Bjorn’s Corner: Exciting 2016

29 January 2016, ©. Leeham Co: In the corner of two weeks ago we did a retrospective of 2015. Time for looking ahead. The year of 2016 will be quite interesting. We had entry into service of the… Read More

Pontifications: Shifting focus to Embraer

Jan. 25, 2016, © Leeham Co. Embraer announced last week it had cut metal on its first E195 E2, more than a month before the roll-out of the first E190 E2, scheduled for Feb. 25, at is Sao… Read More

New aircraft programs’ sorry record of delay

Subscription Required. Jan. 7, 2016, (c) Leeham Co. New aircraft programs used to be on time and a source of pride for the Original Equipment Manufactures (OEMs). No longer. Delays are the norm, and despite “lessons learned,” there… Read More

Pratt & Whitney: Lean, automated manufacturing key to GTF ramp up

April 2, 2015: Lean principals and increased shifting to automated manufacturing are key to an aggressive ramp up for the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbo Fan engine, according to officials. The first production engines for the Airbus A320neo… Read More

Production rates on single-aisles keep going up, up

Figure 1. Airbus and Boeing production rates for the A320 and 737 lines are going up as announced rates and rates under consideration go to lofty levels. Click on image to enlarge. Subscription Required Introduction March 3, 2015:… Read More

Here’s why Boeing won’t do a “757 MAX”

Feb. 12, 2015, c. 2015 Leeham News and Comment: Boeing appeared to put to bed once and for all any prospect of reviving the 757 to fill a product gap between the 737-9 and the 787-8. Randy Tinseth,… Read More

Airbus/Boeing production rates forecast through 2020

Subscription Required. Introduction Feb. 3, 2015: Boeing out-delivered Airbus in 2014, for the second year in a row, as the 787 program improved in delivery rates and before the A350 made its first delivery in December. Topping Airbus… Read More

Airbus/Boeing duopoly single-aisle is safe well into 2030 decade

Subscription Required Introduction Dec. 28, 2014: Two challenges to the duopoly of Airbus and Boeing in the 150-220 seat single-aisle sector move forward in development in 2015, but neither is in a position to be a threat for… Read More

Looking ahead in 2015 in commercial aviation

Here’s a visualization of events to look for in commercial aviation in 2015.  

New UTC CEO throws cold water on PW GTF growth

The new chief executive officer of United Technologies Corp., Gregory Hayes, threw cold water on hopes and dreams of Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary, that the successful small- and medium-sized Geared Turbo Fan will grow into the wide-body… Read More