Rebuilding begins at Spirit AeroSystems [Updated w/new picture]

Rebuilding begins at Spirit AeroSystems [Updated w/new picture]:

All photos courtesy of Spirit AeroSystems

Spirit AeroSystems has released several images of the destruction at its sprawling plant in Wichita, Kansas. Its production facilities for Boeing commercial aircraft and other airframers were hit by a Category 3 tornado on 16 14 April. Importantly, nobody in Wichita was killed, and no Spirit AeroSystems employees were injured.

It's still too soon to know how the damage will disrupt assembly lines in Renton and Everett, but Spirit AeroSystems already acknowledges that the short-term delivery schedule is "obviously" impacted.

Despite the destruction shown in the photos, Spirit AeroSystems says its "production capabilities" -- presumably, the tooling jigs and machine shops -- are "essentially intact". [See new photo of undamaged 737 fuselage assembly stations below]. More news coverage is here. 

Spirit AeroSystems chief executive Jeff Turner briefed local news media at 14:00 in Wichita. The communications staff, which still has no access to email, has been heroically posting important updates on Twitter. They also live-tweeted Turner's press conference. Here is what they reported Turner said:

Turner: Power is now up in all substations.
Key is to make infrastructure safe, then we can return to production.

Turner: telling most suppliers to keep
building, but wait to ship. We are gaining confidence hour by hour. Much
different than Sat night.

Turner: production facility overall looks
very good, except for debris. Tools and product overall look fine. We may ship
some things soon.

Turner: no major production areas are
ruined, they just need attention and safety prep.

Turner: a number of areas are
production-worthy, just a few are not. Need power, gas, water etc.