Transcript: RR told Boeing before end of 2018 it’s out of NMA competition

Feb. 28, 2019, © Leeham News: The announcement today by Rolls-Royce that it has withdrawn from the competition to provide an engine for the Boeing New Midmarket Airplane came as a surprise. This leaves CFM and Pratt &… Read More

Shareholders OK Boeing-Embraer JV; court, anti-trust approvals next

Subscription Required Introduction Feb. 28, 2019, © Leeham News: Embraer’s shareholders this week approved the joint venture between their company and Boeing, moving another step closer to completion expected by the end of this year. Boeing will own… Read More

Airbus appears poised to launch A321XLR

Subscription Required Introduction Feb. 25, 2019, © Leeham News: The longer Boeing dithers on launching the New Midmarket Airplane, the harder it is to close an already difficult business case. News last week that Airbus finally, at long… Read More

Pontifications: March is a critical month for engine OEMs

Feb. 25, 2019, © Leeham News: Even as Boeing put off a decision whether to launch the New Midmarket Aircraft until 2020, next month could be an important milestone—not only for the program but especially for the engine… Read More

Bjorn’s Corner: Airliner yaw stability

Feb. 22, 2019, ©. Leeham News: After discussing an airliner’s pitch stability we now turn to the yaw stability. A stable aircraft in yaw means we don’t want the aircraft to wag its tail sideways while flying. The… Read More

Airbus, Boeing pause on some production rate hikes

Subscription Required Introduction Feb. 21, 2019, © Leeham News: Airbus is boosting the A320 production to 60/mo this year and 63/mo next year. But it’s put a pause on increasing the A350 rate from 10/mo to 13/mo. Boeing… Read More

Boeing supplier reaches deal with Machinists Union

By Bryan Corliss February 19, 2019, © Leeham News: Machinists Union members who work at Cadence Aerospace-Giddens in Everett, WA, voted overwhelmingly to approve a new three-year contract with the company. Ninety percent of those who voted Monday… Read More

A380 end opens opportunity for A350-2000

Subscription Required Introduction Feb. 18, 2019 © Leeham News: Airbus’ decision to end the A380 program clears the path, if chosen, for a plane that was studied three or four years ago: the stretch of the A350-1000 to… Read More

Pontifications: Which airplanes are revolutionary or evolutionary?

Feb. 18, 2019, © Leeham News: Last week’s column about the revolutionary Boeing 747 prompted some Twitter interaction asking what other commercial airplanes might be considered “revolutionary.” I have my views. Let’s ask readers. There are also three… Read More

Bjorn’s Corner: Pitch stability, Part 10. Wrap up.

Feb. 15, 2019, ©. Leeham News: We now summarize the problems around an airliner’s pitch stability and why a good pitch stability is so important before we go to the next subject, yaw stability. The pitch stability and… Read More