LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Boeing: Boeing Aircraft
built 629 days ago
Boeing's first all-metal monoplane was the Monomail, a cargo and mail aircraft, introduced in May 1930. The Monomail had a sleek, aerodynamic low-wing design, cantilever construction, retractable landing gear, a streamlined fuselage, and an engine covered by a cowling. Only one Monomail Model 200 was built; it was later modified for long-distance passenger service as Model 221A. The Monomail's design was too advanced for the engines and propellers that were available in 1930. The airplane required a low-pitch propeller for takeoff and climb and a high-pitch propeller to cruise. By the time the variable-pitch propeller and more powerful engines were available, newer, multiengine planes replaced it. The Monomail inspired the B-9 bomber, the U.S. Air Corps' first all-metal monoplane bomber, which first flew in April 1931. The two-engine plane could make 186 MPH, had semi-retractable landing gear and metal construction.
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One of the few aviation pioneers still in business today, the Boeing Company is one of only two major commercial aircraft manufacturers in the world. Boeing's goals were ambitious from the start. After little airborne experience, a Seattle timber magnate and ship manufacturer named William Boeing believed he could build a better plane than those he saw flying at the time. In 1915, his first attempt at airplane building resulted in the B&W, a two-person seaplane made out of wood, wire and linen. Only two B&Ws were built, but their sale marked the beginning of a company that would influence the commercial airline industry throughout the rest of the century.
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After World War II, the Boeing Company had good engineers and good businessmen, and wanted to regain a position of prominence in the airline industry with the lessons it had learned with the B-47. It did so with the Boeing 367-80, the famous "Dash-80" prototype, which first flew on July 15, 1954. The Dash-80 served with distinction as a Boeing test aircraft for many years, pioneering new engines and flap systems that were adopted by later designs.
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Boeing ... has a role in the development of each of the three next generation fighter aircraft, all of which were conceived during the Cold War. These include the $62 billion F-22 being built with Lockheed Martin for the Air Force, the $46 billion F/A 18 E-F Super Hornet being built by Boeing for the Navy, and potentially the $200 billion Joint Strike Fighter to be used by the Marines, Navy and the Air Force. Both Boeing and Lockheed Martin had been competing for the JSF contract. In late October 2001, the Pentagon awarded the JSF contract to Lockheed, but there has been discussion of sharing some of the work with Boeing.
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Litigation: In 1989, Boeing ponied up $11 million to settle allegations that it charged too much to put new skins on KC-135 tanker aircraft. The government claimed that “inaccurate information” provided by Boeing caused the Air Force to pay higher prices than it would have paid. In 1974, Boeing settled out of court with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) over payments of $54 million made to 18 countries that subsequently bought Boeing aircraft for a total of $943 million. The SEC ... alleged that Boeing spent at least $27 million paying off 7 foreign governmental officials who were involved with Boeing’s aircraft sales. Since June 2000, the Justice Department has been seeking an estimated $20 million in damages from Boeing for alleged improper installation of equipment on its AH-64A Apache helicopters. The problem-riddled Apache fleet’s latest grounding, which was ordered on June 15, 2001, was the third grounding in the past two years.
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Boeing gradually worked itself out of its problems through special employee training and more efficient procedures. As well as the passenger version, it ... produced a 747-400F freighter that could carry 129 gross tons of cargo and which flew farther than the earlier 747-200F freighter while using 16 percent less fuel. By 1990, the plant was rolling out a new 747-400 every six days. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) modified two 747s for use as Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, the planes that carry the Space Shuttle cross-country. In 1990, two 747s became the new Air Force One, replacing the 707s that had served in that role for almost 30 years. During 1993, the 1000th 747 entered production, and orders for more would support production for years to come.
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