Photo: Mechanics such as Mike Bennett in Everett, Wash., install components on core engines for the 777, 767 and 747 programs. 777. Struts, parts that connect the engines to the wings, roll in on mobile tool platforms and can be rotated during assembly similar to a rotisserie, enabling easier employee work access. Kits with pre-assembled parts and neatly organized tools help employees work more safely and efficiently. Bar charts on computer screens track different jobs in real time. 14 | BOEING FRONTIERS In a far corner, massive 777 engines arrive in pairs, wrapped in blue, vacuum-sealed shipping bags. They fit snugly into side-by-side work bays, suspended in air by extra-strength cables. Mechanics use scissor lifts, curved ladders and step stools to access work areas. They install fire-detection and antiicing devices, generators, brackets, ducting, tubing, pumps and wire bundles. Crew members who prepare the GE90 for airplane assembly realize the significance of it all. “Every once in a while I stand back and look at the engine and sigh—it’s impressive,” mechanic James Fletcher said. Everett employees currently are preparing a workspace to accommodate an even bigger engine, the GE9X, which will power the
Frontiers November 2016 Issue
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