Machinists at Spirit vote to end strike; will return to work on July 5

By Bryan Corliss  June 30, 2023, © Leeham News – Machinists Union members working for Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, KS, will return to work on July 5, after ratifying a new four-year contract with the company. Some 63%… Read More

Bjorn’s Corner: New aircraft technologies. Part 19. Supersonic drag

June 30, 2023, ©. Leeham News: In our discussions about the drag of an airliner, we now cover the most complex drag type, Wave drag, or the drag created when the air goes from subsonic to supersonic flow…. Read More

The Small Airliner Problem, Part 9. Maintenance costs for battery airliners with range extenders

Subscription required By Bjorn Fehrm June 29, 2023, © Leeham News: In our series on fundamental costs factors that make up Cash Operating Cost, COC (Fuel, Maintenance, Airway/Airport fees, Crew costs) for new Green airliners, we have analyzed… Read More

Striking Machinists to vote Thursday on revised contract offer from Spirit

Striking Machinists Union members outside the Spirit AeroSystems plant in Wichita, KS./ Wichita Business Journal photo (Subscription required) By Bryan Corliss June 27, 2023, © Leeham News – Striking Machinists Union members at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita will… Read More

Update: Spirit presents revised contract offer to striking Wichita Machinists

By Bryan Corliss June 21, 2023, © Leeham News – Spirit AeroSystems has presented a revised contract offer to striking members of the International Association of Machinists. “We have delivered a revised offer to the IAM following days… Read More

Pontifications: A330neo, still struggling, nears 300 sales

June 27, 2023, © Leeham News: Airbus inked a memorandum of understanding with lessor Avolon for 20 A330-900s at last week’s Paris Air Show. When converted to a firm contract, this will bring the -900 order book to… Read More

Analysis: What went wrong in Wichita for Spirit and IAM

Striking members of Machinists Union Local Lodge 839 outside the Spirit AeroSystems plant in Wichita, Kans./Photo by The Wichita Eagle Subscription Required By Bryan Corliss UPDATE: The two sides will continue talks with a federal mediator on Monday…. Read More

Spirit AeroSystems and Machinists Union return to negotiations Saturday

Subscription required By Bryan Corliss June 23, 2023, © Leeham News — Negotiators for Spirit AerosSystems and International Association of Machinists Local Lodge 839 will resume negotiations Saturday, in hopes of reaching an agreement that would resolve a strike… Read More

Bjorn’s Corner: New aircraft technologies. Part 18. Minor drags

June 23, 2023, ©. Leeham News: In our series about technologies that influence the efficiency of a new generation of airliners, we have covered the dominant drag of an airliner, air friction drag, and the second largest drag,… Read More

Paris Day Four: Air show winds down as Spirit strike looms over industry

By Bryan Corliss June 22, 2023, © Leeham News – The business portion of the Paris Air Show wound down today, with no new orders and news of a looming strike in Kansas that will soon grind Boeing… Read More