David Robinson

Can you imagine helping to build the huge engines of a jet airplane? That’s what David Robinson does every day.

David Robinson is a lead engine mechanic for The Boeing Company who leads a team working on a type of jet called the 777. David and his crew at Boeing’s Everett, Washington plant have a very important job: they attach the 777 engines to the wings of the plane.

Boeing has been manufacturing airplanes since the early 20th century and now sells its airplanes, jets and helicopters all over the world. The 777, on which David and his crew works, is Boeing’s newest jet airliner. The 777 was developed by Boeing in the early 1990s to meet the needs of Boeing’s customers who want a large jet sized between the smaller 767 and jumbo 747, which would cost less to operate. The 777 was designed to meet all those needs.

The 777-200 extended range, the most popular 777 model, can hold more than 400 passengers at a time, depending on the interior configuration. It can fly more than 8,000 miles without stopping, meaning that it can easily fly across the Pacific, say from Los Angeles to Tokyo. And, because the huge engines that power the 777 are powerful and fuel-efficient, the plane burns less fuel than other jet airplanes, making it cheaper for airlines to operate. The 777 is the first of Boeing’s planes to be designed completely on computer.

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David has worked for Boeing for 20 years. He has received regular trainings to keep him up-to-date on the technology he uses to build planes. He and the crew members who work for him are members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union.

In David’s job, he works with other mechanics and engineers who are constantly working on new and better ways to build airplanes. What does he do when he’s got an idea to improve the manufacturing process? Download the attached case study and help David make his good idea a reality!