mobility at Boeing.
Maj. Gen. Tim Crosby, Program Executive Officer Aviation, said: “There sits the workhorse of the United States Army,” pointing to a CH-47F on display near the stage.
What Crosby struggles with is the fact that “everyone wants more” of the heavy-lift helicopters.
Crosby is probably the only Army aviator on active duty to have flown the Chinook models A- through-F.
“There’s nothing out there that can do what this airplane can do today,” Crosby said. Designed in the late 1950s, the Chinooks was to carry Honest John missiles–the first U.S. tactical nuclear missiles that are no longer in the inventory. Now, the twin-rotor helicopter carries out tasks from firefighting to humanitarian aid, to medical evacuation and carrying what troops need.
The Chinook plays a “non-stop critical role ” in delivering people, equipment and supplies to difficult areas, said Leanne Caret, vice president H-47 programs at Boeing.
For the first 50 years, it was the vision and perseverance of the designers and workforce who saw the Chinook through to a fielded aircraft. Col. Robert Marion, project manager, Cargo Helicopters, wants to see the same vision and perseverance over the next 50 years.
Once the blue ribbon with the Chinook silhouettes was cut to officially open the new factory floor, Tony Martin, director of operations for H-47, showed off the pristine tools and workplace during a tour for reporters of the production line. It is on this line that the Chinook finishes assembly, all systems are integrated and then tested. People were back working on the line after a short break for the ceremonies.
Martin said the best product is what he’s after: “It’s important to me to give the warfighter a quality product–the highest quality.”
For the employees, they’re working first for the warfighter, he said. He’s seen a cultural change in the workforce who are now engaged, empowered and accept personal accountability for their work.
Boeing has 650 employees producing Chinooks working three shifts five days a week and on track to produce some 70 aircraft this year, he said.
It’s a “continuous lean journey,” he said, where everyone tries to improve the processes.
Boeing has spent more than $130 million as it renovates and refurbishes some 223,000 square feet of manufacturing space that would allow production of as many as six new aircraft a month.
The work is being done in four phases. Phase 1 set up an alternate line for the uniquely configured international customers such as the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Canada.
Phase two, completed in May, is the production line set up for the CH-47 F model configuration.
Phase 3 expands the alternate line for a total of nine positions. This will be completed by the fourth quarter of this year.
Phase 4 will incorporate a cafeteria for employees and a mezzanine for support officers. The new factory includes glassed in rooms for engineers or conferences, and to add to employee morale, there are windows where there were none before. Worker safety and security are paramount.
On the 12-position CH-47F production line, positions seven and eight are critical, Martin said. Here is where some 640-plus wire bundles are checked and functional tests are conducted for such things as fuel system pressure, avionics, and flight and utility hydraulic systems.
The new factory set-up also includes all the functional support offices for areas such as finance, supply management, engineering, and planning.
Once the Chinook completes the 12 stations, it moves outside to a rain test, then to be painted and then on to initial testing.