Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
Leeham News and Analysis
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Mitsubishi shouldn’t be worried over support following Boeing-Embraer deal: BGS chief
July 18, 2018, © Leeham News, Farnborough: Mitsubishi’s MRJ will be supported even if Boeing and Embraer complete a deal to form a new company in which Boeing is an 80% shareholder.
Embraer’s E175 and E190 jets will compete with Mitsubishi’s MRJ70 and MRJ90 respectively. Boeing entered into a product
and parts support agreement with Mitsubishi when the MRJ program was launched.
Stan Deal, CEO of Boeing Global Services, said in an interview with LNC that despite the competition, BGS will honor the Boeing commitment to Mitsubishi.
BGS already supports Airbus aircraft, which of course fiercely compete with Boeing.
Farnborough: Orders on Day 3
July 18, 2018, (c) Airfinance Journal: Firm orders had largely dried up by day three of Farnborough 2018, although Boeing could celebrate some big commitments for its Max narrowbody from Vietjet and four undisclosed customers. Elsewhere Bombardier won its first order of the show after Uganda’s flag carrier signed for CRJ900s.
Boeing’s P8 hits six years in service
The object below the APU outlet is one of many sensors on the Boeing P8-A Poseidon. Source: Scott Hamilton
July 18, 2018 © Leeham News, Farnborough: Boeing’s P8-A Poseidon, the 737-based airplane best known for anti-submarine patrols, entered service with the US Navy six years ago.
Since then, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Norway are among the countries ordering the airplane and the first Navy P8 entered heavy maintenance here.
Boeing produces the P8 at a 1.5/mo rate, which is full rate.
The Navy ordered 117 P8s, but there is potential to order more.
Farnborough: NMA business case appears to weaken, evidence at air show indicates
Analysis
July 18, 2018, © Leeham News, Farnborough: The biggest, longest-running story at this year’s Farnborough Air Show is about an airplane that doesn’t exist: the prospective Boeing New Midmarket Aircraft (NMA or 797).
And the underlying story that’s emerging from the buzz on the sidelines and interviews with key observers and industry participants is that Boeing’s business case for the airplane appears to be getting weaker, not stronger.
Farnborough: Day 2 orders tally
July 17, 2018 (c) Airfinance Journal: Day two of the Farnborough air show saw David Neeleman’s new US airline commitment for 60 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, a story that was first revealed by Airfinance Journal on 11 June. Embraer announced commitments for 270 aircraft from six customers.
Farnborough: Boeing Global Services ponders 777-300ER P2F program
July 17, 2018, © Leeham News, Farnborough: Boeing Global Services is studying the world’s first passenger-to-freighter conversion program for the 777-300ER, BGS president Stan Deal revealed to LNC today at the Farnborough Air Show.
Boeing sells the 777-200LRF as a new freighter and third parties are gearing up for a 777-200ER P2F program, but up to now, there hasn’t been a -300ER P2F program contemplated.
The -300ERF would be targeted for the volumetric cargo market as opposed to the density-based market that is served by the 777F.
Deal said BGS hopes to conclude its study by fall. A potential conversion cost is not yet known.
Farnborough: First day order recap
By Alex Derber
July 16, 2018, (c) Airfinance Journal: Day One of Farnborough 2018 belonged firmly to Boeing in terms of firm orders, although the US manufacturer saved up many of its largest announcements from deals done earlier in the year. Airbus, meanwhile, almost achieved parity if one includes softer commitments from airlines and lessors, although there were some speculative deals, notably a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for 17 A350s from Starlux, a Taiwanese start-up not yet in business.
Other noteworthy deals included lessor Jackson Square Aviation’s first new aircraft order and United decision to buy E175s rather than the newer E2 variant.
Farnborough: Boeing reconsiders metal fuselage for NMA as cost remains major challenge
July 16, 2018, © Leeham News: Farnborough: Boeing has returned to considering a metal fuselage for the New Midmarket Aircraft as an alternative to the ovoid-based composite design that has been the focus for the past two-three years, multiple sources tell LNC.
Boeing hasn’t been able to narrow the cost of the composite design to a point where selling the aircraft in the $70m-range is feasible, sources say.
JetBlue orders 60 A220-300s in surprise timing
July 10, 2018, (c) Leeham News: JetBlue announced an order today for 60 Airbus A220-300s, nee Bombardier CS300s. The airline took options on 60 more.
The timing is a surprise–JetBlue previously said it would not be ready to order until toward the end of the year.
The order is a blow to Embraer, which has 60 E-190s in service with JBLU. The airline had orders for 20 more, but delivery had been deferred several times. Industry insiders told LNC the order could be canceled with little or no penalty.
The order is a blow to Embraer for the flip and for the loss of a potential E2 order. The E195-E2 seats slightly fewer passengers and has less range than the A220-300.
JetBlue has a large fleet of Airbus A320ceos, a few A321ceos and a large order book for neos.
Laser focus for MRJ program
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By Dan Catchpole
July 3, 2018, © Leeham News: It’s been two years since a small army of Japanese aerospace workers landed in Moses Lake, a sleepy former Air Force base town in rural Central Washington. The Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. (MAC) will be in Moses Lake for another four or five years as it nudges its new regional jets—the MRJ70 and MRJ90—into service.
Japan’s All Nippon Airways is the launch customer and first operator for the Mitsubishi MRJ90. Source: Mitsubishi.
The first Mitsubishi Regional Jet, the MRJ90, originally was supposed to enter into service in 2013, but myriad develop delays have dogged the sleek jet, which now is slated to deliver to launch customer All Nippon Airways in mid-2020.