John Leahy will retire in January and stay for a short transition to help his successor, Eric Schulz, who was named EVP, Chief of Sales, Marketing and Contracts. Leahy is Chief Operating Officer-Customers. During his three-decade long tenure at Airbus, the company moved from a single-digit market share to surpassing Boeing for more than a decade in sales. Leahy spoke with LNC about his retirement.

John Leahy, right, with William Franke, CEO of Indigo Partners at a history-making deal for 430 A320neos, announced at the Dubai Air Show. Photo via Google images.
Nov. 28, 2017, © Leeham Co.: John Leahy was a salesman at Piper Aircraft, a small general aviation aircraft producer when he received a call from a headhunter to join Airbus North America as its top salesman.
Leahy was head of marketing at Piper. With a pilot’s license, he would take various Piper aircraft to conventions or air shows and on sales calls for demonstration.
“It was great fun,” he said. “It was really an enjoyable job.” Leahy said Piper was consolidating everything in Vero Beach (FL) and he wasn’t sure he wanted to move there. He wanted a more direct sales role and accepted a position with Piper in Geneva, Switzerland, as Director of the Eastern Hemisphere. “I felt that was pretty cool.”
Before moving, the headhunter called.
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Top 10 aviation stories of the year on Leeham News
Dec. 31, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Airplane development and the whimsicle made the Top 10 stories on LNC in 2017.
The Top 10 are a statistical listing of the most-viewed posts, not some judgment call on the part of LNC.
Here is the rundown.
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26 Comments
Posted on December 31, 2017 by Scott Hamilton
Airbus, Airlines, American Airlines, Boeing, Bombardier, CSeries, Emirates Airlines, Leeham News and Comment, McDonnell Douglas, MOM, New Midmarket Aircraft, NMA, Qatar Airways
737-7, 737-700, 777-9, A321, A321NEO, A322, A380, Airbus, Bernstein Research, Boeing, Bombardier, C Series, Delta Air Lines, Emirates Airline, McDonnell Douglas, MD-95, New Midmarket Aircraft, NMA, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines
History undermines Boeing claim of C Series impact: analysis
Analysis
Dec. 22, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Boeing blames a subsidized, price-dumped Bombardier C Series for the poor sales of the smallest member of the 737 family, the -700 and the 7 MAX, but history doesn’t support the claim.
The US Department of Commerce clearly ignored sales evidence that the 737-700 has been “done” for many years and the 737-7 MAX was an unattractive design
Boeing 737-7 MAX. Rendering via Google images.
that hasn’t been fixed with a redesign; airlines simply don’t want the airplane. Commerce levied tariffs amounting to 292% on C Series imported into the United States in the future.
The US International Trade Commission is currently awaiting post-hearing briefs from Dec. 18 testimony from Boeing, Bombardier, Delta Air Lines and other parties to determine whether Boeing suffered “harm” by the C Series deal with Delta and a near-miss with United Airlines.
If the ITC concludes Boeing suffered harm, the DOC tariffs stand. If not, the DOC action is moot. The loser at ITC is expected to appeal.
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Posted on December 22, 2017 by Scott Hamilton
Airbus, Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Boeing, Bombardier, CSeries, Delta Air Lines, Leeham News and Comment, Lessors, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines
737-7, 737-700, 737-8, 737-800, AerCap, Air Lease Corp., Airbus, airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Aviation Capital Group, Boeing, Bombardier, C Series, CS100, CS300, Deltas Air Lines, ILFC, Ilyushin Finance Corp., Macquarie Airfinance, Uniterd Airlines, WestJet
Used A330-200s could be interim solution to NMA
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Introduction
Dec. 11, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Boeing is considering restarting the 767-300ER passenger line as an interim aircraft to the New Midmarket Airplane.
Airbus is pushing the A330-800 or, alternative, new A330-200s are its solution to the upper end of the Middle of the Market sector.
There is another alternative, however: used A330-200s. There is an emerging supply of these as one airline plans a down-sizing and initial 10- to 12-year leases expire in the near future.
Etihad is planning to dispose of its Airbus A330-200s. These would make a good, potential pick-up by an airline seeking an interim solution while awaiting the New Midrange Aircraft. Photo via Google images.
Summary
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Posted on December 11, 2017 by Scott Hamilton
Airbus, Airlines, American Airlines, Boeing, Etihad Airways, Premium
767-300ER, A330-200, A330-800, Airbus, Amazon Prime, American Airlines, Aviation Specialists, Boeing, Etihad Airways, Middle of the Market, NMA, UPS
Embraer’s improved E-Jet E2
By Bjorn Fehrm
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Introduction
December 07, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Embraer is four months from first service introduction of the new generation E-Jet, the E190-E2, with Norway’s Wideroe. Following the smooth E190-E2 program will be the larger E195-E2 in 2019.
Embraer’s E2 update of the E-Jet is more elaborate than the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX updates. In addition to new engines, the aircraft’s wings and systems are changed. In addition, the fuselages are stretched on two of the three models for increased passenger capacity.
We analyze the areas of change from the original E-Jets and what these mean for the operations and economics of the aircraft.
Summary:
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3 Comments
Posted on December 7, 2017 by Bjorn Fehrm
Airbus, American Airlines, E-Jet, Embraer, Pratt & Whitney, Premium
Bombardier, CF34-10E, CF34-8E, CSeries, E190, E190 E2, E195, E195 E2, Embraer, Pratt & Whitney, PW1900G
Airbus’ strategy for the A330-800
By Scott Hamilton
Dec. 6, 2017, © Leeham Co.: The A330-800 entered the final assembly line last week at the Airbus production plant in Toulouse, France, amid doubts in the industry that the airplane will be produced beyond the prototype.
The first A330-800 is on the Final Assembly Line at Airbus. Source: Airbus.
There is only one order for the sub-type, six from Hawaiian Airlines—and Hawaiian is expected to cancel the order. The airline is running a competition between the Airbus A350-900 and the Boeing 787-8/9, according to market intelligence.
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145 Comments
Posted on December 6, 2017 by Scott Hamilton
Airbus, Airlines, American Airlines, Boeing, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines
767-300ER, 787-8, A330-200, A330-300, A330-800, A330-900, Airbus, American Airlines, Boeing, Boeing 797, Hawaiian Airlines, low cost carriers, NMA, United Airlines
Boeing moves EIS target for NMA to 2027: sources
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Introduction
Dec. 4, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Officially, Boeing says the New Midmarket Aircraft (NMA, or 797) entry-into-service will be around 2024-25 if the program is launched.
LNC has learned the target date now being discussed is 2027.
Boeing 797 concept. Source: Boeing.
This means the 737 replacement likewise slips, with EIS after 2030 instead of late next decade or in 2030.
The new NMA target date, which we’ve heard from the supply chain and customer base, gives further impetus to the prospect of restarting the 767-300ER passenger production, a decision that is supposed to be made by the end of this year.
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Posted on December 4, 2017 by Scott Hamilton
American Airlines, Boeing, CFM, GE Aviation, Middle of the Market, MOM, New Midmarket Aircraft, NMA, Pratt & Whitney, Premium, Rolls-Royce, United Airlines
767-300ER, 797, American Airlines, ANA, Boeing, Boeing Global Services, Delta Air Lines, Japan Air Lines, KC-46A, Middle of the Market, MOM, New Midmarket Aircraft, NMA, United Airlines
Leahy reflects on 33 years at Airbus
John Leahy will retire in January and stay for a short transition to help his successor, Eric Schulz, who was named EVP, Chief of Sales, Marketing and Contracts. Leahy is Chief Operating Officer-Customers. During his three-decade long tenure at Airbus, the company moved from a single-digit market share to surpassing Boeing for more than a decade in sales. Leahy spoke with LNC about his retirement.
John Leahy, right, with William Franke, CEO of Indigo Partners at a history-making deal for 430 A320neos, announced at the Dubai Air Show. Photo via Google images.
Nov. 28, 2017, © Leeham Co.: John Leahy was a salesman at Piper Aircraft, a small general aviation aircraft producer when he received a call from a headhunter to join Airbus North America as its top salesman.
Leahy was head of marketing at Piper. With a pilot’s license, he would take various Piper aircraft to conventions or air shows and on sales calls for demonstration.
“It was great fun,” he said. “It was really an enjoyable job.” Leahy said Piper was consolidating everything in Vero Beach (FL) and he wasn’t sure he wanted to move there. He wanted a more direct sales role and accepted a position with Piper in Geneva, Switzerland, as Director of the Eastern Hemisphere. “I felt that was pretty cool.”
Before moving, the headhunter called.
Read more
62 Comments
Posted on November 28, 2017 by Scott Hamilton
Airbus, Airlines, American Airlines, Boeing, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines
Airbus, airlines, America West Airlines, American Airlines, Boeing, Braniff, Delta Air Lines, John Leahy, Northwest Airlines, Pan Am, United Airlines, US Airways
Boeing’s good year for wide-body orders
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Introduction
Nov. 27, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Officials from Airbus and Boeing each said this year that wide-body orders, languishing for the past couple of years, should pick up by the turn of the decade as the in-service fleet reaches 20-25 years old.
Aerolineas Argentinas plans a wide-body competition for deliveries around 2020-2021. Photo via Google images.
But Boeing has had an exemplary year through Nov. 21, the most recent update of its Orders and Deliveries website. The company reported 160 net orders for the 767, 777 and 787, with 88 for the latter. Commitments for 40 more at the Dubai Air Show are not included, as these have not yet been firmed up.
Airbus hasn’t done nearly as well: just 56 net orders for the A330 and A350 families through October, its most recently reported data.
Have Boeing’s results indicated a sooner-than-expected uptick in orders?
Summary
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Posted on November 27, 2017 by Scott Hamilton
Airbus, Airlines, American Airlines, Boeing, Delta Air Lines, Dubai Air Show, Premium, United Airlines
777, 787, A330neo, A350, Airbus, American Airlines, Boeing, Delta Air Lines, Dubai Air Show, United Airlines
Challenges facing Boeing in 767-300ER passenger restart
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Introduction
Nov. 13, 2017, © Leeham Co.: The clock is ticking toward the end of the year for Boeing to decide whether to restart the 767-300ER passenger line.
Officials want to decide by year-end.
Restarting the line isn’t as easy as one might think. Boeing is building the 767-300ER freighter and it has the tooling for the passenger model. Boeing has several challenges to resolve before any green light for the restart.
Summary
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5 Comments
Posted on November 13, 2017 by Scott Hamilton
air force tanker, Airbus, American Airlines, Boeing, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines
767-300ER, 767-300ERF, 797, A330, Airbus, American Airlines, ANA, Boeing, Delta Air Lines, FedEx, JAL, KC-46A, Middle of the Market, MOM, New Midmarket Airplane, NMA, United Airlines
Pontifications: Playing catch-up
Oct. 9, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Recent weeks have been dominated by the news of the Boeing-Bombardier trade complaint. More is to come before and after the end of the year.
It’s time to catch up on some other news.
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13 Comments
Posted on October 16, 2017 by Scott Hamilton
American Airlines, Bombardier, CSeries, Embraer, Pontifications, United Airlines
737-700, American Airlines, Bombardier, CS100, Delta Air Lines, E175-E1, E175-SC, Embraer, United Airlines
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