EVERETT — If you’ve ever complained about paying for parking, consider this: the Boeing Co.‘s tab for parking jets at Paine Field is $75,000 a month.
It’s an agreement in place at the Snohomish County-run airport since June 2010.
The aerospace giant won’t say how many planes it’s parking there, but the county reports that there’s enough space for at least 20 jets, with nine parked there last week.
Boeing will need the extra room through the first delivery of its 787 Dreamliner and 747-8 freighter lines, said Debby Arkell, a Boeing spokeswoman.
Currently, both are expected later this year.
“We do estimate that we’re going to need the space at least through the first deliveries of those two development programs,” Arkell said.
The arrangement is typical for the development phase of jets, she said.
The first 747-8 freighter delivery is expected during the middle of this year and the first 787 delivery during the summer. The first 747-8 passenger plane is supposed to be delivered late this year.
Extra storage space was part of the 787 planning to allow workers to make changes to the aircraft after flight tests, said Scott Lefeber, a spokesman for Dreamliner program.
The rental agreement gives Boeing 1.4 million square feet at the county-run airport, said Brian Parry, an executive director for County Executive Aaron Reardon.
The airplane maker is paying Paine Field’s standard charge per square foot, Parry said. Other airport customers that in the past have entered into similar arrangements include Aviation Technical Services, Sorm Inc., Tatonduk Flying Service, Commercial Aircraft Interiors, Castle & Cooke Aviation and Honeywell.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
