Jan. 6, 2026

To prevent awkward lifts and back strain during the build, 767 mechanics worked as part of an Employee Involvement team to develop a slide-in cart that moves jackscrew tooling into the fuselage. The cart improves workplace safety while also reducing risk of product damage.

Dec. 17, 2025

A new AI tool on Commercial Airplanes factory floors allows inspectors to photograph part numbers instead of entering them manually. The tool automatically records the information in an aircraft readiness log, improving accuracy, reducing manual effort and saving time during inspections.

Oct. 24, 2025

Since new end-of-line inspections were introduced at ww5 Wichita (formerly Spirit AeroSystems), defects in fuselages for the 737 final assembly factory have decreased by about 45%. This process, known as final product verification, adds an additional quality check and enables faster feedback, helping improve production stability.

Oct. 10, 2025

About 40 projectors in ww5's Everett, Wash., factory display work instructions directly onto 777X wings, enhancing accuracy as mechanics install more than 5,000 fasteners per wing panel. This high-tech solution reduces errors and helps teams follow the approved plan.

Sept. 16, 2025

A new hands-on training program gives Quality inspectors realistic practice before they reach the production floor. By working with actual airplane sections and searching for planted, hidden defects, new-hires build skills and confidence, reducing errors and improving inspection accuracy. The program expands ww5’s investment in workforce training and supports long-term product quality.

Sept. 15, 2025

Engineering teams in Everett, Wash., often design and 3D-print simple tools to address recurring shop-floor issues. One redesigned tray protects locator tools and preserves their identification numbers, reducing the risk of foreign object debris (FOD) and helping mechanics work safer and more consistently.

Aug. 5, 2025

ww5 teams have introduced the Design Build Safety process to identify and address risks during production. More than 40 assessments have been completed, generating 1,300 actions to address potential issues. The process helps improve drawings, inspections and shop aids, leading to clearer instructions and safer, higher-quality builds.

Aug. 4, 2025

ww5 teams have expanded a hazard assessment process that identifies when airplanes can safely move to the next manufacturing position in the factory. The approach has helped cut traveled work – unfinished jobs moving down the production line – by up to 50%. By addressing risks earlier, teams are improving production flow, stability and overall airplane quality.

Jun. 30, 2025

At ww5 Salt Lake, the 737 electrical equipment shelves team redesigned its production area to improve workflow and organization. The new layout cut defects by 80%, shortened order lead time and reduced wasted space. Standardizing the process also boosted efficiency, teamwork and overall product quality.

Jun. 3, 2025

Employee Involvement teams, made up of members from Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering and other areas, meet weekly to solve problems and drive improvements. In Portland, one team introduced a new air-powered tool for cleaning drilled metal holes. The change eliminated defects that led to rework and delays, boosting safety and productivity.

May 20, 2025

A new employee-developed tool streamlines how ww5 tracks and validates airplane configuration changes. By compiling data from multiple systems in real time, the tool reduces errors, improves accuracy and shortens reporting from hours to minutes. The tool helps confirm that airplanes in development meet design requirements while supporting more efficient production.

Apr. 15, 2025

New printers have streamlined the way employees label composite shims for the 777X wings. The improved process, inspired by employee feedback, replaces tedious manual labeling, saving hours of work. Each shim now features a QR code for improved traceability, allowing teams to track shims from order placement through installation. This innovation enhances accuracy and improves ergonomics for teammates.

Mar. 20, 2025

The 787 program developed a new solution to protect wing tank air hose fittings and reduce fuel tank damage during production. Using 3D-printed components and protective tubing, the fittings stay securely in place and reduce the possibility of tool mark damage. The change enhances safety, reduces rework and supports more efficient production.

Mar. 3, 2025

The 777X team activated a new production area with expanded space and upgraded equipment for composite wing component fabrication. The improvements enhance accuracy, reduce ergonomic challenges and streamline processes for teammates. With increased automation and capacity, the changes are an investment in long-term production stability.

Feb. 24, 2025

More ww5 supply chain employees are working on the factory floor alongside their manufacturing and maintenance teammates. This approach helps teammates from different disciplines to more proactively address issues, streamline production flow and enhance collaboration.

Jan. 31, 2025

ww5 introduced new guidelines for eliminating FOD – foreign object debris – in its commercial airplanes and production facilities. With simpler language and expectations, teammates now have daily, specific actions, along with more clearly-marked restricted areas in production.

Jan. 20, 2025

ww5 teams resolved a recurring issue in 777X wing assembly by creating 3D-printed covers that protect brackets from minor damage. Previously, disposable tape left the brackets exposed, leaving them vulnerable to scratches. The new protectors are reusable and provide better coverage, resulting in no reported defects so far.

Dec. 12, 2024

ww5 has improved how wires are installed in the wings of 777/777X jets by dedicating two electricians work together instead of one. The process of feeding wires through the wings can be difficult to do alone, which increased the risk of damage that could cause delays and rework. Since implementing this team approach, there has been no need for wiring rework in the wings.

Dec. 9, 2024

ww5 has transitioned to a digital on-the-job training platform for new mechanics and quality inspectors. The digital system offers tailored, role-specific training plans, streamlining the process and reducing administrative tasks, which improves efficiency and ensures readiness for production.

Nov. 13, 2024

ww5 has introduced a new protective tool to address scratches and tool marks on bushings -- round fittings used to join airplane components. This tool covers the bushings during assembly, preventing damage that could require replacements and disrupt production. It is installed as soon as a fuselage enters the factory and removed when the bushings are ready for use.

Nov. 13, 2024

ww5 has improved how panels are installed in the 767 cargo bay. Previously, it was difficult for employees to see or know if screws were pressing into wiring on the back side – causing the potential for chafing and damage. The company now requires capped nut plates to protect the wiring from screws.

Aug. 9, 2024

During a recent internal audit, engineering teams reviewed documentation related to the stow bin installation process on 737 MAX airplanes. The audit was one of many that examined airplane designs and processes. Over the course of eight weeks, teams identified opportunities to reduce defects, improve ergonomics and ensure safety and quality in stow bin installations.

July 30, 2024

ww5 Commercial Airplanes has launched a training for new hires that defines a positive safety culture and emphasizes the importance of the company’s Safety Management System. The training includes in-person instruction, videos and discussions that create a personal connection to product safety and encourage employees to report hazards and prioritize workplace safety.

July 19, 2024

The 787 Dreamliner has 60-70 miles of wires. Our team introduced a new wire bundle training for incoming 787 teammates to ensure that anyone working in the airplane – regardless of their role – is familiar with the basics of wiring and understand how to safely work with or around them.

July 10, 2024

When an ill-fitting O-ring was discovered on a P-8 prior to delivery, ww5 engineers, mechanics and factory leaders worked together to identify the root cause of the issue. Our team discovered that two similar O-rings used near each other were easily confused, so they rewrote the installation plan in question to better identify – and keep separate – the two O-rings. There have since been no related defects found.

July 8, 2024

ww5's Fabrication teams are making improvements to how they store and transport parts to increase quality and stabilize airplane production. From adjusting cart designs to fortifying part protection measures or working with suppliers on packaging protection, the goal is to reduce damage, create safer working environments and streamline processes.

June 20, 2024

An employee spoke up, triggering a quick improvement that helped standardize the work and inspections for drilling holes in small metallic fillers. These half-inch square pieces known as ‘radius fillers’ have holes drilled in the center to serve as a type of washer, but the task was difficult to execute with precision. A new drill guide was produced, and a new process was documented in the build plan, increasing efficiency, and improving first-time quality.

June 11, 2024

ww5 has been enhancing the steps employees must take to remove or loosen airplane parts during production. In addition to proficiency testing, a removal history audit and the Quality team’s required approval, mechanics are required to take a new “When and Why” training to initiate a removal and ensure proper documentation.

June 7, 2024

A 3D-printed tool, designed by a ww5 employee, has eliminated scrap and improved first-pass quality on placard installations for airplane interiors. Teammates install placards, which are transparent markers with adhesive that contain directives, onto curtain tracks. A new placard insert tool allows teammates to seamlessly lay the placard down onto the curtain track without needing to touch the adhesive, reducing residue or fingerprints on the adhesive.

May 23, 2024

Barcoded labels are part of a pilot project helping the 737 team track parts with greater accuracy, reducing frustrating delays in finding the parts needed to complete jobs on the production line. Since mid-April when the pilot began, teams are able to locate parts in minutes instead of hours. Another advancement is the overhaul of the work-in-progress (WIP) racks where parts are stored. These racks have been made to move along with an airplane as it goes through the assembly process.

May 22, 2024

Accessing the engineering drawings and installation plans required for our mechanics to build the airplane has gotten much simpler, thanks to the efforts of the ww5 Information Technology (IT)  team acting in response to feedback from employees.  Previously, as many as 10 clicks across multiple programs could be required by a mechanic to access the necessary documents. Implemented improvements have cut that time in half and eliminated the need to access multiple systems.

May 15, 2024

A new digital platform will eliminate the need for paper training records and improve overall training on the 737 program. Individual training packets can be up to 60 pages long and are difficult to keep track of over the course of the roughly 90-day structured on-the-job (SOJT) training program. In the new digital system, an online application helps trainees track and formally document their progress, while leaders can verify who is ready for a particular job and who needs more attention and training.

May 29, 2024

Through a safety risk assessment process, ww5 aims to perform more jobs in sequence and keep production lines moving to predictably deliver safe, high-quality jets to customers. As part of this pilot project, new signage is hung in 737 production areas to help teams make sure airplanes have critical jobs completed before they are considered “move ready.”  ww5 is using its Safety Management System (SMS) to identify and mitigate hazards that could be disruptive to production, and employees play a key role by raising their concerns through the Speak Up portal and other means.

May 9, 2024

To strengthen the training pipeline, ww5 has invested in about 300 hours of new curriculum resulting in new manufacturing and quality employees receiving up to two more weeks of foundational training, followed by enhanced its on-the-job training with more hands-on learning and mentoring from workplace coaches and peer trainers.

May 11, 2024

ww5 Quality and Engineering teams implemented a new process where they perform additional inspections of nine critical build areas of widebody airplanes during the airworthiness inspection process. The new process is part of an effort to eliminate quality defects and ensure ww5 continues to deliver safe, high-quality airplanes.