Dubai: Boeing has received the first vertical fin built and assembled in the UAE for its 787 Dreamliner. The handover was done by Al Ain based Strata Manufacturing, which specialises in advanced composite aero-structures manufacturing.
This is also the first Dreamliner 787 tailfin built outside of the US. The UAE-built one will be installed on 787 fuselages at Boeing’s facility in South Carolina beginning early 2021.
Made to order
According to Ismail Ali Abdulla, CEO of Strata, “This significant milestone highlights Strata’s success in replicating Boeing’s capabilities, reinforcing the strong partnership between our respective entities, and enhances Strata’s position as a trusted partner across the global aerospace supply chain.
“The strength and depth of our partnership has also enabled us to work closely to expand our engineering and manufacturing capabilities, and navigate through the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Strata 787 vertical fin production line is run by 47 technicians, inspectors and engineers, of whom 40 per cent are UAE nationals. The aim is to have 75 full-time staff by the end of 2022.
Boeing and Strata’s working arrangement began in 2011, when the US manufacturer named the UAE entity as a Tier 1 supplier to produce the parts for 777 and 787 airplanes.
