Boeing far from 7E7 sales goal, says it's not backing down

SEATTLE (AP) -- Officials with Boeing say they're not giving up on a goal of getting 200 orders by the end of the year for its new 7E7 jetliner.<br/><br/>Boeing is expected to hire 500 new employees

Thursday, December 30th 2004, 2:19 pm

By: News On 6

SEATTLE (AP) -- Officials with Boeing say they're not giving up on a goal of getting 200 orders by the end of the year for its new 7E7 jetliner.

Boeing is expected to hire 500 new employees at its plant in Tulsa to build components of the new jet's wing.

Boeing has firm contracts for just 56 of the new plane and agreements to sell 122 of what is being called the "Dreamliner."

But spokeswoman Susan Bradley says Boeing isn't backing off its goal of 200 orders for the jet.

Analysts say it won't be serious if Boeing doesn't make its self-set goal -- as long as the orders start coming in 2005.

Boeing says its new plane will be more fuel-efficient and carry more cargo than similar airplanes on the market today.