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By Scott Hamilton

Kiran Rao. Credit: Airborne Capital.

Nov. 14, 2022, © Leeham News: Boeing’s decision to suspend the launch of any new airplane until the middle of the next decade means innovation of any kind from any company is largely dead for the next decade.

Airbus won’t launch a new airplane either, now that Boeing has stood down, says its former chief strategic officer, Kiran Rao. Rao is now an advisor to airlines and lessors. He had been with Airbus for 25 years in sales and product strategy.

While Boeing’s decision to suspend new airplane development casts a dark cloud over its strategic future, Airbus now is going to rest on its own status quo, Rao said.

Summary

• Airbus engineers will atrophy.
• Boeing was “one step away from checkmate” against Airbus in 2005-2006 and made a big mistake not taking up the opportunity.
• GE and Safran don’t want to innovate. Pratt & Whitney can’t do much beyond today.
• Boeing should have launched the NMA. It would have beaten the A321XLR.
• The NMA would have created a new market.