The thought about the 757 jigs and production line crossed my mind the other day and I couldn't find what happened to it. Does Boeing still have it? Is the production line still intact? Do the jigs still exist?
And, last but not least, if market conditions were right, would it be possible to reuse these and start building he same fuselage again?
Sorry for yet another 757 post...
Thanks,
Moderators: jsumali2, richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
I'm guessing they still have some cases of spare parts lying around in a big warehouse up in Washington. 
I remember reading somewhere that the line has to be "retooled" before it can be used again, and that factor was one of the reasons the line never came back. Last 757 I believe was delivered to FM on November 28th, 2005.
Of course, they probably have support and maintenance infrastructure for the birds that need it.
Random question, but why do most translantic 752s use RB.211s instead of the PW2000 variant? And why isn't the 753 used to hop across the pond? Not enough range?
-LPDAL
I remember reading somewhere that the line has to be "retooled" before it can be used again, and that factor was one of the reasons the line never came back. Last 757 I believe was delivered to FM on November 28th, 2005.
Of course, they probably have support and maintenance infrastructure for the birds that need it.
Random question, but why do most translantic 752s use RB.211s instead of the PW2000 variant? And why isn't the 753 used to hop across the pond? Not enough range?
-LPDAL
TWU represented. All of my views and posted content are mine alone, and should not be viewed as official communication from my employer, its subsidiaries thereof, or any other entities or airlines.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
The tooling is gone. The line became the second 737 production line.
Now, on to your regularly scheduled 90 response thread of why Boeing should have never killed the 757....
Now, on to your regularly scheduled 90 response thread of why Boeing should have never killed the 757....
PHX based
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting 777stl (Reply 2): The tooling is gone. |
Is it possible to create another set of tooling at all? They should still have the schematics.
-LPDAL
TWU represented. All of my views and posted content are mine alone, and should not be viewed as official communication from my employer, its subsidiaries thereof, or any other entities or airlines.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
Sure, they can rebuild the tooling. The question is whether there's a business case to justify the cost of doing so.
PHX based
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting LPDAL (Reply 1): why isn't the 753 used to hop across the pond? Not enough range? |
Heavier airframe with the same engines and wings as the 200. Not sure if USA-Iceland is possible with a decent payload, but I suspect that if it was, I think FI would have more than one 753.
And that's this armchair engineers $.02 worth for the day!
When wasn't America great?
The thoughts and opinions shared under this username are mine and are not influenced by my employer.
The thoughts and opinions shared under this username are mine and are not influenced by my employer.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting 777stl (Reply 4): Sure, they can rebuild the tooling. The question is whether there's a business case to justify the cost of doing so. |
Probably not. I wonder how the A321 is doing in that regard.
| Quoting TWA772LR (Reply 5): Heavier airframe with the same engines and wings as the 200. Not sure if USA-Iceland is possible with a decent payload, but I suspect that if it was, I think FI would have more than one 753. |
Yes, i just remembered FI has some of them. Here in the USA post-merger UA has PMCO examples and DL has 753s from Northwest. I think I flew on one on ATL-FLL, after returning from SAT. The DL ones just got a sweet upgrade to both cabins seen here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...nterior-mod-tracking-thread-3.html
-LPDAL
TWU represented. All of my views and posted content are mine alone, and should not be viewed as official communication from my employer, its subsidiaries thereof, or any other entities or airlines.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting LPDAL (Reply 3): Is it possible to create another set of tooling at all? They should still have the schematics. |
Sure, it's possible. But why, when there aren't any customers? Besides, as already pointed out, the assembly line is now building 737s, which are selling like hotcakes and are pretty much sold out through the end of the decade. So, Boeing would need a new assembly plant as well, not just the tooling.
| Quoting LPDAL (Reply 6): I wonder how the A321 is doing in that regard. |
The A321 is a variant of the A320 family and uses a lot of the same parts and assembly lines (I can't specifically recall, but I think I've read that the A320 is built in Toulouse and the A319/321 in Germany, but I don't think there's any real technical reason for that). So, if the A321 doesn't sell, they can just build an A319 on the same line. And vice versa, if the A319 isn't selling, they can build an A321.
You can't alternate between building a 737 and a 757 on the same line.
I was raised by a cup of coffee.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting hOmSaR (Reply 7): You can't alternate between building a 737 and a 757 on the same line. |
I think the fleet commonality is a great advantage of the A32X program.
| Quoting hOmSaR (Reply 7): Sure, it's possible. But why, when there aren't any customers? Besides, as already pointed out, the assembly line is now building 737s, which are selling like hotcakes and are pretty much sold out through the end of the decade. So, Boeing would need a new assembly plant as well, not just the tooling. |
Yeah, that probably ensures that the 757 won't return to production in the foreseeable future. Thanks for the info.
-LPDAL
TWU represented. All of my views and posted content are mine alone, and should not be viewed as official communication from my employer, its subsidiaries thereof, or any other entities or airlines.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting LPDAL (Reply 8): Yeah, that probably ensures that the 757 won't return to production in the foreseeable future |
The 757 won't return to production ever. Some day, there may be a plane with similar size and range capabilities, but it won't be a 757.
The 757's days as an in-production frame ended in 2006. There will never be a return, foreseeable or not.
I was raised by a cup of coffee.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting hOmSaR (Reply 7): Sure, it's possible. But why, when there aren't any customers? Besides, as already pointed out, the assembly line is now building 737s, which are selling like hotcakes and are pretty much sold out through the end of the decade. So, Boeing would need a new assembly plant as well, not just the tooling. |
Many airline are holding on to their 757s due to the fact there is no real replacement for the aircraft. The 737-800 might be selling well but the 900 can never replace the 757-200/300 and thats what many airlines want and i do believe Boeing is begining to take them seriously even though it might be a niche market.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting beeweel15 (Reply 10): The 737-800 might be selling well but the 900 can never replace the 757-200/300 |
757-300, no, but as for the 900 "never" replacing the 757-200, that's exactly what's happening at UA and DL.
I was raised by a cup of coffee.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting hOmSaR (Reply 9): The 757 won't return to production ever. Some day, there may be a plane with similar size and range capabilities, but it won't be a 757. The 757's days as an in-production frame ended in 2006. There will never be a return, foreseeable or not. |
Thanks for the information.
| Quoting beeweel15 (Reply 10): Many airline are holding on to their 757s due to the fact there is no real replacement for the aircraft. |
I heard this as well, and TATL operators are looking for a suitable replacement IIRC.
-LPDAL
TWU represented. All of my views and posted content are mine alone, and should not be viewed as official communication from my employer, its subsidiaries thereof, or any other entities or airlines.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting LPDAL (Reply 1): I'm guessing they still have some cases of spare parts lying around in a big warehouse up in Washington. I remember reading somewhere that the line has to be "retooled" before it can be used again, and that factor was one of the reasons the line never came back. Last 757 I believe was delivered to FM on November 28th, 2005. Of course, they probably have support and maintenance infrastructure for the birds that need it. |
The spares unit maintains both high use spares, lease-able spares and rotatable spares, vendors of vendor designed parts also stock parts and components for authorized repair stations.
not only are the tools gone, the buildings (except the FAL) are gone.
as someone noted above, the 757 will never reappear, however a better plane for that niche may or if you believe the rumors will be forth coming, although there will be those who will deride it as just another old tech tube between to engines..
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- Fixinthe757
- Posts: 246
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RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
Boeing still has the 757 tooling.
Jon Ostrower (WSJ) confirmed it during FIA2014.
Quote from his twitter: "The answer to the much asked question: Yes, I've confirmed Boeing still has the 757 tooling http://t.co/KcRKG4JxGe #FIA14"
Cheers
LTH
Jon Ostrower (WSJ) confirmed it during FIA2014.
Quote from his twitter: "The answer to the much asked question: Yes, I've confirmed Boeing still has the 757 tooling http://t.co/KcRKG4JxGe #FIA14"
Cheers
LTH
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting LTH (Reply 15): Boeing still has the 757 tooling. |
Take John's word loosely.. Boeing has some of the tooling, Spirit has some, vendors have some, however those pieces are related to building spares and repair parts.. They can build a rudder but not a fin, they can not build a wing but can build (or have old suppliers build) flaps, slats, etc. They can mill and form skin panels but not build a new section. Journalists frequently ask simple questions and companies respond in general terms.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting kanban (Reply 16): Take John's word loosely.. Boeing has some of the tooling, Spirit has some, vendors have some, however those pieces are related to building spares and repair parts.. They can build a rudder but not a fin, they can not build a wing but can build (or have old suppliers build) flaps, slats, etc. They can mill and form skin panels but not build a new section. Journalists frequently ask simple questions and companies respond in general terms. |
Yes, I do, no worries.
I was not expecting that Boeing could start the whole 757 production again tomorrow.
LTH
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting hOmSaR (Reply 9): The 757 won't return to production ever. Some day, there may be a plane with similar size and range capabilities, but it won't be a 757. |
Boeing did offer this niche aircraft as the 787-300. No airline wanted it. By the time the US majors have retired all of their 752s, the 737MAX or A321NEO will probably be able to handle most of the 752 missions. What few flights are left will either be up gauged to a 767/787/A330, or will be axed.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting TWA772LR (Reply 5): Heavier airframe with the same engines and wings as the 200. Not sure if USA-Iceland is possible with a decent payload, but I suspect that if it was, I think FI would have more than one 753. And that's this armchair engineers $.02 worth for the day! |
The range with winglets should be around 3,500 nm. Icelandair uses the B757-300 to the east coast for example JFK.
They had ordered a second one, but she was cancelled when Boeing wanted to close the B757 line.
They have tried to buy a used one, but all B757-300 are in use.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
Many here say they don't have the tooling and so on but I imagine it wouldn't be too hard to make one. Indeed the assembly line is being used for the 737 but if there was available building space, it might be possible. The 757 has basically the same 737 fuselage (correct me if I am wrong) and the cockpit is similar to that on the 767 inside. Both models are still in production, so the major difference on the 757 from models in production today would be wings and landing gear I imagine, if the engines are still produced. I'm shooting in the dark here but maybe it's a possibility.
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- B757Forever
- Posts: 899
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RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting rg787 (Reply 20): I'm shooting in the dark here but maybe it's a possibility |
Most anything is a possibility if cost is not an issue. It is neither practical or financially feasible which is why it will never happen. I love the 757 as I have worked in, on and around them mostly 5 days a week for more than 25 years. It has always been my favorite commercial jet. Nothing matches it's performance, beauty or stance. Sadly the remaining aircraft will slowly retire from passenger service or become freighters. I hope it's a long, long time before the a.net topic du jour is "when will the last 757 retire?"
[Edited 2014-07-31 17:33:54]
The Rolls Royce Dart. Noise = Shaft Horsepower.
RE: What Happened To The 757 Production Line?
| Quoting rg787 (Reply 20): I'm shooting in the dark here but maybe it's a possibility. |
Let's look deeper, the building now housing the 737 was only the FAL.. the buildings where the fuselage sections were assembled have been torn down and the property sold.
while quite a few people on the outside fantasize about a secret stash of tools and materials, I spent many years in both the sub assembly and FAL. There is no secret stash, there is no major tooling, while components look to be identical to other models, they weren't. the engineering was more mature than the 737, the materials changed, making a new Frankenstein conglomeration of bits and pieces would not be certifiable let alone safe if flown like a 757.
If a replacement for that niche comes along, I suspect it fits the small end of a composite fuselage /composite wing configuration.. will it be a crotch rocket like the 757.. probably not..
I'd love to see a 314 China Clipper replica, but like the 757 there is no way.. so enjoy those left, fly them before they''re all converted and save the memories for your grandkids. They'll look at you as if you're really old like mine do when I talk of flying on a DC6 or DC8...
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