Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
Leeham News and Analysis
- Boeing First Quarter Results: Tariffs, Return flights, $10.55bn asset sale April 23, 2025
- RTX Q1 2025 Earnings: GTF Talk Takes A Back Seat To Tariffs April 22, 2025
- Tariffs Tumult Takes Over GE Aerospace Q1 2025 Earnings Call April 22, 2025
- Boeing reports mixed results of latest employee survey, but middle management and officers remain key obstacles April 22, 2025
- Hopes for 1Q financial progress turns into bumpy ride for Boeing April 21, 2025
Airbus group 2017: The A320 is the group moneymaker despite problems
By Bjorn Fehrm
February 15, 2018, ©. Leeham Co in Toulouse: Airbus Group presents better results for 2017 than predicted, despite challenges in several programs. Profit was up 34% on flat revenues. The underlying driver for the strong performance is the A320 program, and with record 2017 orders and backlog, no end is in sight.
Airbus CEO, Tom Enders, says the A320 is “sold out’ until 2023 and the company is working on how to produce 70 per month, to keep up with demand.
Next Sukhoi Superjet is a 75 seater
By Bjorn Fehrm
February 7, 2018, ©. Leeham Co: The President of Sukhoi Civil AirCraft (SCAC), Alexander Rubtsov (who is also the Sales and Marketing Manager of the civil aircraft division of Russia’s United Aircraft, UAC), told Flight Global at the Singapore Air Show there has been a decision to develop a 75-seat version of Sukhoi SuperJet (SSJ).
Sukhoi and United Aircraft have studied whether to develop a larger or smaller version of the SSJ. A Russian order for 100 of the smaller model tipped the decision to the 75-seat model.
Figure 1. SSJ100/95 from Cityjet wetleased to Brussels Airlines. Source: SCAC.
Bombardier Belfast operations are about more than C Series wings
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Introduction
By Scott Hamilton
Jan. 29, 2018, © Leeham Co.: Belfast, Northern Ireland: These days, when mention of Bombardier’s production facility in Northern Ireland is mentioned, only one thought comes to mind: wings for the C Series.
But the facility is more than one: wings for the C Series. Nacelles for the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbo Fan engine for the Irkut MC-21 are also made in the same building. There are others, where fuselages and tail and wing components for the CRJ and multiple lines of business jets are also made.
Bombardier C Series final wing assembly plant, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Source: Bombardier.
The legacy of the facility dates to 1908, when the Short Brothers began building airplanes, including six Wright Brothers Flyers constructed under license.
It’s from the legacy of using composites on business jets and the CRJs that led to the C Series wings, using production methods that are more advanced than Airbus or Boeing.
Airbus delivers record 718 aircraft amid strong sales
By Bjorn Fehrm
January 15, 2018, ©. Leeham Co: Airbus announced record 2017 airliner deliveries of 718 aircraft today. It was the 15th consecutive year of increased production, this time with 30 aircraft over 2016. Fabrice Bregier, the Chief Operating Officer of Airbus, predicted Airbus would pass Boeing in deliveries by 2020.
The company also booked its third best year in orders, with 1,109 aircraft giving a Book-to-Bill of 1.5. The backlog is at a record 7,256 aircraft (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Summary of Airbus 2017 orders and deliveries. Source: Airbus.
Is the Airbus A321LR a better NMA stopgap than the 767-300?
By Bjorn Fehrm
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Introduction
January 04, 2016, © Leeham Co.: We have discussed if the Boeing 767-300ER could function as a stopgap until an NMA would be available. We then compared it with Boeing’s 787-8 and Airbus’ A330-800 as alternative stopgaps. We didn’t include any single-aisle alternatives at the time, like Airbus’ A321LR or Boeing’s 737 MAX 10.
These aircraft have limitations in passenger capacity and range compared with the 767. The least compromised aircraft in an NMA role is the A321LR, which comes within 1,500nm of the range of the 767-300ER. We, therefore, use it as our single-aisle alternative when we look at further stopgaps until an NMA arrives in 7-10 years.
Summary:
- The A321LR has 30% less passenger capacity than the 767-300ER when configured with comparable cabin standards.
- It also has 1,500nm less range than the 767-300ER.
- The operating costs on a trip and seat-mile basis are considerably lower, however.
- If the majority of planned routes are within the capability of the A321LR and other aircraft, with longer range, could complement it on the longest routes, it is a more economical alternative to a new 767, both on a Cash Operating Cost basis and when including capital costs.
- This assumes increased route frequency can compensate the higher capacity of the 767.
United Aircraft’s and COMAC’s eventful year
By Bjorn Fehrm
January 03, 2018, ©. Leeham Co: Both United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and COMAC got their single-aisle airliner projects into flight test during 2017. The MC-21 and C919 had their first flights within less than a month of each other, with the Chinese C919 first at 5th of May, followed by the Irkut MC-21 on the 28th of May.
Superficially the aircraft and projects are similar. Both are 150-220 seat single aisle projects in the mold of Airbus’ A320neo and Boeing’s 737 MAX programs. Looking a bit closer, they are different. One is extending the state of the art in several areas; the other is playing safe.
Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation’s tough 2017
By Bjorn Fehrm
January 02, 2018, ©. Leeham Co: The past year was difficult for Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation (MAC) and its MRJ regional airliner. Although clear progress was made in the flight-testing of the MRJ, problems were found with the aircraft’s avionics and cabling redundancy.
The result is an avionics and cabling systems redesign which pushes out first delivery from 2018 to 2020. It’s the fifth and the longest delay of the program.
Read more
Airbus 2017 in review and 2018 Outlook
Dec. 26, 2017, © Leeham Co.: It’s been a miserable year for Airbus.
Corruption investigations. Delayed deliveries due to engine issues for the A320neo. Delayed deliveries due to interior supplier issues for the A350. A year’s delay for
the A330neo due to engine development issues.
Production reductions and doubts over the future of the A380. Continued cash drains and write-offs for the A400M. Internal turmoil as CEO Tom Enders dramatically changes responsibilities and reporting lines.
Getting walloped by Boeing at the Paris and Dubai air shows, losing the wide-body order race in a landslide and losing the narrow-body order race.
Next year will have continued challenges.
Embraer’s improved E190-E2, analysis. Part 2
By Bjorn Fehrm
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Introduction
December 18, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Embraer is expecting certification soon for the first E2 E-Jet, the E190-E2. We covered our analysis of the changes from the original E190 to the E190-E2 in Part 1.
We now continue with the economic analysis. To check where the E190-E2 stand versus its competition, we include the Bombardier CS100 in the analysis.
Summary:
- The E-Jet E2 introduces a new wing, new engines and an advanced Fly-By-Wire system. Jointly these bring the fuel consumption of the E-Jet on par with the latest competition.
- Complementing the lower fuel costs are reduced maintenance costs. This is an important step to keep up with competing aircraft.
- Heavier engines and a larger wing increase the Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of the E190-E2. This increases underway and landing fees. If the extra range of the E2 is not needed, the higher fees can be avoided with the selection of a lower MTOW version.