Odds and Ends: Airbus’ 5th quarter; 777X RFP responses

Airbus’ 5th quarter: John Leahy, COO-Customers of Airbus, is so well known for announcing a whole bunch of orders at the company’s annual review press conference (January 13 this time) that Boeing dubbed it the “5th quarter,” and the quip has stuck. Aeroturbopower has a wrap up of how many orders could be announced at the 5th quarter.

Boeing, IAM Meet: Dominic Gates of The Seattle Times reports that Boeing and the IAM met for the first time since the 2-1 vote rejection November 13 of the contract offer in connection with the 777X site selection.

777X responses to RFP: The following news articles try to detail some of the responses by states to Boeing’s 777X site selection RFP:

Alabama

California and another California

Missouri: The county votes to add $1.8bn in tax breaks to the State’s $1.7bn.

Washington: The State adds Spokane to the list of alternative sites, according to Glenn Farley at KING5 (NBC, Seattle). (No link available.)

New York Times: Losing 777X would start a death spiral for WA State.

On Tuesday, the day the RFPs were due to Boeing, the Washington Congressional delegation released a letter to Boeing CEO Jim McNerney urging that the 777X be assembled in the state. The letter is below the jump.

This follows an Open Letter to Boeing on December 6 from Snohomish County officials (Everett is in this county), published in The Everett Herald.

Federal Delegation to Boeing: Washington is the Best Place for the 777X

WASHINGTON—Citing “miles wide and miles deep” support for aerospace manufacturing, Washington’s federal delegation today made their case in a letter to The Boeing Company to base 777X production in Washington state. The state’s delegation of two senators and 10 representatives told Boeing that when it comes to aerospace, “no state’s federal delegation can compare to our enthusiasm and commitment.”

“Our state’s history of aviation excellence, our experienced workforce, our delegation’s track record of supporting the aerospace industry in the state, and our leaders’ unwavering commitment to supporting growth in aviation make Washington the right place to bring the production of the 777X and its composite wing,” the members wrote.

The letter is signed by Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Reps. Rick Larsen, WA-02, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, WA-05, Suzan DelBene, WA-01, Jaime Herrera Beutler, WA-03, Doc Hastings, WA-04, Derek Kilmer, WA-06, Jim McDermott, WA-07, Dave Reichert, WA-08, Adam Smith, WA-09, and Denny Heck, WA-10.

The text of the letter follows.

December 10, 2013

Jim McNerney, Jr.
Chairman, President and CEO
The Boeing Company
100 North Riverside
Chicago, Illinois 60606

Ray Conner
President and CEO
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
100 North Riverside
Chicago, Illinois 60606

Dear Mr. McNerney and Mr. Conner:

As The Boeing Company considers where to base production of the 777X, we want you to know that our delegation supports state and local leaders who are working to keep and bring production to Washington state.

Washington is the aerospace capital of the world, and our delegation is committed to ensuring that the aerospace industry can continue to grow in Washington state. For the last century, Boeing and Washington state have been true partners. Thanks to this successful partnership, the women and men at Boeing and its suppliers in Washington state make the best airplanes in the world.

While we recognize that the Boeing Company faces an increasingly competitive environment and must undertake a thorough process to determine where to place production, we are confident that a full analysis of options will show that Washington state stands apart from the competition.

Regarding aerospace, no state’s federal delegation can compare to our enthusiasm and commitment. The Washington delegation voted unanimously to extend authority for the Export-Import Bank. We fought hard to make the KC-46A refueling tanker a reality. We are focused on opening new markets through trade, on investing in our skilled workforce, on building and maintaining a strong transportation infrastructure, and on prioritizing defense dollars on American products. We are the aerospace industry’s strongest allies and loudest advocates in Congress.

That is why we have been focused on promoting policies that serve the aerospace industry and its workers. Our delegation leads when it matters most. We:

·        Led the fight to land the Air Force’s KC-46A Refueling Tanker contract for Boeing;

·        Led the successful 2012 reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank;

·        Voted unanimously for the Korea and Panama trade agreements;

·        Helped secure the creation of a national Center of Excellence for jet biofuel research in Washington state; and

·        Landed a $20 million federal workforce training grant to train more than 2,600 workers in advanced manufacturing/composites, electronics/avionics, aircraft assembly and aircraft maintenance.

We are tackling the major policy challenges facing the aerospace industry in the decades to come. We are focused on:

·        Reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank;

·        Investing in STEM education and higher education programs to educate the next generation of Washington aerospace workers;

·        Completing the Next Generation Air Transportation System;

·        Moving FAA’s certification reforms forward to ensure timely manufacturing to market;

·        Locating an Unmanned Aircraft Systems test facility in Washington state;

·        Reforming the Harbor Maintenance Tax so transporting parts is efficient and affordable; and

·        Meeting federal responsibilities to invest in roads, bridges, highways, and runways to make business more accessible.

Our state’s history of aviation excellence, our experienced workforce, our delegation’s track record of supporting the aerospace industry in the state, and our leaders’ unwavering commitment to supporting growth in aviation make Washington the right place to bring the production of the 777X and its composite wing.

We are committed to continue investing in the foundation of long-term economic growth that creates jobs and opportunity in the Pacific Northwest.

We accomplish this by supporting local initiatives with particular emphasis on innovation, transportation, trade, exports and manufacturing. We will continue to look for ways to expand higher education, job skills and training opportunities. Working in concert with local governments and regional economic development organizations, we identify long-range growth opportunities and provide support where appropriate.

As our delegation’s support illustrates, support for aerospace manufacturing in Washington is not just statewide, it is miles wide and miles deep. Aerospace manufacturing creates jobs in every corner of the state.

With senior positions on key Congressional committees, including Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Financial Services, Appropriations, Budget, Ways and Means, Veteran’s Affairs, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), Finance, Energy and Natural Resources, Commerce and Science, Space and Technology, we are uniquely positioned to work with key stakeholders to further the aerospace industry in Washington state.

We look forward to working with you and our state’s leaders to bring the 777X to Washington.

Sincerely,

Patty Murray
U.S. Senator

Maria Cantwell
U.S. Senator

Rick Larsen
Member of Congress

Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Member of Congress

Suzan DelBene
Member of Congress

Jaime Herrera Beutler
Member of Congress

Doc Hastings
Member of Congress

Derek Kilmer
Member of Congress

Jim McDermott
Member of Congress

Dave Reichert
Member of Congress

Adam Smith
Member of Congress

Denny Heck
Member of Congress

5 Comments on “Odds and Ends: Airbus’ 5th quarter; 777X RFP responses

  1. Aeroturbopower predicts a possible 2013 order total of 944 A320neo, 484 A320ceo,
    51 A330, 239 A350 and 70 A380. An astonishing amount in all categories.

  2. Nothing good will come of the BA IAM meetup. The “talking is good” meme wishful thinking. This was just an opportunity to browbeat the IAM, and they fell for it. I imagine it went something like this: http://youtu.be/zI5hrcwU7Dk

    IAM members have received a letter from IAM international president Buffenbarger, in which he basically implicates himself as a overstuffed, domineering, incompetent. He even took the step of rubbing the rank and file’s nose in their supposed folly by including a cooked up estimate of the failed proposal’s economic benefits.

    It is now confirmed that the IAM initiated contact last May. No doubt seeing this as weakness and desperation, Boeing then told them the likelihood of 777x in Washington was nil. Buffenbarger et-al then wet themselves. Buffy also claims Wroblewski ordered to vote, insinuation it was TW’s call. This is highly doubtful since it was the international that initiated contact, and negotiated the failed deal, and doubly doubtful since the 751 governing council voted it down.

  3. “Mayor Tommy Battle also said the package has a ‘strong regional flavor’ from across north Alabama.”

    Sheesh, what on earth does that mean? Did they send in an order of deep-fried okra? Please don’t tell me we have to deal with that whole bizarre barbecue and hoop-skirts ritual they subjected the Airbus people too. I’m not sure I can take that much packaged Southern mumbo-jumbo.

    • It is obvious you know little about the North Alabama area, regional means that large aircraft components from Japan or St Louis could be delivered to the Boeing facility in Huntsville by barge very easily and cheaply do to the fact the Boeing facility is only 2 miles or so from the Tennessee River and the large NASA dock is just East of it also on longer being used. Also about 200 miles North East is the Alcoa aluminum plant in East Tennessee and TVA Hydro Electric and nuclear power is available at very reliable cheap prices along the river. Yes Huntsville is Southern but also very cosmopolitan mainly do to the aerospace business and Marshall Space Flight Center.

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