Boeing's North Charleston plants get certified by FAA

June 28--Boeing's South Carolina operations have received government approval to make and sell airplanes.

The announcement came Wednesday after a signing ceremony at the North Charleston campus delivery center where a Federal Aviation Administration official added the local 787 Dreamliner manufacturing campus and the nearby interiors plant to Boeing Commercial Airplanes' existing production certificate.

The plane-making plant near Charleston International Airport didn't need the certification to build or deliver its jets, and is unrelated to the imminent delivery of the first plane to Air India, Boeing spokewoman Candy Eslinger said Wednesday.

But the site approval eliminates the need for the FAA to OK each airplane before it is handed over to a customer airline, she said.

"The first four airplanes that have already been built are being built to the 787-type certificate," Eslinger said. "What that means is the FAA personnel, they have to review and certify each airplane's airworthiness."

Now, Eslinger said, "Boeing can perform that function under that ... production certificate."

Boeing received the type certificate for the 787 with Rolls- Royce engines in August and the certificate for the 787 with General Electric engines, like those being built in North Charleston, in March.

Richard Aboulafia, a Virginia-based aviation analyst, echoed Eslinger's characterization.

"It basically says the FAA has confidence in your processes and your ability to deliver a fully qualified aircraft to customers," Aboulafia said.

Eslinger said she did not know when the audit of the new facilities started. The massive final assembly building opened a year ago this month. The interiors factory opened off Ladson Road in December and now makes and installs the customer-facing parts on every local 787.

The FAA could not be reached for comment Wednesday. The agency's website describes the certification as "approval to manufacture duplicate products under an FAA-approved type design."

The first S.C.-built Dreamliner has not yet been individually certified by the FAA, Eslinger confirmed, saying that will be one of the last steps before delivery. The airplane took its fifth and sixth test flights over the weekend.

Boeing officials had predicted a June delivery but have not yet announced a date.

"We are getting there," Eslinger said. "We're proceeding well toward our delivery."

Copyright 2012 - The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C.