(December 16, 2003) The Boeing Co. today announced it has selected Everett, Washington as the final assembly location for its new 7E7 aircraft following a six-month evaluation of proposals from sites across the U.S.

In a written release, Boeing says that it and McCallum Sweeney Consulting, Inc. "evaluated the proposals against criteria designed to find the final-assembly location that would best support the 7E7 business plan."

Boeing announced last month that the 7E7 program management and design integration teams will also be based in Everett. The company expects to announce airplane systems and engine partners for the 7E7 in 2004.

Boeing says the 7E7 family of airplanes "will carry 200 to 250 passengers on flights up to 8,300 nautical miles. Three models of the airplane are in development, including a short-range version for flights of 3,500 nautical miles with 300 passengers in two-class seating. The 7E7 will be more efficient, quieter and have lower emissions than other airplanes while offering passengers greater comfort and the convenience of direct, non-stop flights between more cities around the world."

Boeing's Board of Directors gave the company's Commercial Airplanes unit the go-ahead to begin offering for sale the new 7E7 Dreamliner passenger airplane...meaning Boeing can now make sales proposals to airlines. The company said it "expects those sales proposals to result in firm customer commitments and a production go-ahead, or formal launch, in 2004."