Boeing

The Boeing Company announced today it is establishing an international network of modification and engineering facilities to provide retrofit packages for Boeing commercial airplanes.

Boeing Airplane Services has signed letters of intent with Aeronavali of Italy; B.F. Goodrich, Everett, Wash.; Israeli Aircraft Industries; Singapore Technologies Aerospace and a new consortium of Taiwanese companies. The network builds upon Boeing Airplane Services' existing alliances with Swissair's SR Technics and TAECO of the People's Republic of China, as well as key subcontractor relationships with Aeronavali, Israeli Aircraft Industries and ST Mobile Aerospace Engineering of Alabama. The network also further expands Boeing Airplane Services' global presence as the preferred provider of a full range of engineering and modification services.

The network members will work with Boeing Airplane Services to develop, design and produce new product offerings for the 737, 747-400, 757, 767 and MD-80/-90 airplanes, including major freighter conversions, avionics enhancements, interior reconfigurations and in-flight entertainment system installations. Boeing Airplane Services already provides such engineering work and modifications to the 747-200/-300 , DC-10, MD-11 and other Boeing airplanes through a mix of internal capability and partnerships. The new projects will be managed by Boeing Airplane Services, which will use proprietary Boeing data to help design and test the new retrofit packages.

"We intend to offer our customers worldwide choices for efficient and affordable commercial airplane retrofits," said Joe Gullion, president - Boeing Airplane Services. "This is another step in making Boeing Airplane Services a value-added resource for customers and a profitable business for The Boeing Company."

Gullion noted that other leading modification and engineering organizations also have expressed strong interest in participating in the Boeing Airplane Services network. He said discussions currently are under way with these parties to explore potential working arrangements.

Boeing Airplane Services will assign contracts to the members depending on a number of factors, including each customer's scheduling requirements, the scope of the project, the facility's expertise and cost.

Financial details of the proposed network were not disclosed.

Boeing Airplane Services offers engineering retrofit packages, avionics upgrades, passenger-to-freighter conversions, interior reconfigurations, recovery and repair services and airplane performance improvements. It also provides technical consulting and general contracting support for passenger and cargo airlines.

Boeing Airplane Services is part of the Boeing Customer Services organization, which offers the aviation industry's broadest array of support resources. There are more than 10,000 Boeing airplanes in operation today around the world.