Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
New single aisles on home stretch
By Bjorn Fehrm
16 Sep 2015, © Leeham Co.: Boeing released pictures yesterday of the first 737 MAX 8 being on the Renton Final Assembly Line (FAL) having completed the wing-to-body joins. With the Airbus A320neo now flying again with both Pratt & Whitney GTF and CFM LEAP test vehicles and Bombardier completing 85% on CSeries (having passed 2,400 hours of flight testing), one can say the new single aisles are on their home stretch.
737 MAX on the Final Assembly Line at Renton, Seattle. Source: Boeing.
Original planning had the CSeries entering service in December 2013, nearly two years before A320neo (October 2015) and four years before the 737 MAX (4Q2017). With the 737 MAX now on the FAL one can start to review the Entry into Service (EIS) for all three. It will be tighter than the companies have said.
Airbus Mobile FAL a victory for CEO Enders
Sept. 14, 2015, © Leeham Co., Mobile (AL): The opening of the Airbus Mobile (AL) A320 Final Assembly 
Line (FAL) is viewed by some close associates as a personal victory for Tom Enders, the chief executive officer of Airbus Group.
Enders began the quest of a US FAL 10 years ago, when EADS (then the name of Airbus’ parent, now Air Group) joined with Northrop Grumman to bid on the US Air Force Refueling Tanker, the KC-X. The Boeing Co. was the competition, and supplied tankers to the USAF since the end of World War II.
Pontifications: Boeing view of market conditions today
By Scott Hamilton
Sept. 14, 2015, © Leeham Co.: Randy Tinseth, Boeing’s VP Marketing, spoke with Bernstein Research last week on a variety of topics. In a note issued after the conversation, analyst Douglas Harned reported:
- “Boeing views the 140 orders to date as a good start, and that high demand for this model will come later when it is closer to being in service. Boeing is sold out for all models of the 787 through the decade, so there are few opportunities for near/medium term deliveries in any case. The company sees the 787-10 as a natural replacement for 767s, A330s and some 777s, and expects that these will drive strong replacement
Randy Tinseth. Photo: Boeing.
demand in the early 2020s.”
- “Airlines have been upgauging narrowbodies away from the 737-700 and A319. Boeing expects that the 737-900ER will gain share, but that the 737-800 (or soon the 737MAX-8) will remain its most popular narrowbody. Airlines have been moving to larger narrowbodies and using slimline seats to add capacity to existing airplanes. Boeing believes that, while this trend does exist, the market will be centered on the 737-800/A320-size airplanes, but with a larger share than in the past going to 737-900s/A321s. Boeing believes that its product set offers greater flexibility since the 737-800 and 737-900ER are closer together in size that are the A320 and A321.”
- “In terms of orders for the 777, the companyis sold out in 2016 and is over 60% sold out for 2017, with many campaigns in progress. Production of the 777X would start in 2018 and current 777 rates will be lowered to introduce the 777X in the final assembly line (consistent with our projections). There are some 737NG slots left in 2018 and 2019, but the first available slots for the 737MAX are now in 2021.”
Airbus FAL in Mobile (AL), Part 2
Sept. 13, 2015, (c) Leeham Co., Mobile (AL): The new Airbus Final Assembly Line (FAL) opening today here will serve the US market, a plan that follows the philosophy when the company opened an FAL in
Barry Eccleston, president and CEO of Airbus Americas. Photo via Google images.
Tianjin, China years ago.
Just as that plant is intended to serve the Chinese airlines and lessors, so is this one for the US market.
Barry Eccleston, president and COO of Airbus Americas, said there remains plenty of growth in the North American market, which is considered mature in the global airline industry.
Traffic is going to go up 40% over the next 20 years, he said. Ninety percent of this 40% will come from existing routes, says Eccleston. This means the airliner are buying larger airplanes. A major number of the orders are for the A321s, which can carry up to 240 passengers.
“Our original plan was to open the Mobile plant with A320s, but it is with A321s.”
Even at 4/mo, the Mobile facility isn’t filing the need for A320s in the North American market, Eccleston said. There is a demand for nearly 6,000 passenger and freighter aircraft in North America over 20 years: 4,730 single-aisles, 1,000 twin aisles and 170 A380s.
A321s in Airbus Mobile FAL
Sept, 13, 2015, (c) Leeham Co., Mobile (AL): The first two A321ceos are on the Final Assembly Line (FAL) at the new Airbus plant here in Mobile (AL).
JetBlue is scheduled to take the first delivery in the second quarter next year, followed by an A321ceo for American Airlines by the end of next year.
The slow pace reflects the need to certify every step of the assembly process, which begins nest week with an audit by Europe’s EASA, through the learning curve necessary for a new facility and training the hundreds of employees initially hired.
By the end of next year, Airbus plans to be assembling A320ceos at the rate of four per month, the initial target for this first manufacturing facility on US soil. The plant has the capacity to produce eight a month.
Bjorn’s Corner: Production costs.
By Bjorn Fehrm
11 September 2015, © Leeham Co: In connection with our articles, there a numerous reader discussions around the development and production costs of new aircraft families. It’s not easy to understand how these costs arise, how they are booked in the OEM’s accounting and how they can be compared. Time for a primer.
I will not duplicate a course in company accounting, but it can be worth the read to understand how costs are created, accounted for and what we as externals can observe via aircraft industry economic reports .
I will focus on Airbus and Boeing. These are good examples of the different ways of collecting and showing costs in the global aircraft industry.
Embraer faces new challenge from MRJ90
Part 2
Paulo Cesar, president and CEO of Embraer’s commercial aviation unit. Photo via Google images.
Sept. 10, 2015, © Leeham Co. Embraer is the dominant producer of commercial aircraft in the 70-125 seat sector, having overtaken Bombardier in the last decade following the development and 2004 introduction of the E-Jet. Bombardier’s CRJ family struggles, hampered by a sales force that neglected it and the Q400 turbo-prop as attention focused on the new CSeries.
Embraer in recent years faced new competition. However, the early entries—AVIC’s ARJ21 and the Sukhoi Superjet SJ100, both in the 70-90 seat sector, proved little to worry about. The ARJ21, now eight years late, proved to be a technological and industrial dud, a project that was more about learning how to design and build an airplane than producing a commercially viable one.
The SSJ100, while winning favorable reviews, was and continues to be plagued by a poor production system and in recent years the political overhang of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its war in Ukraine.
Shortly, though, the E-190 faces a new challenger: the Mitsubishi MRJ90. It’s two years late, now forecasting an entry-into-service of 2017—just one year ahead of the redesigned E-190, the E-190 E2. The MRJ90, a 90-seat clean-sheet design, is Japan’s first commercial airliner since the NAMC YS-11 turbo-prop of the 1960s. The MRJ90’s first flight is scheduled for the second half of next month. Full flight testing moves to Washington State in the first quarter next year.
Embraer CEO sees opportunity for 100-seaters in USA
Part 1
Sept. 9, 2015, © Leeham Co.: The chief executive officer of Embraer’s commercial aircraft unit believes a trend might be emerging for US major airlines to directly operate 100- and plus-100 seat aircraft (and below the 125-seat sector), opening new opportunities currently precluding the largest E-Jets, and by implication, competing jets.
Paulo Cesar, president and chief executive officer of Embraer’s commercial airplane unit. Photo via Google images.
US major airlines have generally migrated away from the 100-125 seat aircraft, up-gauging to the 150-162 seat Airbus A320s and Boeing 737-800s and their re-engined successor. The “baby” Airbus and Boeing aircraft, the A319ceo/neo and 737-700/7, haven’t sold well in recent years.
But the Embraer E-195 E2, at 122 seats in a comfortable single-class configuration and somewhat smaller in two class, hasn’t yet penetrated the US market. Neither has the Bombardier CS100, a 100-110 seat aircraft in two- or single-class configuration.
Delta Air Lines is bucking history with acquisition of 88 inexpensive Boeing 717s from the used airplane market. Southwest Airlines and United Airlines are acquiring used 737-700s and United agreed to lease in 25 used A319s.
Cheap fuel and cheap capital costs help these decisions. But Paulo Cesar, president and CEO of Embraer’s commercial unit, sees an opportunity for his airplane.
Boeing’s 767 revitalized as a MOM stop gap, Part 3
By Bjorn Fehrm
Subscription required.
Introduction
Aug. 31 2015, ©. Leeham Co: After examining the characteristics of the Boeing 767 to serve the market segment that Boeing is studying for its Middle of the Market (MOM) requirement, the 225 passenger/5000nm sector, we will now finish the series by looking at how the 767 can be made economically more competitive.
We will study the influence of improved aerodynamics like Aviation Partners Boeing’s Split Scimitar Winglet for the 767. We will also look at what engine PIPs can provide and also look at what a re-engine could bring.
Finally we examine at what happens when we add crew costs, underway/landing fees and maintenance costs to form Cash Operating Costs (COC) followed by capital costs to form Direct Operating Costs (DOC).
Summary:
- Boeing’s 767 has the right cross section for passenger transportation in the 225 passenger/5000nm segment.
- Its wings and empennage are too large, however. We make them work harder by transporting the 767-300ER fuselage and passengers.
- We also introduce aerodynamic and engine improvements. Still, the fuel consumption per seat mile is considerably higher than modern alternatives.
- At a Cash Operating Cost and Direct Operating Cost level, the higher fuel consumption has less influence in today’s fuel prices. The result is that the 767-300ER becomes an interesting alternative as long as the fuel price stays low.
A320 oversold in bridge from ceo to neo
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Introduction
Airbus A320neo. Source: Airbus
Sept. 7, 2015, © Leeham Co. Airbus is oversold in its A320 family positions as it transitions from the ceo to the neo, an analysis shows.
The first delivery of the A320neo is scheduled for December. Airbus plans to phase out the A320ceo family over two years (as does Boeing with the 737NG in favor of the 737MAX).
We analyzed the 737NG bridge to the 737MAX last week and concluded Boeing faces a production gap of between 100-200 aircraft, depending on how delivery dates of 737MAXes for Unidentified customers are scheduled. We indirectly received push back from Boeing on this, which we also address in today’s report.
Summary
- Airbus is oversold in 2016 and 2017.
- A gap appears in 2018, but this depends in part how “TBA” delivery dates are allocated for Unidentified customers.
- Boeing says Options and Overbooked orders fill its apparent 737 gap.
- We update our 737 production gap analysis to include Options and find a gap still exists.
- Boeing wants to accelerate MAX deliveries from 2018 into 2017.