Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
Leeham News and Analysis
- The Boeing 767 Cross Section, Part 1 November 24, 2022
- Movie Review: Devotion November 21, 2022
- China will accelerate development of its commercial aerospace sector November 21, 2022
- Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 46. eVTOL comparison with helicopter November 18, 2022
- The economics of a 787-9 and A330-900 at eight or nine abreast November 16, 2022
Pontifications: Next new mainline jet likely will be conventionally powered
By Scott Hamilton
May 9, 2022, © Leeham News: Pratt & Whitney thinks a hybrid-electric propulsion system might be ready for installation on the next new airplane from Boeing or Airbus by 2031. But more likely is that the new airplane, whatever design it is, will more likely be powered by a conventional engine that is capable of running on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Graham Webb, the chief sustainability officer at Pratt & Whitney, said PW is “obviously investing in our Geared TurboFan. That’s our bread and butter. We are working to infuse a large number of technologies, including ceramic matrix composites, and aerodynamic improvements to the turbines and the compressor. We’re working on improving the cooling optimization and sealing, and the traditional core efficiency suite of technologies to enable us to get to the higher overall temperatures we need for the next generation cycles.
“We’ve already completed a suite of work with the FAA and our clean aviation program that enabled us to expand the bypass ratio of our Geared TurboFan engine further from where we are till now. We’re going to use that technology to grow the engine. We’ll put a different fan-drive gear system technology as a result of that expansion. That’s kind of like the traditional engine efficiency piece,” Webb said at the Aviation Week’s MRO Americas event in Dallas. LNA spoke with Webb on the sidelines of the huge event, attended by more than 13,000 people.
Under the FAA CLEEN Phase I program, PW developed ultra-high bypass ratio technologies beyond the current 12:1 present in today’s GTF engines. These technologies are ready for deployment for a future new aircraft. The specific bypass ratio of this new engine will be optimized to each installation on the new airframe configurations being developed by the airframers, a spokesperson added.
Bjorn’s Corner: Sustainable Air Transport. Part 18. Advanced Hydrogen Gas Turbines
By Bjorn Fehrm
May 6, 2022, ©. Leeham News: Last week, we looked at how we create the shaft power for the thrust device we discussed before. We described the basics of a hydrogen-burning gas turbine alternative.
When we have liquid hydrogen as fuel, several advanced developments are possible. It’s what we look at now.
Figure 1. Airbus ZEROe hydrogen gas turbine concepts. Source: Airbus.
HOTR: Boeing moving HQ to Washington, DC, was obvious to those looking
By the Leeham News Team
May 5, 2022, © Leeham News: Boeing is moving the corporate headquarters from Chicago to Arlington (VA) (a Washington (DC) suburb), the Wall Street Journal reported. The signs were there for all to see if you were looking.
Boeing closed its headquarters in Chicago as the COVID pandemic expanded. The Illinois/Chicago tax breaks expired. Key corporate communications people relocated already from Seattle to Washington, including Bernard Choi—whose duties expanded from oversight of Boeing Commercial Airplanes communications to the corporate level. There is an under-utilized Boeing building in Arlington.
Already under financial pressure because of the 737 MAX grounding in March 2019, the pandemic made things much, much worse. With no orders flowing into Boeing Commercial and few deliveries after the pandemic grew across the globe, Boeing’s cash flow took a huge hit. Then 787 deliveries were suspended in October 2020 and have yet to resume.
Spirit AeroSystems seeks bigger role in aftermarket
By Scott Hamilton
May 5, 2022, © Leeham News: Spirit AeroSystems has had a tough couple of years. It’s not only had COVID to contend with, but its customer that provides more revenue than any other—Boeing—had a major impact on Spirit’s revenues and profits.
Boeing’s 737 MAX crisis, suspension of deliveries for the 787 and extended delays in the 777X programs all hurt Spirit. The Tier 1 supplier makes the fuselages for the 737s. It makes the nose sections for the 787 and 777. Spirit’s 737 production rate is now 31/mo. Deliveries for the 787 are expected to resume in the second half. Boeing said it will gradually increase production from the current rate of about 0.5 per month to 5/mo (though the timeline remains murky). Production of the 777X is suspended through 2023 while that for the 777-200LRF probably will hover around 2/mo for the indefinite future.
In its 1Q22 earnings release on May 4, Spirit appears on its way toward solid recovery. The company beat street expectations on strong Airbus deliveries, for which it’s also a supplier. Spirit’s own operational improvements and below-the-line improvements contributed to the better than expected results. And free cash flow was stronger than expected. The earnings detail is here.
Impact of Russian Airspace Closure on mid-European airlines
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By Bjorn Fehrm
Introduction
May 5, 2022, © Leeham News: Last week, we looked at what the closure of Russian airspace would mean for North European airlines that fly to Asia destinations like Japan, Korea, or Mainland China.
Our example was Finnair’s route from Helsinki to Tokyo and what it would mean for it cost-wise to fly over the North pole and then down to Tokyo instead of over Russia.
We now continue the analysis with what the air space closure means for a West European airline like Air France. We check the cost increase to fly from Paris to Seoul in South Korea when you can’t use Russian and Ukrainian air space.
Air France 777-300ER. Source: Wikipedia.
Summary
- The costs for Air France from Russia’s airspace closure are more manageable than for Finnair.
- Longer-term, it will mean changes to the route structure for affected airlines.
Airbus 1Q2022 results; A better year ahead but conditions tricky
May 4, 2022, © Leeham News: Airbus presented its results for the first quarter of 2022 today. The results were better on all accounts compared with the first quarter last year, and the year’s outlook is unchanged.
However, Airbus CEO, Guillaume Faury warned that the geopolitical and economic conditions are volatile. The guidance for 2022 is unchanged, and longer-term Airbus now plans for 75 A320 series deliveries by 2025 (was 60).
The 1Q2022 delivered a 15% increase in revenue to €12bn as 140 airliners were delivered during the quarter (125 1Q2021). EBIT Adjusted (reflecting the operational profit) increased by 55% to €1.263m (€694m).
HOTR: Shakeout of P2F companies coming
By the Leeham News Team
May 3, 2022, © Leeham News: A shakeout in the number of passenger-to-freighter conversion companies is coming, say industry stakeholders.
The conversion industry has seen a number of new lines and new entrants emerge as demand for air freight exploded during the COVID pandemic. But the long-term demand won’t sustain these new entrants, said members of a panel in April at the Aviation Week MRO Americas conference.
There are now four companies offering Airbus A320 conversions: EFW, which is partly owned by Airbus; Precision Conversions; CCC (known as C Cubed); and Sino Draco. Some have yet to produce a converted A320 and EFW has multiple lines.
There are four companies offering Boeing 777 conversions: IAI Bedek, the first to market; Mammoth Freighters, the only one offering 777-200LR conversions; Kansas Modification Center; and Eastern Airlines. The latter is converting 777 passenger aircraft without cutting a big cargo door into the airplane, essentially maintaining the “Preighter” approach used by several airlines during the pandemic. The termination of the Boeing 747-8F production and aging 747-400Fs will boost 777 P2F sales, panelists said.
Boeing partnered with third parties to convert 737-800s. AEI is an independent 737 conversion company. It also converts Boeing MD-80s and Bombardier CRJs. The latter two programs were not commercial successes, admits Bob Convey, SVP of Sales and Marketing. AEI will only recover its costs for the CRJ-200 P2F. Only about 30 MD-80s were converted. Odd-sized containers make the CRJ and MD-80 less desirable than 737s and A320s, he said.
Many companies are “late to the party” and will fail, Convey said.
Lessor 2021 Earnings
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By Vincent Valery
Introduction
Credit: AerCap
May 3, 2022, © Leeham News: Most passenger airlines incurred severe losses in 2020. However, last year, LNA showed that most lessors had a far less challenging 2020 than their customers. Many lessors managed to turn a profit in 2020.
As a future LNA article will show, the financial fortunes of most passenger airlines significantly improved in 2021 compared with 2020. We will now analyze how the largest lessors that publish their accounts performed in 2021.
Summary
- Changes in the lessor landscape;
- Contrasting financial fortunes;
- The aftermath of the Ukraine war.
Dr. Peters order for 777-300ER P2F pits Kansas Mod against IAI, Mammoth
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By Scott Hamilton
May 2, 2022, © Leeham News: Kansas Modification Center’s launch customer order for its Boeing 777-300ER freighter conversion pits the start-up against the established IAI Bedek and another start-up, Mammoth Freighters.
Christian Mailly (left) of Dr. Peters Group, a lessor, and Jim Gibbs, CEO of Kansas Modification Center. Source: Leeham News.
A fourth 777 P2F program, by the supplemental carrier Eastern Airlines, doesn’t involve a full freighter conversion with a cargo door.
Kansas Mod, or KMC, is paired with the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), which is the aerospace research arm of Wichita State University in Kansas. NIAR is paired with WERX, a WSU program that trains engineers. Together, this is known as NIAR WERX. This cumbersome combination will be referred to as KMC.
Jim Gibbs, the CEO of Kansas Modification Center, announced a firm order for three 777-300ER conversions and options for seven more last week at the Aviation Week MRO Americas exhibition in Dallas. Backbone Freighter Leasing, an affiliation of Dr. Peters Group, a European lessor, placed the order. The 10 aircraft were operated by Emirates Airline. Dr. Peters Group is best known as a lessor of Airbus A380s.
Christian Mailly of the Peters group said KMC said Backbone considered the IAI and Mammoth programs but developed a trust with KMC that gives confidence that the conversions can be delivered on time. The firm orders are scheduled for delivery in 2024-2025; options are slotted in for delivery in 2025, 2026, and 2027.
- IAI Bedek launched in 2019, now has 22 orders and at least 15 options
- Mammoth has two orders, three options
- Kansas Mod has three orders, seven options
Pontifications: “Dreadful” or “clearing the decks”? Boeing’s first quarter results
By Scott Hamilton
May 2, 2022, © Leeham News: Boeing’s first quarter report was just awful. There’s just no getting around this, although a few Wall Street analysts bent over backward trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear (an American colloquialism). One analyst called the quarter “dreadful.” The stock tanked $20 on the day the earnings were reported. As of Friday, it gained $4 from Wednesday’s close.
- Boeing confirmed the 777X certification and entry into service won’t be until 2025, confirming Tim Clark’s fears that emerged back in October at IATA. Clark is the president and COO of Emirates Airline, which has more 777Xs on order—115—than any other customer.
- Production of the X will be paused until the end of 2023, adding about $1.2bn in costs to the project. This comes on top of $6.5bn in write offs on the X program previously taken.
- About 50 777Xs moved from firm order status to iffy, under the accounting rule ASC 606. These are orders that were slated for delivery before 2025. Contracts for these must be renegotiated, yet again, casting a cloud over their status.
- Boeing took a charge of more than $600m on the Air Force One program. AF One is a two-airplane order for the conversion of two 747-8 whitetails from civilian-passenger configuration to the militarized-VIP AF One specifications. LNA is told by multiple sources more sizable charges will be forthcoming.
- The OEM also took a charge against the T-7 Red Hawk trainer. This was supposed to be one of the two programs (the MQ-25) is the other that lays the advanced design-and-production groundwork to be implemented in the Next Boeing Airplane (NBA), whatever it is, for the commercial market.