Boeing 787-10 or 777-8x: decision Likely This Year

A potential double-stretched 787-10 variant depends more on what Boeing decides to do with the 777 more than anything else.

Not for the first time, talk about a double-stretched 787 has entered the fray only this time, Boeing’s decision to establish a dedicated development team for the 777 puts the decision making into a rather grey area. Some of this is compounded by the ever-growing uncertainty over the rival Airbus A350-1000, which thus far is failing to make the grade on paper (or sales) against the 777-300ER.

There is equally the possibility that Boeing could do both moves and squeeze the big Airbus jet – it is a poor selling model in contrast to other 777, A350 and 787 variants. For whatever its worth, there’s more chance of a 787-10 and/or enhanced 777 emerging than there is of a so-called 150 seat CSeries.

Boeing hopes to make a decision this year on the 787-10 and aims to ensure that this larger-capacity 787 avoids cannibalizing sales of the 777, another family of Boeing aircraft that also may be getting new models, the 777-8X and 777-9X. While the 777 looks more than likely to benefit from a revamp rather than a full overhaul, this is paced more with the fact that the larger A350-1000 is still undefined and program sources attribute significant issues with the baseline A350-900 that have to be ironed out first before a stretch can happen, much less meet the advertised specifications Airbus has listed. 

Boeing is loathe to grow the 787 into 777 territory – a stretch too far, and you end up with a useless airplane like the A340-600 which trades passengers and payload for range and is saddled with higher costs.

A second stretch of the 787 would also raise engine thrust issues, affecting performance. As Boeing studies its options with 777, the company feels that a lower cost approach to improving that would be far more beneficial to countering the perceived angst any A350-1000 could cause.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh said, “We will do the 787-10 by all likelihood. We’re now working through design concepts. Assuming the customer interest is there, later this year [a decision will be made], and we will have something to offer toward the end of the year.” He says the 787-10 will have a shorter range than the -9 but will be able to carry 40 more passengers, so “the economics are very good.”

The fact that the 787-10 is a stretch of the 787-9 means it will be in the realm of the 777 in terms of seating capacity. Albaugh, however, suggests otherwise. “We think we’ve got a good separation between the models. There’s 15% separation between the models. We’ve spread the sizing between them, so we don’t cannibalize any one aircraft.”

There have been some reports about a 777-8LX model, which promises more range, but Albaugh is dismissive. “I’ve seen something on a chart mentioning that, but I am focused on the 777-9X and 777-8X,” he says, referring to the new stretched version of the 777-300ER and 777-200, respectively. Albaugh was speaking to Aviation Week in Singapore yesterday during a media roundtable.

He says the 777-8X and 777-9X are hugely important to the company. Boeing sold 200 777s last year, and the aircraft is unbeatable in terms of efficiency, asserts Albaugh. But he also says Boeing is mindful of the fact that Airbus is planning the A350-1000, and declines to disclose details on the 777-9X, except to say “it will be a significant improvement over the 777-300ER.”

As for the 737 MAX, Albaugh says, “I hope we can have a couple of thousand orders before we deliver the first aircraft.” Boeing already has secured firm orders for the 737-8 and 737-9. Albaugh says it also has secured a 737-7 customer, but has yet to disclose who that is.

Albaugh declines to say when the 737 MAX specifications will be locked, but asserts they are already effectively firmed up because Boeing is giving MAX customers guarantees when it comes to the specs. He also says, “I don’t want to over-promise and under-deliver. I want to ensure that it is on spec and delivered on time.” Boeing has learned from the lessons of the 787 program, he adds.

Boeing has started delivering 787-8s, but has had to do some post-production fixes to the aircraft in response to concerns about delamination.

Boeing says 787 woes should be in the past now

Boeing says 787 woes should be in the past now

A top Boeing executive said the plane maker is frustrated with its latest 787 Dreamliner production glitch, but that it should not delay output goals.

Boeing vice president of development Mark Jenks said at a news conference yesterday in Singapore that the company has fixed a shimming problem discovered earlier this month on about 787 fuselages. Jenks said Boeing still plans to boost production from a current two to three 787s a month, to 10 of the planes a month by the end of next year. Jenks said the production mistake was “clearly frustrating and we’d rather it not happen.”

Boeing delivered its first Dreamliners last year to All Nippon Airways after several delays pushed back delivery by three years. ANA has so far received just two of the mid-sized, fuel-efficient jets, which is set to star at the Singapore Airshow this week where companies touting private jets and defense hardware to the Asian market will also be out in force.

Not to be outdone in Singapore, Airbus SAS — Boeing’s European rival — will display a large-scale model of its A350 XWB, which is still under development and is scheduled to enter into service by 2014. The A350 XWB is a mid-size, long-range plane which its makers tout as using 25 percent less fuel than similar sized aircraft in use today.

With Europe mired in a debt crisis and the US economic recovery still gaining traction, the world’s aircraft makers, major defense contractors and aerospace companies are looking at Asia’s robust markets, analysts said. Singaporean Second Minister for Trade and Industry S. Iswaran said Asia will account for 29 percent of global aircraft deliveries by 2026 and 32 percent of world air traffic in 2028.

However, with several airlines having already announced major purchases during the past 18 months, a key area of interest at the airshow — which starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday — will be the growing market for private jets in a region with expanding ranks of super-rich. “I’m expecting more focus on the private jet market,” said Shukor Yusof, a Singapore-based aviation analyst at Standard & Poor’s Equity Research.

“I think makers like Bombardier, Gulfstream and Embraer have more to offer in terms of the growing private jet business in mainland China and parts of Southeast Asia,” he said. Shukor said Asian tycoons are increasingly drawn to the convenience of a private jets over commercial flights, especially in a geographically fragmented region. “It’s more than just a status symbol, it’s more for practicality ... It’s probably more economical as well,” he said.

Defense companies will also make their presence felt at the biennial show.

India recently said it prefers the Rafale, made by French firm Dassault Group, over the Eurofighter after an intense bidding process for 126 fighter jets in a contract estimated to be worth US$12 billion. It is the world’s biggest single defense deal currently in process and underscores the region’s potential as a lucrative defense market.

“I think we can describe the picture in the Asia-Pacific market as an arms race,” said Guy Anderson, chief analyst at Jane’s Defence Industry. “We have a combination of growing national wealth, emerging national resources and the need to protect growth,” he said. “The rise of China remains a factor, but there are also numerous lower level regional rivalries ... Countries typically seek to achieve parity with their regional peers.”

For the first time, a Land Defense Expo will be launched in conjunction with the Singapore Airshow, organizers said. Consultancy Frost and Sullivan estimates the Asia-Pacific market for land defense systems should reach US$9.4 billion by 2016, up from US$5.4 billion in 2009.

The shift by regional armed forces toward weapons centered on high-tech networks, including the use of drones, is among the drivers for military modernization program, according to analysts.

Source:AP and AFP, SINGAPORE

Airbus and Boeing: a rivalry began 40 years ago, when one was David and the other Goliath (Part 3)

Forty years ago, the world was abuzz over the Boeing 747 and the BAC-Aerospatiale Concorde both whom had just made their first flights just a few months before. Within months of the 1969 Paris Air show the European aerospace companies created Airbus Industries which would take on the industry leaders of the day Boeing, Lockheed, and McDonnell Douglas. Today Airbus and Boeing are the two survivors battling it out in an intense global duopoly.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range, mid-size wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It seats 210 to 290 passengers, depending on the variant. Boeing states that it is the company's most fuel-efficient airliner and the world's first major airliner to use composite materials for most of its construction. The 787 consumes 20% less fuel than the similarly-sized Boeing 767. Some of its distinguishing features include a four-panel windshield, noise-reducing chevrons on its engine nacelles, and a smoother nose contour. The 787 also features a state of the art cockpit and passenger cabin. Boeing even offers its own version of the famous Airbus cabin "mood lighting".

As for the A 380, the 787 development and production has involved a large-scale collaboration with numerous suppliers around the globe. Final assembly is at the Boeing Everett Factory in Everett, Washington. The aircraft's initial designation was 7E7, prior to its renaming in January 2005. The first 787 was unveiled in a roll-out ceremony on July 8, 2007, at Boeing's Everett assembly factory, Originally planned to enter service in May 2008, the project has suffered from multiple delays.

While Boeing had been working to trim excess weight since assembly of the first airframe began, common for new aircraft in development, the company stated in December 2006 that the first six 787s were overweight, with the first aircraft expected to be 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) heavier than specified. According to International Lease Finance Corporation's (ILFC), the 787-9's operating empty weight was around 14,000 lb (6,400 kg) overweight. The seventh and subsequent aircraft would be the first optimized 787-8s and were expected to meet all goals, with Boeing working on weight reductions. As part of this process, Boeing redesigned some parts and made more use of lighter titanium.

Boeing had originally planned for a first flight by the end of August 2007 and premiered the first 787 at a roll out ceremony on July 8, 2007, which matches the aircraft's designation in the US-style month-day-year format (7/8/07).

On September 5, Boeing announced a three-month delay, blaming a shortage of fasteners as well as incomplete software. On October 10, 2007, a second three-month delay to the first flight and a six-month delay to first deliveries was announced due to problems with the foreign and domestic supply chain, including an ongoing fastener shortage, the lack of documentation from overseas suppliers, and continuing delays with the flight guidance software. Less than a week later, Mike Bair, the 787 program manager was replaced. On January 16, 2008, Boeing announced a third three-month delay to the first flight of the 787, citing insufficient progress on "traveled work".

On April 9, 2008, Boeing officially announced a fourth delay, shifting the maiden flight to the fourth quarter of 2008, and delaying initial deliveries by around 15 months to the third quarter of 2009. The 787-9 variant was postponed to 2012 and the 787-3 variant was to follow with no firm delivery date. On November 4, 2008, the company announced a fifth delay due to incorrect fastener installation and the Boeing machinists strike, stating that the first test flight would not occur in the fourth quarter of 2008. After assessing the 787 program schedule with its suppliers, Boeing confirmed on December 11, 2008 that the first flight would be delayed until the second quarter of 2009.

Boeing featured its first 787 in a roll-out ceremony on July 8, 2007, at its Everett assembly factory, by which time it had become the fastest-selling wide-body airliner in history with nearly 600 orders. A total of 861 Boeing 787s have been ordered by 56 customers as of April 2009.

On December 15, 2009, Boeing conducted the Dreamliner's maiden flight with the first 787-8, originating from Snohomish County Airport in Everett, Washington and landing at Boeing Field in King County, Washington Completed flight testing in mid-2011. Final Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency certification was received in late August 2011 and the first model was delivered in September 26 2011. and the first commercial flight was in October 26

After initially claiming the A330 would be able to compete with the 787 Dreamliner, the massive success of the 787 prompted Airbus to develop and announce the A350XWB (eXtra Wide Body) which will become more of a competitor to the Boeing 777 as well as some models of the Boeing 787. The A350XWB cabin is 13 cm (5.1 in) wider at eye level than the competing Boeing 787, and 28 cm (11 in) narrower than the Boeing 777, and all A350 passenger models will have a range of at least 8,000 NM (15,000 km). Like the Boeing 787, the A350XWB will make extensive use of composite materials in place of the traditional aluminum, and have a state of the art cockpit. The fuselage will be of parallel cross-section from Door 1 to Door 4 thus providing for maximum volume in the passenger cabin. The plane has till date logged 483 orders and is currently under development and scheduled to enter service in 2013, about the same time the 787-9 variant of the Dreamliner will.

Now the challenge will move on the single-aisle aircraft, with the A320neo and the 737MAX, and so the rivalry and one-upmanship carries on. But there will be time to talk about this.

Boeing announces design changes for 737 MAX

Boeing has announced which will the engine for the 737MAX

The company released the new details Thursday to try to stem the momentum of the hot selling A320neo, Airbus' revamp of its single-aisle jet family that features an even larger new engine that will produce the most fuel-efficient and least-costly jet in the single-aisle market.

The current models of the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737 split the single-aisle market roughly down the middle. Boeing needs the MAX to maintain that share against the neo. The 737 chief project engineer, said the current 737 is lighter and more fuel efficient than the current A320, and the new MAX design will leapfrog the neo and have 7 percent better operating economics. The engine for the 737 MAX will have a larger, 68-inch diameter fan and a lower weight affects about 30 percent of its operating costs, and more efficient, lighter design and requires less thrust than other airplanes in this class, which is important because weight and thrust have a significant effect on fuel efficiency and operating costs. Airbus decided two years ago to add a new engine to its A320 single-aisle jet and received hundreds of firm orders at this year's air show. Boeing followed suit and said Thursday that it now has 600 commitments for the new MAX, up from 496 when it launched the program in August.

John Hamilton, the 737 chief project engineer, said:"There's a much better structural efficiency that goes into the 737 design than into the Airbus design," Boeing will increase the engine fan size from 61 inches on today's 737 to 68 inches on the new MAX engine — called the LEAP, being developed by CFM International. A bigger fan sucks in more air, providing greater thrust. But Boeing's increase in engine fan size just matches the fan size of today's A320.

"Today, our (737) engine is 7 inches smaller than the Airbus (A320) engine, and yet we have lower operating costs," Hamilton said. "The 737-900ER is nearly 50 pounds lighter per seat" than the comparable A321. The MAX "doesn't need the high thrust requirements that the Airbus product has," he said. "When you look at drag, fuel efficiency and weight, the 68-inch fan is really the optimum solution for the 737 airplane going forward." It said in one year, a fleet of 100 will save 175 million pounds of jet fuel and save $85 million in fuel costs. Boeing said the amount of fuel burned should be 16 percent less than the competitors are burning now and 4 percent less than future offerings.

Airbus spokeswoman Mary Anne Greczyn dismissed that claim, saying Boeing is struggling to overcome a structural limitation: that the 737 wing sits closer to the ground than the A320's wing, so that a larger, more fuel-efficient fan won't fit. "If a smaller fan engine were to generate the appropriate level of efficiency, we could have easily incorporated that, since we are not constrained as our competitor, " Greczyn said. "The A320neo family is designed to benefit from the aircraft's inherent advantage." He acknowledged that Boeing is behind Airbus in its re-engine program, the A320neo, but said there's a lot of interest from airlines in Boeing's model. "It's a huge growth market," he said of single-aisle jets. "The customers are responding quite well, and we expect several hundred more commitments soon."

Hamilton said the engine will be the largest change for the 737 MAX, but he noted several smaller ones. Boeing will refine the 737 airframe design in relatively small ways without changing the overall size of the planes. The larger, heavier engine will necessitate strengthening of the wing and parts of the fuselage, as well as designing a heftier strut to hold the engine on the wing and making minor system changes. Boeing will also lengthen the nose landing gear to raise the wing slightly and reshape the tail cone to streamline the air flow. and it will introduce fly-by-wire spoilers — the hinged parts on the wing that rise on landing to increase drag — which means they will be operated by computer rather than by direct cable connections.

Boeing said Thursday it continues to work with customers to see what they want in a new model aircraft. Boeing launched the 737 MAX in August; Airbus launched the neo last December and by the summer had captured more than 1,000 orders from airlines eager for more fuel-efficient planes.


Hamilton said customers are "responding well" to Boeing's preliminary design and that he expects "several hundred more commitments soon." Boeing won't finalize the design until 2013, he said.

The neo, due to enter service in 2015, at the end of September had 918 firm orders plus an additional 319 purchase commitments. The MAX, scheduled to enter service in 2017, has no firm orders. But on Thursday Boeing said it has garnered 600 purchase commitments from eight airlines, including some U.S. carriers.

Hamiliton called the 737 the most popular and reliable commercial jet and said it has sold more than 9,000 of the Renton-built aircraft.

Boeing has not announced where it will build the new 737 model, although analysts say it would be difficult for it to meet its deadlines if it tries to build entirely new production facilities elsewhere. Boeing executives say they will decide by the spring. Company spokeswoman Karen Crabtree said Thursday that the Renton site "has the skill base and knowledge to incorporate the production changes" needed for the MAX.

Airbus and Boeing: a rivalry began 40 years ago, when one was David and the other Goliath (Part 2)

Forty years ago, the world was abuzz over the Boeing 747 and the BAC-Aerospatiale Concorde both whom had just made their first flights just a few months before. Within months of the 1969 Paris Air show the European aerospace companies created Airbus Industries which would take on the industry leaders of the day Boeing, Lockheed, and McDonnell Douglas. Today Airbus and Boeing are the two survivors battling it out in an intense global duopoly.

On 19 December 2000, Airbus decided to end the three decade old monopoly of the Boeing 747 jumbo jet and formally launched the largest passenger aircraft in the world, the Airbus A380 super jumbo. The megaproject was announced at the 1990 Farnborough Air Show, with the stated goal of 15% lower operating costs than the 747-400. Airbus organized four teams of designers, one from each of its partners (Aérospatiale, Deutsche Aerospace AG, British Aerospace, CASA) to propose new technologies for its future aircraft designs. The A380's upper deck extends along the entire length of the fuselage, which allows for a cabin with 50% more floor space than the next-largest airliner, the Boeing 747-400 and provides seating for 525 people in standard three-class configuration or up to 853 people in all economy class configurations. Most airlines have outfitted their A380s with luxurious first class private suites, one even offering on-board showers.

The first A380, serial number MSN001 and registration F-WWOW, was unveiled at a ceremony in Toulouse on January 18, 2005.

But initial production of the A380 was troubled by delays. Airbus cited as underlying causes the complexity of the cabin wiring , its concurrent design and production, the high degree of customization for each airline, and failures of configuration management and change control.

Airbus announced the first delay in June 2005 and notified airlines that deliveries would be delayed by six months. His reduced the total number of planned deliveries by the end of 2009 from about 120 to 90–100. On 13 June 2006, Airbus announced a second delay, with the delivery schedule undergoing an additional shift of six to seven months. Although the first delivery was still planned before the end of 2006, deliveries in 2007 would drop to only 9 aircraft, and deliveries by the end of 2009 would be cut to 70–80 aircraft. On 3 October 2006, upon completion of a review of the A380 program, the CEO of Airbus, Christian Streiff, announced a third delay, pushing the first delivery to October 2007, to be followed by 13 deliveries in 2008, 25 in 2009, and the full production rate of 45 aircraft per year in 2010.

As Airbus prioritized the work on the A380-800 over the A380-800F, freighter orders were canceled by FedEx and UPS, or converted to A380-800 by Emirates and ILFC. Airbus suspended work on the freighter version, but said it remained on offer, albeit without a service entry date. For the passenger version Airbus negotiated a revised delivery schedule and compensation with the 13 customers, all of which retained their orders with some placing subsequent orders, including Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Air France,Qatar Airways, and Korean Air. The first aircraft, as delivered to Singapore Airlines on 15 October 2007 and entered service on 25 October 2007 Two months later, Singapore Airlines CEO Chew Choong Seng said that the A380 was performing better than both the airline and Airbus had anticipated, burning 20% less fuel per passenger than the airline's existing 747–400 fleet.

Boeing didn't want to lose a VLA (Very Large Aircraft) monopoly, and at the same time develops the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental (to compete with the A380) the fourth-generation Boeing 747 version, with lengthened fuselage, redesigned wings and improved efficiency, and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Perhaps the effort to develop two programs at the same time has caused delays.

Boeing had considered larger-capacity versions of the 747 several times during the 1990s and 2000s.In the 1996 Farnborough Airshow, announced would have stretched the 747 and used a 777-derived wing, but did not attract enough interest to enter development. In 2000, Boeing offered the 747X and 747X Stretch derivatives as alternatives to the Airbus A3XX. This was a more modest proposal than the previous . The 747X would increase the 747's wingspan to 229 ft (69.8 m) by adding a segment at the root. The 747X was to carry 430 passengers up to 8,700 nmi (16,100 km). The 747X Stretch would be extended to 263 ft (80.2 m) long, allowing it to carry 500 passengers up to 7,800 nmi (14,400 km). However, the 747X family was unable to attract enough interest to enter production. Some of the ideas developed for the 747X were used on the 747-400ER.

After the 747X program, Boeing continued to study improvements to the 747. The 747-400XQLR (Quiet Long Range) was meant to have an increased range, with better fuel efficiency and reduced noise. Changes studied included raked wingtips similar to those used on the 767-400ER and a sawtooth engine nacelle for noise reduction. Although the 747-400XQLR did not move to production, many of its features were used for the 747 Advanced.

In early 2004, Boeing announced tentative plans for the 747 Advanced that were eventually adopted. Similar in nature to the 747X, the stretched 747 Advanced used technology from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to modernize the design and its systems. On November 14, 2005, Boeing announced that it was launching the 747 Advanced as the "Boeing 747-8. 

The 747-8 was intended to use the same engine and cockpit technology as that of the 787, including the General Electric GEnx turbofan and partial fly-by-wire. Boeing said that the new design would be quieter, more economical, and more environmentally friendly than previous versions of the 747. As a derivative of the already-common 747-400, the 747-8 has the economic benefit of similar training and interchangeable parts. Boeing claims that the 747-8 is more than 10 percent lighter per seat and will consume 11 percent less fuel per passenger than the A380, translating into a trip-cost reduction of 21 percent and a seat-mile cost reduction of over 6 percent

Production of the first 747-8 Freighter began in Everett in early August 2008. On November 14, 2008, Boeing announced a delay to the 747-8 program, citing limited availability of engineering resources within Boeing, design changes, and the recent strike by factory workers. On July 21, 2009, Boeing released a photograph of the first cargo airplane, its fuselage and main wing assembled.

In February 2009, only one airline customer (Lufthansa) had ordered the 747-8I passenger model, and Boeing announced it was reassessing the 747-8 project. Chief executive Jim McNerney stated that continuation of the project was not a foregone conclusion. The company was assessing various options.

In October 2009, Boeing announced that it had delayed the first flight on the 747-8 until first quarter 2010 and delayed 747-8I delivery. In response, launch customer Cargolux stated it still intended to take delivery of the thirteen freighters it had ordered; Lufthansa confirmed its commitment to the passenger version. On November 12, 2009, Boeing announced that Cargolux's first airplane was fully assembled and entering the Everett plant's paint shop. It will undergo flight testing prior to delivery.

On February 8, 2010, after a 2.5-hour weather delay, the 747-8 Freighter made its maiden flight, taking off from Paine Field, Washington. On March 17 the third -8F made its first flight and joined the test program. Boeing still plans to display the 747-8F at the 2010 Farnborough Airshow, along with the 787, although appearances by both aircraft are contingent on flight testing remaining on schedule. During the flight tests, Boeing discovered a buffet problem with the aircraft, involving turbulence coming off the landing gear doors interfering with the inboard flaps. Boeing undertook an evaluation of the issue, which included devoting the third test aircraft to investigating the problem. The issue was resolved by a design change to the outboard main landing gear doors. In early April 2010, Boeing identified a possible defect in a part at the top of the fuselage called a longeron. According to Boeing, the parts, manufactured by subcontractor Vought Aircraft Industries, are, under certain loads, susceptible to cracking. Boeing said that the issue would not affect flight testing, but other sources stated that the problem could impact the operating envelope of the aircraft until it is fully repaired. Two other problems have been found, with oscillation in the inboard aileron, and a structural flutter, and have not yet been resolved. Combined, these problems have slowed flight testing and used up almost all the margin in Boeing's development schedule. 

On September 17, 2011 Cargolux announced that it would not accept the first two 747-8Fs due to "unresolved contractual issues between Boeing and Cargolux" with the aircraft. The 747-8F's first commercial flight was planned for September 26, 2011 by Cargolux from Luxembourg. After resolving their contractual issues, Boeing handed over the first 747-8F to Cargolux in Everett, Washington on October 12, 2011. The freighter then flew to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport and picked up cargo before flying to Luxembourg.

Airbus and Boeing: a rivalry began 40 years ago, when one was David and the other Goliath (Part 1)

Forty years ago, the world was abuzz over the Boeing 747 and the BAC-Aerospatiale Concorde both whom had just made their first flights just a few months before. Within months of the 1969 Paris Air show the European aerospace companies created Airbus Industries which would take on the industry leaders of the day Boeing, Lockheed, and McDonnell Douglas. Today Airbus and Boeing are the two survivors battling it out in an intense global duopoly.

In 1969 was clearly for Boeing. Its 747 Jumbo Jet reigned for more than 36 years as the Queen of the skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide body ever produced. The latest version of the aircraft, the 747-8, is in production and scheduled to enter service in 2010 but the project is highly delayed.

France and Germany, the founders of the consortium, were later joined by Spain and the United Kingdom set up the Airbus Industries consortium in 1970 and launched their first plane, the A300. The first twin engine wide-body aircraft, the A300 entered service in 1974 with Air France. The A300 was the first airliner to use just-in-time manufacturing techniques. Complete aircraft sections were manufactured by consortium partners all over Europe. These were airlifted to the final assembly line at Toulouse-Blagnac. Incidentally, today Boeing uses the same technique, ferrying the wings and other parts of the 787 Dreamliner from production facilities in the far east.

To counter the Airbus A300 and Boeing launched development of its twin-engine wide-body the 767 in 1978 which entered service in 1982. The 767 was conceived and designed in tandem with the narrow-body Boeing 757 twin-engine jet with both aircraft sharing common design features and flight decks. The 767 was followed the A300 cockpit and became the first Boeing wide-body airliner to enter service with a two-person crew flight deck, eliminating the need for a flight engineer. The first 767 entered service in 1982. Though orders started tapering off in the 1990s, updated versions of the plane are still in production, including the 767-400ER (extended range) model. American Airlines has outfitted many of its 767s with the Aviation Partners winglets in a bid to improve the fuel efficiency. There have been over 1,000 767s ordered with over 900 delivered as of 2009. The -300/-300ER models are the most popular variants, accounting for approximately two-thirds of all 767s ordered. As of 2009, Delta Air Lines operates the largest 767 fleet of any airline.

Airbus next widened its product offering and offered a replacement for the venerable Boeing 727 three-engine jet, the most popular aircraft at the time. At the same time the A320 also targeted Boeing's best seller the narrow-body 737. After the oil price shocks of the late 1970s, the new Airbus would be of the same size, yet offer vastly improved operating economics and significantly quieter engines. The digital technology in the A320 would herald a two generation technological leap over the all-analogue Boeing 727 and a generation ahead of the hybrid Boeing 737-300/-400/-500 series. The new Airbus was also wider than the 737s by almost eight inches providing passengers that crucial extra inch of shoulder space in the same six abreast seating layout. In 1984 Airbus launched the A320 and again Air France was the launch customer, The airliner became the best selling aircraft for Airbus, who quickly developed two shorter and smaller versions, the A319 and A318, and the longer and larger A321. The Boeing 737 is the best selling commercial airliner of all time, with the 6,000th aircraft being delivered very recently. 

Goaded by the runaway success of the modern Airbus A320 Boeing initiated development of an updated series of 737, now called the 737 Classic, with the 737 Next Generation or Next Gen (737NG) program encompassing the -600, -700, -800 and -900 was announced on November 17, 1993. The first NG, the 2,843rd 737 built, to roll out was a -700, on December 8, 1996. The 737NG is essentially a new aircraft retaining important commonality from previous 737 models. The wing area is increased by 25% and span by 16 ft (4.9 m), which increased the total fuel capacity by 30%. Coupled with the new, quieter, fuel-efficient CFM56-7B engines range is increased by 900 NM. Boeing also bridged the generational gap with the A320 bringing in the full "glass cockpit" with six LCD screens and modern avionics. The passenger experience was also spruced up with improvements similar to those on the Boeing 777, featuring more curved surfaces and larger overhead bins. To compete with the A321 on April 27, 2007, Boeing delivered the first of the newest 737 variant, the 737-900ER, to launch customer Lion Air. Seating capacity is increased to 180 passengers in a 2-class configuration or 215 passengers in a single-class layout. Additional fuel capacity and standard winglets improve range to that of other 737NG variants.

Following the success of the A320, Airbus next introduced the four engined A340 and twin-engine A330 mid-sized aircraft in 1987. While the A340 was designed to compete in the long distance over-water intercontinental routes, Airbus intended the A330 to compete directly in the ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operation Performance Standards) market, the Boeing 767, but airlines purchased it to replace the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 since the A330 is 38% more fuel efficient.

The A330's fuselage and wings are virtually identical to the A340 thus offering a common rating for both aircraft a'laing 767/757. Both the A340 and A330 borrow heavily from the A320 fly-by-wire and flightdeck, thus offering airlines the ability to move pilots between the narrow and wide-bodies with minimal training, again like the Boeing 767/757. But the A340 was not as successful the A330 was.

Boeing responded the best way it could; by introducing the world's largest twin-engined jet the 777, commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven" The 777 can carry between 283 and 368 passengers in a three-class configuration and has a range from 5,235 to 9,380 nautical miles (9,695 to 17,372 km). Designed to bridge the capacity difference between the 767 and 747, the original 777-200 model first entered service in 1995 with United Airlines, and was stretched by 33.3 ft (10.1 m) as the 777-300 introduced in 1998. The 777-300ER (Extended Range) and 777-200LR (Long Range) variants entered service in 2004 and 2006, respectively, while a freighter version, the 777F, first flew in 2008. It's ease of use, passenger comfort, and operating economics have made it a favourite of airlines, and the 777 has blow the bottom out of the Airbus A340.

TURBOPROP'S COMEBACK

In a general overview very uncertain, turboprop aircraft are regaining ground against most expensive jet.

The first civil turboprop flight took place in 1950, when a Vikers Viscount carried passengers from London to Paris. In the next 60 years, turboprop airline had their ups and down, many manufactures  as British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) with its Jetstream 31, 32, 41  and ATP, Dornier with Do 228 and 328, Embraer with Bandeirante and Brasilia, Fairchild with Metroliner , Fokker with F50 and Saab with models 340 and 2000 disappeared. Now there are only two major players, ATR and Bombardier. In some niche market there are attempts to revive products. like the 19 seaters segment, where Viking is re-launching the Twin Otter and RUAG the Dornier 228. The market's evolution has brought an increasee in capacity, thus the segment between 19 and 50 seaters has shrunk, while the 70 seaters are growing. Overall, the total number of turbo liners worldwide decreased from 1.700 in 2000 to 1.500 in 2006, and then it has remained stable, and deliveries are now about 100 per year.

The current comeback of props is essentially due to the growing cost and excessive fluctuation of fuel cost, while passengers are now perceiving the propeller just as safe and as modern as the jet.

The so called jet mania is over, and the smaller routes need a turboprop, instead of the more expensive jet, to remain profitable. According ATR, in the next 20 years airlines need 3.100 new turboprops, for a value of 70 billionnn dollars: 1.600 70 seaters, 1.000 90 seaters and 500 50 seaters. This trend is further confirmed by the fact that leasing companies are more and more interested in these aircraft. Currently 150 ATR airlines belong to leasing companies, 20% of the total, twice as many as two years ago.

ATR now has backlog of 223 orders, its highest ever, which represent a value of 5 billion dollars and three years of production, it has received a total of 10152 orders, 40% of them after 2005. Bombardier. on the other hand, now offer just its Q400 70seaters, which has lost its appeal, despite some recent upgrade of it interiors, A stretched version of Q400 was announced a few years ago, but then all traces of this project were lost, while the CRJ900 was stretched into the CRJ1000. The Canadian company produces also the CRJ jets and is concentrating its energies on the CSeries family. While ATR received 78 orders at the last Paris Air Show, worth 2.4 billion dollars, plus options for 32 more, Bombardier didn't sell a single Q400, and the backlog for this model stands at just 55 aircraft.

Airbus: South Pacific Carriers Will Need 736 Aircraft Worth $98 Billion

Demand Seen For Larger, More Efficient Aircraft Over The Next 20 Years

According to Airbus’ latest Global Market Forecast, between 2011 and 2030, carriers in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands region will require 736 new passenger and freighter aircraft (above 100 seats) valued at $98 billion. The region’s close links to emerging economies are the main contributor to traffic growth with business and tourism set to grow steadily. Urbanization and a doubling in the number of mega cities from two to five in 2030 and a bigger middle class base will also spur traffic growth. Low Cost Carriers will continue to expand and their market share of traffic between the region and Asia is forecast to increase to some 35 per cent by 2030. 

Airbus forecasts a regional growth rate of 4.8 per cent per year up to 2030, matching the world average, but outstripping all other developed aviation markets such as North America (2.5 per cent, domestic) and Western Europe (3.5 per cent, inter regional).

The region’s requirement for 736 new passenger and freighter aircraft includes 468 single aisles, 211 twin aisles, and 57 very large aircraft (VLA). Of these, 731 will be passenger aircraft, broken down as some 380 for growth, and 349 for replacing older models with more fuel efficient ones. In 20 years, the region’s passenger fleet will almost double from some 400 aircraft today to over 780 by 2030.

John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers says, “More people want to fly. Load-factors will continue to rise. Add to this higher fuel costs and infrastructure which cannot keep pace with growing demand, then larger more fuel efficient aircraft are the only sensible choice, and this is confirmed by our latest Global Market Forecast.The long term market appetite for high capacity, high productivity aircraft like the A380 remains healthy".

Globally, in the next 20 years, Asia Pacific including China and India will be at the center of the world’s strongest demand for aircraft (34 per cent) and by 2030, the largest share of traffic (33 per cent). This concentration of demand, together with its historical links to Western markets will drive business and tourism in the region. Traffic growth between Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Island’s region and China (6.2 per cent), India (5.6 per cent) and the rest of Asia (5.7 per cent) is forecast to be significantly quicker than the world average 4.8 per cent. 

Interest Growing In 777 Freighter Conversion

Boeing is already speaking to potential customers about a future program for Boeing 777 passenger-to-freighter conversions, but when this program will be launched depends on 777 residual values coming down.

Senior VP-Commercial Aviation Services Lou Mancini declines comment on when the 777 freighter conversion program will launch, but says, generally, there is a 20-year rule governing when it becomes suitable to make a freighter conversion program available. If this rule is applied to the 777, then it means Boeing would launch a 777 freighter program in 2014-15, in time to have the first aircraft completed in 2017, he says.

But the key to when Boeing will launch a 777 passenger-to-freighter conversion program is the residual value of the 777 passenger aircraft and, at this stage, there is no sign that 777 residual values are falling, says Mancini.

Boeing also needs to secure a sizable launch customer to kickstart the program. The aircraft maker has been approached by potential customers, and Boeing has done the designs for the conversion and analysis to show what the operating costs and performance of such a freighter would be, says Mancini.

Once Boeing is ready to launch the program, there also is a strong possibility that a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company in Asia may be chosen to do the work.

Mancini says Boeing Shanghai, Taikoo Aircraft Engineering Co. in Xiamen and Singapore Technologies Aerospace in Singapore would be contenders. Boeing is a shareholder in the two Chinese facilities. Taeco already performs 747-400 passenger-to-freighter conversions. Boeing Shanghai has no passenger-to-freighter conversion programs, but Boeing was looking to have Boeing 767 passenger-to-freighter conversions done there before the 2008 global economic downturn put an end to that plan.

ST Aero could be well-positioned to win the deal, because it has a close relationship with Boeing. It already does 767 and MD-11 passenger-to-freighter conversions. ST Aero, which is a government-linked company, could also make use of national carrier Singapore Airlines to help secure the deal. SIA is one of the largest 777 operators in the world. The Southeast Asian nation also is a logistics hub, so it has close business ties with cargo companies, such as FedEx, which could be a future customer for 777 converted freighters. But Boeing Shanghai's advantages are that Boeing is a major shareholder in this MRO and that China is a bigger market than Singapore.

(Via AVIATION WEEK)

Cargolux: no deal reached on Boeing 747 delivery

Cargolux Airlines International on Friday said it has made progress but has not reached a deal to resolve a contract dispute that abruptly blocked a scheduled delivery of the first Boeing 747-8 Freighter last month.

The freight carrier said talks would continue over the weekend and that it would provide an update when a deal is reached. The company gave no estimate for when that would be.

The elongated version of Boeing's largest plane had been set for delivery September 19, but Cargolux suddenly refused to take the plane, embarrassing the world's second-largest aircraft maker.

"We continue to work with Cargolux and look forward to delivering its airplanes," said Boeing spokesman Jim Proulx.

Boeing and its customer previously had declined to identify the source of their friction.

But last week Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive of Qatar Airways, which recently took a 35 percent stake in Cargolux, said the delay was because of General Electric engines not meeting performance guarantees.

He said the issue had been resolved, and that the plane would be delivered around October 12. But he declined to say whether Luxembourg-based Cargolux would receive compensation from GE for the engines not meeting agreed standards.

Boeing has taken 75 orders for the 747-8 Freighter, which lists at $319.3 million, according to the company's website.

Another customer, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, last month terminated orders for three early-production Boeing 747-8 Freighter jets, citing lengthy delivery delays and "performance considerations."

Boeing also is testing a passenger version of the updated 747-8, dubbed the Intercontinental, which it plans to deliver in the fourth quarter to an unidentified VIP customer.

The upgraded 747 promises to burn less fuel, and the passenger version offers more comforts. The plane also boasts new wings, a new tail, state-of-the-art engines and a new cockpit. Production of the 747-8 has been delayed by more than a year. The 747 was the world's largest airplane until 2005, when EADS unit Airbus unveiled its A380.

Last month, Boeing finally made first delivery of its 787 Dreamliner, a carbon-composite plane, capping three years of delays to delivery of that plane. The lightweight, fuel-efficient 787 represents a bigger leap in technology than the revamped 747-8.

(Via Reuters)

Airbus sells 1,179 aircraft in Jan-Sept but sold fewer planes than Boeing in September

Airbus sold fewer planes than Boeing in September but maintained a strong advantage over its U.S. rival in the first nine months of the year after setting the pace in the market for narrowbody jets, company data showed on Thursday.

The European planemaker said it sold 23 aircraft last month, bringing its order total for the year to 1,179 passenger jets. Net orders, adjusted for cancellations, stood at 1,038.

Boeing sold 530 aircraft between Jan. 1 and Sept. 27, and net orders after cancellations stood at 425 aircraft, according to its latest data. Sales included 46 new orders booked in late September.

Airbus scored a commercial success this year with a revamped version of its A320 narrowbody jetliner, offering airlines fuel savings from 2015.

But analysts say Boeing is expected to bounce back in the order race after agreeing to carry out a similar engine upgrade on its best-selling 737 plane.

Competition between the two models dominates the aircraft industry and sales in the roughly 150-seat category are predicted to reach $2 trillion over 20 years.

Sales have so far held up despite fears of a new recession, driven by growth in emerging markets and a long-awaited move by U.S. carriers to renew inefficient fleets.

Airbus said earlier it had finalised an order for 110 jets from Australia's Qantas , including 78 of the revamped A320neo jetliners. The deal is likely to be reflected in the next monthly order announcement for October.

The EADS subsidiary said it had delivered 374 aircraft in the first nine months of the year, including 16 A380 superjumbos. Delivery is the point at which airlines and lessors pay the bulk of the aircraft's agreed price. 

(Via REUERTS)