Boeing May Produce 3 Versions of MD-95

Boeing Co. is to produce three versions of the MD-95 airplane it inherited by buying McDonnell Douglas Corp., a company official said. Chen Jiande, Boeing’s Beijing-based spokesman, said Boeing has decided to produce the different versions of the aircraft after a study of the aircraft’s viability. “There’ll be three versions: 80 seats, 100 seats and 120 seats,” Chen said. Chen said he could give no details on the cost of the reconfiguration. The changes are expected to be announced on or about Nov. 1. Boeing officials at company headquarters in Seattle appeared surprised by Chen’s statement. Last week, Ron Woodard, president of Boeing’s commercial airplane group, said the company is studying the feasibility of a “family” of MD-95s. Boeing shares rose 44 cents to close at $54.31 on the NYSE.