Odds and Ends: A350 launch aid; strike at Bombardier biz jets; Embraer demand off; EADS-BAE

A350 Launch Aid: The US Trade Rep says it has the documents outlining $4.5bn in launch aid for the Airbus A350, according to a Reuters story. Predictably, Boeing and the USTR have gone in to overdrive. The A350… Read More

Odds and Ends: GOL orders 60 MAX-8s; Qatar says GEnx engine fault delays 787s; SPEEA deal “within few weeks”

GOL Orders the MAX: Boeing and the Brazilian airline GOL announced an order for 60 737 MAXes. The press release did not specify sub-type but GOL tells us the order is for the MAX 8. Qatar’s 787s: Qatar’s… Read More

Debate over the 777X: still studying how far to take improvements

The quest to upgrade the Boeing 777 line, with particular focus on the 777-300ER, is heating up. The Wall Street Journal has this detailed story. We found it on Google News, so it should be available to all… Read More

787 production ramp may be faster; softer 2013 orders expected

Credit Suisse and UBS issued notes on Boeing today. Here are excerpts. Key points: production ramp up on the 787 may go faster than expected; Boeing continues to consider a rate higher than 10.mo for the 787; 2013… Read More

Boeing & SPEEA: shifting work brings its own hazards–and costs

Boeing & SPEEA: As we routinely do when it comes to trying to understand rhetoric of two warring parties (usually Airbus and Boeing but in this case SPEEA and Boeing), we reach out to third parties. We asked… Read More

Is Boeing Chicago misreading the SPEEA mood–as it did IAM 751 in 2008?

There have been many articles this week detailing the increasingly contentious, evolving situation in the contract negotiations between Boeing and the engineers union, SPEEA. We’ve previously written that this wasn’t going to be a love-fest. And it isn’t…. Read More

Odds and Ends: Airbus takes a look at the future; Air India gets 787 Saturday; John Leahy

Looking at the future: Airbus takes a look at the future in this company-issued document. Airbus discusses the environment, Air Traffic Management and more. This link has more information about how Airbus looks at the future. Air India:… Read More

Cash cows at Airbus and Boeing

Eyes are on Boeing over the prospect of a 777X. Chatter doesn’t cease about the prospect of an Airbus A330neo. Boeing is in no hurry to proceed with the “7X” and an A330neo is unlikely any time soon,… Read More

Odds and Ends: Why aircraft are late; catching up to Boeing

Why Aircraft Are Late: Boeing 747-8, 787, Airbus A380, A400M, A350, Mitsubishi MRJ, Comac ARJ-21, Sukhoi Superjet and probably Comac C919, Bombardier CSeries and Irkut MS-21–all late. It’s the new normal. Ernie Arvai at AirInsight takes a look… Read More

There is still a place for airframe mock-ups

In today’s computer world and fancy 3D programs, it turns out there is still a place for airframe mock-ups to cross-check computer programming and to actually be sure the human can reach the nooks and crannies in an… Read More