As the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner faced a perennial string of delivery delays since its roll-out in July 2007, the competing Airbus product, A330-200 high gross weight (HGW) version gained traction as airlines sought to cut their fuel costs amid skyrocketing oil prices. Early parts which are heavier, in addition to the discovery of a delamination issue prompting the side-of-body modifications and the addition of fasteners, coupled with a 2%-4% higher …Read More
Boeing eyes 787 improvements along with production ramp-up (Update1)
It is hardly a surprise when Chicago-based airframer Boeing missed its 2011 delivery targets on the beleaguered 787 Dreamliner and 747-8 programmes, after delivering a combined 12, consisting of 9 Boeing 747-8F freighters and 3 787 Dreamliners, against the original target of 15 to 20 aircraft envisioned, including 5-7 787 deliveries, in October when the company announced its strong third-quarter profit of US$1.1 billion (“Boeing posts stellar 2011 third-quarter profit …Read More
Boeing 737 MAX sees a bright year ahead (Update1)
After witnessing an unprecedented order influx at its transatlantic arch-rival’s re-engined Airbus A320neo (new engine option) aircraft which garnered 1,196 firm orders only one year since its launch in December 2010, Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer Boeing looks set to enjoy a similar orders bonanza for its re-engined 737 MAX aircraft in 2012 as it received a staggering US$19 billion firm order for 150 737 MAX and 58 additional 737 NG (next-generation) …Read More
Airbus A350 faces further challenges but business case remains sound
In releasing its 2011 third-quarter pre-tax profit of €1.1 billion, European plane-maker Airbus parent European Aeronautics, Defence & Space Co. NV (EADS) announced the Airbus A350-900 XWB’s entry into service (EIS) has been delayed by up to six months. The start of final assembly of the first A350-900 was deferred to the first half of 2012 and its first flight is now scheduled for early 2013 from the airframer’s previous …Read More
Boeing posts stellar 2011 third-quarter profit amid 787 & 747-8 concerns
- Boeing cash flow plummets as 787 inventory builds up – Boeing 787 block size in line with analysts’ forecasts – Boeing says 787 has a steeper learning curve than consensus – 787-10X to be launched in 2012: sources – 747-8I Intercontinental completes all flight tests – Boeing leans towards 68 inches for 737 MAX engine fan size: sources Chicago-based Boeing, the world’s largest integrated aerospace company, has posted a …Read More
Initial 747-8 woes will not affect aircraft’s business case
It was a sigh of relief when Luxemburg-based freight carrier Cargolux International Airlines finally took the first delivery of the 747-8F freighter, the cargo version of Chicago-based airframer Boeing’s revamped iconic jumbo jet, on 12th October and its second example the following day, after resolving a month-long dispute centred on the performance shortfall in the specific fuel consumption (SFC) of the aircraft’s General Electric (GE) GEnx-2B engines. This also put …Read More
Challenges remain as Boeing 787 becomes reality
When Boeing delivered its first 787 Dreamliner to its launch customer All Nippon Airways (ANA) on 25th September, not only did it mark an end to more than 3 years of delays in the revolutionary aircraft’s first delivery which had originally been envisioned to take place in May 2008, the Chicago-based airframer also turned a dream into reality (“Boeing 787 is a dream (almost) come true“, 11th Jul, 11) in …Read More
Interview: Virgin America chief executive David Cush
Since its founding in 2007, Virgin America has often been questioned by not only airline industry analysts, but also some of its domestic rivals, on its business model. The Burlingame, California-based carrier, which is partly owned by British media mogul Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, has yet to achieve a full-year profitability in its more than 3 years of operation. In the first quarter of this year, VX reported a US$29.5 million operating loss, …Read More