Boeing's Wing Production Bottleneck Threatens Rate Hike Targets

Boeing's efforts to increase its aircraft production rate are facing an unexpected hurdle - its own wing production. According to CEO Kelly Ortberg, the company is struggling to reach a monthly production rate of 47 single-aisle jets in Renton, despite having adequate supply chain capacity for turbofans and engine parts from CFM International.

Ortberg stated that 'the area where we're constrained right now is our wings production' and that it's taking longer than expected to see flow improvements. He noted that the company has plans in place to address this issue and move towards the next rate, but acknowledged that they are not yet stable at 47 Max jets per month.

As a result, Boeing's target of reaching a production rate of 52 737s per month by the end of 2026 now appears unlikely. The company has been working to secure production line certification for the North Line in Everett, Washington, which is needed to support the higher production rate.