Boeing celebrates 100 years of aviation

Posted by Press Release on July 15, 2016

The Boeing Company is celebrating 100 years of operations.

As stewards of a legacy of pioneering aviation accomplishments, Boeing is launching into its second century ready to build a better future by inspiring the next generation of aerospace visionaries, said a company press release.

The Boeing Philadelphia site has been at the heart of that innovation for more than half a century, with a legacy extending to rotorcraft pioneering companies Piasecki Aircraft and Boeing Vertol, founded in Delaware County in the mid-1940s and 1960, respectively. This year, Boeing’s H-47 Chinook helicopter factory celebrates 50 years of continuous operations in Ridley Township, the release said.

The state of Pennsylvania released a proclamation commending Boeing for its roles as the world's largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems.

The company is a critical part of America’s defense and space industrial base that builds and supports weapons and equipment that our troops use every day to protect the U.S. homeland. The proclamation also highlights Boeing as a corporate citizen and partner in the community.

“Boeing has been an innovation leader for 100 years because our employees have continually brought our founders' legacy to life with an unshakable determination to tackle the world's toughest challenges for our customers,” David Koopersmith, vice president and general manager of the Boeing Vertical Lift Division, said in the release.

More than 4,800 Boeing employees work in Pennsylvania, supporting Boeing products and services including the H-47 Chinook, V-22 Osprey, engineering labs, the Philadelphia Design Center and one of the largest wind tunnels in the U.S.

The Boeing Company is proud to work with more than 500 businesses in Pennsylvania supporting an estimated 13,000 direct and indirect jobs and economic opportunity. Boeing employees are active and committed members of the communities in which they live and work, contributing $2.5 million in charitable contributions in Pennsylvania during 2015.