Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
MC-21 and C919 compared
By Bjorn Fehrm
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Note: With the first flight of the Irkut MC-21 in the weekend, we move the Qantas Ultra Long Haul article Part 2 to a later date.
Introduction
June 01, 2017, ©. Leeham Co: Irkut’s MC-21 and COMAC’s C919 both completed their first flights during last month. Both are new competitors in the market’s hottest segment, that for 150 to 240 seats.
They both challenge the present rulers: Airbus’ A320 and Boeing’s 737 MAX. We made first analysis of the aircraft against their Western competition here, here and here.
We now dig deeper with a direct comparison between the MC-21 and C919 projects.
Summary:
- In the first article, we compare the projects, the structural concepts and the aerodynamics of the MC-21 and C919.
- Follow up articles will compare systems, cabins and overall performance for the aircraft.
Qatar Airways: Becoming a global powerhouse
By Bjorn Fehrm
May 30, 2017, ©. Leeham Co: Qatar Airways is the flag carrier of Qatar, a country of 0.3m Qatari citizens and 2.3m expatriates. Its total population of 2.6m makes it one of the world’s smallest countries. Yet its influence is outsize, due to housing the world’s third largest Gas and Oil reserves.
Qatar Airways as a consequence has not lacked financing for its expansion.
Boeing complaint “unprecedented overreach,” says Bombardier
May 30, 2017, © Leeham Co.: “Boeing’s petition…is unprecedented in its overreach.
There have been no…imports and no domestic shipments during the period of investigation. There are no lost sales or revenues. Boeing does not even make a product that competes with the aircraft Bombardier offered in the United and Delta competitions….”
So begins Bombardier’s closing brief in the Boeing complaint before the US International Trade Commission (ITC).
Bombardier’s missed opportunity for the CS500
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Introduction
May 29, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Boeing worries that if left unchecked, Bombardier will launch the often-talked about CS500, a 160-189 passenger concept that would compete directly with Boeing’s 737-800 and MAX 8.
Image via Google.
Boeing alleges that Bombardier sold Delta Air Lines 75 CS100s at $19.6m, amounting to price dumping because of Canadian government “subsidies” received in a bailout. Boeing told the US International Trade Commission in a May 24 closing brief that Bombardier, in essence, will become the next Airbus if the ITC doesn’t nothing to penalize Bombardier by slapping 79% tariffs on the Delta aircraft.
As a result, Bombardier stands to drive Boeing out of business and with it, the US aerospace industry.
There are a couple of key flaws in this argument.
Summary
- Bombardier missed its greatest opportunity to develop the CS500 as a competitive airplane to the 737 (and the Airbus A320).
- Boeing claims the CS500 will kill the 737-800. But this model is slated to go out of production by 2019, long before the CS500 could enter service.
- Boeing’s argument assumes the 737 MAX is a long-term airplane. In reality, the New Small Airplane is just around the corner, so-to-speak—which should surpass the economics of the CS500.
Bombardier “deliberately misleading” in price dumping case, says Boeing
Delta Air Lines CS100. Source: Delta.
May 29, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Boeing minced no words in its closing brief to the US International Trade Commission in its price dumping complaint against Bombardier.
“Bombardier’s intentional obfuscation simply proves that Bombardier has no credible answer to [the] allegations,” Boeing’s lawyers wrote in the second sentence.
Pontifications: No sale for Boeing in Bombardier complaint
By Scott Hamilton
May 29, 2017, © Leeham Co.: I’m having a really hard time buying into Boeing’s arguments in the complaint about alleged price dumping by Bombardier in its deal with Delta Air Lines.
I say this despite the fact that Boeing lawyers at least four times directly and twice indirectly cited “trade publication” Leeham News and Comment in support of its case. While flattering to be used as an authoritative source, Boeing’s testimony doesn’t support the claim that Bombardier acted improperly, in my view (nor that of AirInsight, which also reviewed the testimony). There are, of course, scads of exhibits and confidential information not available for public review that could, if available for public dissemination, might change opinion.
The thing is, Boeing is known among journalists and analysts for its occasional descent into hyperbole. Or, as one reporter I talked to put it, this is an example of Cirque du Soleil acrobatics. It is with some amusement that I note Cirque du Soleil is, like Bombardier, headquartered in Montreal.
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Qantas’ ultra-long haul dream
By Bjorn Fehrm
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Introduction
May 25, 2017, © Leeham Co.: The headline is taken from a Reuter’s article by Jamie Freed from April . We helped Freed to check if the Airbus A350-900ULR and Boeing 777-8 could fly the coveted Sydney-London distance direct.
The article says it’s possible, if it’s not too windy. Here we go a bit deeper into what’s involved.
Figure 1. Airbus photo of A350-900 test aircraft in formation.
The question is not if it’s possible. It’s about how many passengers can be carried for the two jets and if it’s economic at the seat count. We use our aircraft model to take a deeper look.
Summary:
- The direct distance Sydney-London is 9,200nm the shortest way.
- On a windy day, this will extend to over 10,000nm air distance when going West.
- Both the A350-900URL and 777-8 can trade passengers for fuel to fly longer.
- We look at where the corner points are and where the trade stops giving us more range.
Paris Air Show Preview
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Introduction
May 22, 2017, © Leeham Co. The Paris Air Show begins June 17, and few in the industry expect much in the way of orders this year.
The order cycle is on the downward side of the bell curve. Sustaining the 2,000, 3,000 or nearly 4,000 gross orders announced 2011-2013 simply couldn’t be achieved. The “order bubble” had to break, and it did. Last year, Airbus and Boeing reported some 1,400 orders between them.
Airbus guides that it will tough to achieve a 1:1 book:bill this year. Boeing is running about 1:1 book:bill so far but it also guides conservatively. Still, LNC thinks Boeing might surprise this year–and some of this could be at the Paris Air Show.
Leeham Co.’s new publication, Commercial Aviation Report, provides a Focus Report on the Air Show. This encompasses the expectations for Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, COMAC, Irkut, Mitsubishi, CFM, GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce into one easy-to-read package.
The pre-airshow press briefings by the OEMs begin next week. We don’t expect any earth-shattering news from these and we wanted to get our views out ahead of these briefings.
Summary
- Boeing wants to launch the 737-10 MAX at the Paris Air Show. This could spur a group of orders that would give Boeing a rare win in the headlines vs Airbus on the latter’s home ground.
- Mitsubishi plans to have its MRJ90 at the Air Show. One airplane entered the paint shop for ANA colors–this might be the one making the appearance.
- Embraer expects to have its KC-390 there. Will the E195-E2 also make an appearance?
Pontifications: The pricing jigsaw puzzle
By Scott Hamilton
May 22, 2017, © Leeham Co.: The prices airlines and lessors pay for their airplane purchases have long been of intense interest to just about everybody associated with the airline industry.
The manufacturers want to know what their competitors are selling the planes for.
The airlines want to know what their competitors pay for their airplanes. The same is true for lessors and their competitors.
(Airlines are less interested in what the lessors pay; they are only interested in what they must pay the lessors to lease the airplanes, and aren’t really concerned about the lessors’ costs.)
Appraisers want to know the prices of new aircraft, and prices on the secondary market, to have a basis for predicting base and current market values today and 25 years in the future.
The credit rating agencies want to know that values of the airplanes to rate financing deals.