Counting options, Letters of Intent

Should manufacturers be counting options and letters of intent toward program certainty? We’ve always thought this was pretty cheeky, but in reality there is a reasonable foundation and history for doing so. Years ago Boeing regularly ridiculed Airbus… Read More

777 production rate cut likely: Wells Fargo

Sam Pearlstein, the aerospace analyst at Wells Fargo, predicted a production rate cut today in a research note for the Boeing 777. An announcement could come as early as this year, he writes. Pearlstein, one of our favorite… Read More

Odds and Ends: Quote of the Day; A380 vs 777X; 757NG; CSeries

Quote of the Day: We have our favorite in this story. We presume our Readers won’t have any trouble figuring this out. And the prospect of announcing the Airbus A330neo at the ILA Berlin Air Show is clearly… Read More

Airbus, Boeing face pricing pressure

Airbus and Boeing face pricing squeezes that are the result of their continuing price wars and two products that need price cuts to maintain sales. The fierce single-aisle battle between Airbus and Boeing, and to a much lesser… Read More

EU may challenge 777X tax breaks from Washington State

Reuters is reporting that the European Union may challenge the $8.7bn in tax breaks Washington legislators voted to grant Boeing in return for locating assembly of the 777X and its wing in the state. Readers know we worried… Read More

Odds and Ends: Cockpit changes in the 777X; CSeries test progress; order bubble; MH370

Cockpit changes in 777X: Aviation Week has a detailed article about changes in the cockpit for the Boeing 777X, including displays and its fly-by-wire system. The changes enable a common type rating with the 787, according to Aviation… Read More

Boeing’s approach in creating the passenger experience

The Puget Sound Journal has this story from a Boeing briefing last week detailing how Boeing will try and replicate at least some of the 787 cabin features into the forthcoming 777X. In what could be one of… Read More

Odds and Ends: Snookered by Boeing; Superman; Me2Al; Odyssey Airlines

Snookered by Boeing: That’s how one legislator in Washington State put it in the outcry aftermath of Boeing moving engineering jobs out of state despite an $8.7bn set of tax breaks to land the 777X wing production and… Read More

Logical conclusions: Airbus wide-body decisions

A330 programme. The long range programme presents no new challenges. However, managing the order book beyond 2016 becomes more challenging due to competition from A350 XWB and Boeing 787. —From the Airbus Group 2013 Annual Report We have… Read More

757 replacement not in the cards any time soon

The unexpected attention earlier this month on the prospect of a Boeing 757 replacement, possibly in the form of a 777X-style concept of composite wings and wingbox, new engines and some system upgrades, brings into focus the Boeing… Read More