^That'd be my thought as well. STL has too much air traffic for drone test flights; BLV would be much more accommodating. I don't see a massive pivot from Hazelwood to Mascoutah.
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^It make sense they'd do a lot of seekrit stuff in spots with lower spotter density and poorer access. But just because the design work and prototype was done in Hazelwood doesn't mean full-scale production will happen there. There's a good chance they will have plenty of space for it since the F-15 and F-18 lines really are nearing the end of their lifecycle. (Even if they win a few more contracts. They're still old designs and they can't keep building them forever.) But . . . I sincerely hope they're working hard on bids to replace both airframes since the F-21 turned out to be a bit of a bust and the F-35 is looking to follow the leader in that regard. Has it even been decided what plant will build the T-7? I know it will be here, but "here" is a bit nebulous. They've certainly closed down old lines and built new buildings to replace them before. (New buildings do sometimes allow better lines, after all.) Anyway, wherever they build it, I'm glad to see it succeed. It's certainly a win for the folks in Hazelwood no matter how you skin it.
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^Sure. That'll keep the line going a few more years at least. But it won't last forever. Nothing does. And it's surely a lot closer to the end now than the beginning. They've got to be thinking about what comes next.
They were talking last night on Donnybrook about how unusual it's been to see a local Congressperson (Cori Bush) actively oppose defense contracts in her own district.
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The new T-7 is finally having some teething issues after a mostly issue-free start to its life thus far. The supplier issues aren't really anything Boeing can do much about, but the wing rock issue is something they'll have to figure out. Hopefully it's nothing too major and the production slip ends up only being a year.
https://www.airforcemag.com/technical-problems-t-7a-production-decision/
https://www.airforcemag.com/technical-problems-t-7a-production-decision/
The Air Force, in a statement, said there are multiple issues inhibiting the Red Hawk’s progress toward production. For example, the Milestone C decision, or full-rate production, slipped from 2022 to 2023 because of supplier’s critical parts shortages, initial design delays, and the need for more testing after the “discovery of aircraft wing rock,” which means the T-7 can be unstable in the roll axis when flying at high angles of attack.
...
The Air Force has touted the use of digital engineering for the T-7, with then Air Force Secretary Barbara M. Barrett announcing in September 2020 that Boeing’s Red Hawk trainer jet would be the first plane to earn an “e” designation, as the eT-7A, signifying it was designed and tested using digital engineering. Digital engineering uses advanced computer modeling and simulation, and technology like virtual and augmented reality, to quickly draw up hardware blueprints and vet how various configurations would work in the real world without building a physical prototype.
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^Pure guesswork, but I'd bet that the supplier issues are related to semiconductors, the lack of which has held back multiple manufacturers across industries and sectors, domestic and international. If this is the case, then the year-long delay is quite reasonable and may open up within that time. What can we make of "aircraft wing rock"?
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Yeah, semiconductors seem pretty likely to be the culprit. The automotive sector is absolutely desperate for them (which is why a lot of 2021 models are actually downgrading certain dash elements back to analog equivalents), and anyone who's trying to build a PC knows about the squeeze too.
Don't know much about wing rock or how it is mitigated, but I'd imagine Boeing has had experience with it in the past considering the company's long history in the defense sector (including MDD in that), and I don't don't that they'll be able to tweak the final design or engineer some kind of fix for it. Apparently it's something that's pretty hard to model, so it might not have even come up during the computer modeling they did for the T-7, which is why all plane models still undergo rigorous test flying, I suppose. With any luck, the supplier delays should give them adequate time to get a fix in order before they even have to think about getting production ramped up. Who knows - they might even be able to incorporate test data into their models to make them more robust and make problems for any future product they design less likely.
Don't know much about wing rock or how it is mitigated, but I'd imagine Boeing has had experience with it in the past considering the company's long history in the defense sector (including MDD in that), and I don't don't that they'll be able to tweak the final design or engineer some kind of fix for it. Apparently it's something that's pretty hard to model, so it might not have even come up during the computer modeling they did for the T-7, which is why all plane models still undergo rigorous test flying, I suppose. With any luck, the supplier delays should give them adequate time to get a fix in order before they even have to think about getting production ramped up. Who knows - they might even be able to incorporate test data into their models to make them more robust and make problems for any future product they design less likely.
Federal lawmakers look to fund 12 more St. Louis-made Super Hornets
https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... ornet.html
https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... ornet.html
Boeing’s St. Louis F-15 program continues to soar, could add 500 jobs in coming years
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1
Dignitaries foreign and domestic crowded a hangar north of Lambert Field on Wednesday morning to see the latest version of the fighter jet built for the Persian Gulf nation of Qatar. Elsewhere, employees were putting together planes for the first order from the U.S. Air Force since 2001. And the man overseeing it all said his workforce is continuing to grow to accommodate demand. There are now 1,600 people assigned to the program, said Prat Kumar, a Boeing vice president and manager of F-15 programs. That’s a gain of 500 jobs in the last two years.
“And that could double, depending on how things go,” Kumar said.
..............
The U.S. Air Force inked a $1.2 billion contract last July for eight updated planes, two of which were delivered earlier this year. Congress passed a budget with money for 12 additional planes in December. And in its most recent budget proposal in May, the Air Force said it expects to buy 144 in total. Kumar said that will keep the line going through the end of the decade.
It may not stop there, though. Kumar said the Air Force contract provides for the purchase of up to 200 planes depending on its need. The new American model has also attracted interest from several potential foreign buyers, he said.
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^There was some discussion on Twitter about the delegation arriving. Apparently they rode in aboard a Quatari A340.
The Belleville News Democrat has additional reporting on Boeing's activities at MidAmerica Airport:
https://amp.bnd.com/news/local/article253914263.html
Apparently, the St. Clair County’s Public Building Commission approved a 20-year lease agreement between MidAmerica Airport and Boeing, which includes three 20-year renewal options.
I don't know what Boeing has planned for MidAmerica Airport, but my hope is that they're planning on producing drones there for governmental and non-governmental customers.
https://amp.bnd.com/news/local/article253914263.html
Apparently, the St. Clair County’s Public Building Commission approved a 20-year lease agreement between MidAmerica Airport and Boeing, which includes three 20-year renewal options.
I don't know what Boeing has planned for MidAmerica Airport, but my hope is that they're planning on producing drones there for governmental and non-governmental customers.
^ Not much more detail in this BJ article, other than this little bit I found interesting (emphasis mine):
With the coming light rail expansion and investment in the airport itself, I'm all for Boeing getting a sizable base of employees out there.
https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... 4#cxrecs_sThe Belleville News-Democrat reported that a document from St. Clair County's Public Building Commission, which OK'd the lease, says the project includes "significant job creation," economic development for the region and "significant revenue" to the county. The lease is for 20 years, with three 20-year renewal options. It dictates that Boeing will pay $65,000 in rent in its first year, with that amount rising to $450,000 annually afterward, the newspaper reported, adding that the funds will be reinvested in the airport.
With the coming light rail expansion and investment in the airport itself, I'm all for Boeing getting a sizable base of employees out there.
I wonder if the $45 million "MidAmerica St Louis Airport Distribution Improvements" detailed in the St Louis Regional Freightway's 2022 Priority Freight Projects is tied to this Boeing project?
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I'd say it definitely considers it. However, I believe the real interests lie in the massive acreage around BLV. I had meetings years ago with the airport about cargo flights going in and out of there. Their prior director told me that they wanted to develop something like 160 acres, maybe more, into an industrial park to serve logistics operations. That land is owned by BLV but is just farmland, enough that the airport director was considered like the second-largest farmer in all of southern Illinois. The new Rieder Road exchange at 64/40 was built with this expressly in mind.
A rail spur extension definitely would help further industrial and logistics developments to this area. I'd love to see it.
And, I think BLV's a great fit for Boeing, especially for drone flights and general test flights. It'll never supplant Lambert. It's great to have multiple sites.
A rail spur extension definitely would help further industrial and logistics developments to this area. I'd love to see it.
And, I think BLV's a great fit for Boeing, especially for drone flights and general test flights. It'll never supplant Lambert. It's great to have multiple sites.
Just saw this! This is a big win for the region!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Good news. Probably could be merged with the Boeing's future in St. Louis thread: https://urbanstl.com/viewtopic.php?p=347317#p347317
It looks like an announcement will be made later today that Boeing will manufacture drones for the US Navy at MidAmerica Airport:
https://www.ibjonline.com/2021/09/17/bo ... a-airport/
https://www.ibjonline.com/2021/09/17/bo ... a-airport/
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STL Biz Journal: Boeing will produce Navy drones at new $200M MidAmerica St. Louis Airport production facility
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300K sq.ft. production line, employing 150, to be completed early 2024. The current contract is for 7 Stingrays, being built for testing and validating the program, with the potential for 70+ to be bought by the Navy. Good times.
300K sq.ft. production line, employing 150, to be completed early 2024. The current contract is for 7 Stingrays, being built for testing and validating the program, with the potential for 70+ to be bought by the Navy. Good times.
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How the ***** did hillbilly Governor blow this for Missouri
‘Hard decisions’: Navy plans cuts to Boeing’s Super Hornet upgrade program
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1
Interesting Read: I wonder if this came up at all earlier this month when Pritzer was at the Mid America ground breaking?
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerosp ... 021-10-07/
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerosp ... 021-10-07/
StlToday - Congress boosts funding for Boeing-made F-15EX and F/A-18E/F fighters
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... e11a0.htmlJet maker Boeing saw the bill increase F-15EX fighter jet funding to allow for the purchase of 17 planes. The Pentagon had requested 12 in May. Congress put funding for 12 Boeing-made F/A-18E/F Super Hornets into the bill, after the Pentagon requested zero.