Boeing Wins

[udallcustombikes]

For those of you who care it was just announced that Boeing won the bid for the US Air Force's new airborne refueling tankers over EADS, the parent company of Airbus. The USAF has been working on upgrading their Eisenhower era fleet of KC-135s for almost 10 years. This is the third time they have taken bids on it due to the first two times being shrouded in political contraversy. I am glad the a US company will be building the new fleet for our Air Force instead of our tax dollars being sent to a European company.

Check out the full story here.

 

[user 135]

I am glad too. In fact any military bids should specify US made components should make up 70% of the plane, tank, etc....

I also like it because I have been a longtern investor. My grandfather bought my brother and I some stock when we were born. It paid for college and I still have some left, maybe to pay for my kids education.

 

[vanilla_gorilla]

boeing has far better airframes anyway. good to see them gettin some business from uncle sam.

 

[aka_locojoe]

Yes that's great news.

 

[RestoRodSchwinn]

Finally, some good news from the news talkers. I'm the first in a couple of generations that hasn't worked for Boeing. My father retired from Boeing, as did my uncle. My grandfather was hired in the 30s, helped build the wind tunnel, and worked in the model shop for 47 years before retiring at the age of 70 (he's still puttering in his home machine shop at the age of 94, and to bring it back around to bikes, he owns an old Whizzer, and occasionally rides it around town, and he has an old '30s Schwinn in pieces in his attic along with a bunch of other old bike parts).

 

[cashman]

I'm glad Boeing finally won, although the EADS design would have been built here in Alabama. Hope Boeing can keep the manufacture of the components here in the US as much as possible though. That's one thing our local politico's really hammered on with the Boeing vs. EADS bid.

 

[udallcustombikes]

Boeing has said they will be creating 50,000 jobs in 40 states, with Washington state and Kansas getting the bulk of them. I believe one of the big selling points is that Boeing has a workforce and facilities in place already where EADS was going to have to build a new facility and train the newly hired employees.

My company builds the cockpit and forward section of the fuselage of the 767 that Boeing is using for the tanker so the decision brings a bit more job security to my job.

 

[Ratfink1962]

Thats awesome news!

and it couldnt have come at a better time, I may be needing a job due to all the "offloading" at the company I currently work for.

I just spoke with my high school buddy that works contract for Seattle Boeing and he said "get your resume updated and get it submitted" While it would be hard to just pick up and move halfway cross the country... for the kind of money they pay contractors... I would do it in a heartbeat!!