Production of the 1st Boeing 787Dreamliner has started

The first Boeing 787Dreamliner will roll out of the Everett. Wash. factory on July 8, 2007.

Scott Strode, 787 vice president of Airplane Definition and Production excitedly called to tell us that assembly of the first airplane began yesterday using what he calls, " a new way of building airplanes." (He sent a couple of snaps as well)

The 787 is the fastest-selling new airplane ever with 568 firm orders from 44 airlines, now all they have to do is make them.

Steve Westby who has the nerve wracking job , is 787 vice president of Manufacturing and Quality "The 787 production system is the culmination of the lessons we've learned building previous airplanes." Looking happily over the sleek, smooth lines of the first one on the blocks he might well swell with pride and say ... "Using composites on the 787 airframe has a number of manufacturing advantages. We are able to build huge structure in just one piece, which means we essentially have six major end items coming together in final assembly -- the forward, center and aft fuselage sections, the wings, the horizontal stabilizer and the vertical fin. "

Remarkably no overhead cranes are used to move airplane structure with portable tools, moving the assemblies into place like a giant Lego kit.

This first airplane will take about 7 weeks to assemble, the 787 team has to continuously improve flow time as production ramps up.

Ultimately, a 787 will roll out of the factory every 3 days.

Boeing have bet the factory on this - so far it's looking good. Now everybody is waiting for it to roll out and fly...it certainly looks good so far.