Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
P&W pursues “Industrial 4.0” with GTF engine improvements
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By Scott Hamilton
Aug. 18, 2025, © Leeham News: Pratt & Whitney’s long slog in fixing one technical problem after another with its marque PurePower Geared Turbo Fan engine isn’t over yet. It won’t be for another couple of years.
But during the Paris Air Show in June, those LNA talked to were optimistic that the end of the problems is in sight. And they are surprising optimistic about how well PW managed through the crisis and prospects for the future.
Top people at two firms that advise airlines and lessors on engine selection and maintenance contracts told LNA that for all the grief the GTF caused over the years, including hundreds of Airbus and Embraer aircraft grounded while awaiting new engines, PW gained a lot of traction by working with customers to mitigate revenue and cost losses.
That’s not to say that all are satisfied with PW’s response to the years-long series of disruptions. However, one advisory firm leader told LNA that PW’s Advantage GTF (the latest, advanced version, not yet entering service) will have airlines “flocking” back to PW if the engine performs as advertised.
The Advantage GTF will have 3%-4% more thrust and better fuel economy than the preceding GTF engines. Advanced materials, powders, and parts are expected to be more durable than those used in previous engines.
A revealing side note: these same advisors criticized the response from GE Aerospace for being less than cooperative and for not providing enough mitigation responses to shorter on-wing times for the CFM LEAP engine.
Pratt & Whitney’s Asheville (NC) “Industrial 4.0” plant aims to capitalize on digital, advanced manufacturing. Credit: Pratt & Whitney.
PW also has spent more than $1bn on what it calls an industry 4.0 production plant in Asheville (NC).
Bjorn’s Corner: Faster aircraft development. Part 3.
By Bjorn Fehrm
August 15, 2025, ©. Leeham News: We do a series about recent ideas on how the long development times for large airliners can be shortened. New project talks about cutting development time and reaching certification and production faster than previous projects.
The series will discuss the typical development cycles for an FAA Part 25 aircraft, called a transport category aircraft, and what different ideas there are to reduce the development times.
We will use the Gantt plan in Figure 1 as a base for our discussions. Before we start the discussions, we outline the process to certify a transport category aircraft under the US FAA 14 CFR Part 25 regulations and how it relates to the Figure 1 plan.
Figure 1. A generic new Part 25 airliner development plan. Source: Leeham Co. Click to see better.
Eve Raising $230 Million To Support eVTOL Aircraft Development
From LNA’s partner at AIN:
By Charles Alcock • Managing Editor
EVE Advanced Air Mobility urban taxi created by an affiliate of Embraer. Credit: EVE.
Eve Air Mobility plans to raise $230 million in equity capital through a share offering that is set to close on Friday. The government-backed Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), along with Embraer and several institutional investors, subscribed to the offering of 47,422,680 shares in common stock, priced at $4.85 per share.
The offering includes new Brazilian Depository Receipts backed by BNDES that will be listed on the São Paulo stock exchange. Eve will use the proceeds from these to cover the cost of services performed in Brazil, where it is manufacturing the four-passenger eVTOL Eve 100 it is developing for service entry in 2027.
The full story may be read on AIN here.
Airbus’ A330neo gets better and better. Part 2
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By Bjorn Fehrm
August 14, 2025, © Leeham News: We analyze Airbus’s A330-900, the larger of the A330neos. Last week, we examined the product improvements that Airbus will roll out in the coming years, including the latest increase in Maximum TakeOff Weight (MTOW) and the resulting increase in range.
The A330 entered the market as a mid-range aircraft. With the launch of the A330neo and subsequent improvements, it is today a long-range aircraft that covers several trans-Pacific trunk routes.
How does the improved A330-900 stack up against the efficiency of the Boeing 787-9? We use our Aircraft Performance and Cost Model (APCM) to find out.
Figure 1. The A330-900 in the colors of Delta Airlines, a major operator of the model. Source: Airbus.
Summary:
- The Airbus A330 is tested on a challenging route, LAX to Shanghai, versus Boeing’s perhaps best long-ranger, the 787-9.
- Where Airbus can’t match the efficiency and cargo capacity of a 20-year younger 787-9, it can compensate with lower capital costs.
Collins Aerospace continues R&D on electrical options despite industry pullback
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By Scott Hamilton
Aug. 11, 2025, © Leeham News: At the Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in October 2021, a detailed green aviation plan was adopted to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The ambitious program included milestones in the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and other alternative fuels. The policy was part of a greater industry effort to develop battery, hydrogen, and hybrid-powered aircraft and eVTOLs.
Some 300 companies were founded to pursue these various objectives, and many global airlines adopted environmental goals. Some placed conditional orders for eVTOLS or hybrid aircraft.
Boeing focused on SAF development while Airbus pursued hydrogen-powered concepts. GE, Safran, Pratt & Whitney, Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC), and Rolls-Royce each have or continue to research hybrid or new engine opportunities.
Todd Spierling of Collins Aerospace. Credit: Collins Aerospace.
Plenty of skepticism about reaching the Net Zero goal emerged even at the 2021 IATA AGM. Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline, famously cautioned, Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
Since then, Airbus abandoned its hydrogen goal. Several airlines abandoned their net-zero goals. Most of the 300 start-up companies failed, notably Lilium, which went through an astonishing $1bn before collapsing into insolvency.
One company that acknowledged the idea that aircraft can be powered by batteries alone is Collins Aerospace, a unit of RTX Corp. In an interview with LNA before the Paris Air Show, Todd Spierling, a principal technical fellow, was clear.
“We’ve been working a lot with Pratt and Whitney on electrification and what it means,” Spierling said. “One of the things we found was if you just trade out fuel for batteries, it doesn’t work out.”
Bjorn’s Corner: Faster aircraft development. Part 2.
By Bjorn Fehrm
August 8, 2025, ©. Leeham News: We do a series about ideas on how the long development times for large airliners can be shortened. New projects talk about cutting development time and reaching certification and production faster than previous projects.
The series will discuss the typical development cycles for an FAA Part 25 aircraft, called a transport category aircraft, and what different ideas there are to reduce the development times.
We will use the Gantt plan in Figure 1 as a base for our discussions.
Figure 1. A generic Part 25 airliner development plan. Source: Leeham Co. Click to see better.
Boeing’s Ortberg’s first year as CEO: progress, but lots remaining to do
By Scott Hamilton
Analysis
Kelly Ortberg, shortly after assuming his position as the the CEO of The Boeing Co. on Aug. 8, 2024. It was his first visit to Boeing’s 737 production line. Credit: Boeing.
Aug. 8, 2025, © Leeham News: Today is the one-year anniversary of Kelly Ortberg stepping into what is probably the most challenging career move of his professional life: becoming the chief executive officer of The Boeing Co.
He took on a company that was in yet another existential crisis. It was still reeling from the Jan. 5, 2024, accident of Alaska Airlines flight 1282. On that date, a door plug of an inactive emergency exit on a new 737 MAX 9 that had been in service for a mere 10 weeks blew at 14,800 ft, minutes after takeoff from the Portland (OR) International Airport. But because of the circumstances and the skills of the pilots, there were only a few injuries, no fatalities, nobody was sucked out of the pressurized airplane, and the flight crew landed safely 16 harrowing minutes after taking off.
A new crisis was underway.
Progress Boeing had made in recovering from the twin MAX disasters of October 2018 and March 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic, and major production issues in the 737 and 787 lines ground to a halt. A new crisis of confidence in Boeing’s leadership, safety, and relationship with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) emerged.
As a result of AS 1282, CEO David Calhoun announced in March his “retirement;” sources say this wasn’t his decision, despite the public relations spin that it was. Calhoun said he would stick around until a new CEO was named.
Stan Deal, the CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), likewise was “retiring” immediately. Board Chairman Larry Kellner would step down in April.
Related Stories
Summary
- Early Missteps with the unions
- Inaction on a SPEEA safety plan
- Returning to higher rate production
- Certification challenges remain
- Restoring Boeing’s financial health
- The next new airplane
Airbus’ A330neo gets better and better
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By Bjorn Fehrm
August 7, 2025, © Leeham News: Airbus’ A330neo, as the A330-900, entered the market in 2018. It’s a major improvement of the A330ceo that entered the market in 1994 as a 270-seat 3,900nm mid-range aircraft.
The present A330-900 has gradually improved its sales, prompting Airbus to increase the production rate from the planned four per month to five from 2029.
With a typical 290-seat cabin, Airbus advertises a 7,300nm range for the 251t Maximum TakeOff Weight (MTOW) version, quite a development from the original 212t A330-300. And now this is going to improve further from 2028, with a rise in the MTOW from 251t to 253t, together with other improvements.
Does this make the A330-900 into a trans-Ocean aircraft, and how does the improved version stack up against the Boeing 787-9? We use our Aircraft Performance and Cost Model (APCM) to find out.
Figure 1. The A330-900, a model that is selling better and better, 31 years after its introduction. Source: Airbus..
Summary:
- The Airbus A330 is like the proverbial cat; it has many lives. Just when the experts predicted it would slowly go away, it started selling again.
- In the version where it gets another MTOW hike, it can successfully cover transoceanic trunk routes.
Embraer reports record Q2 revenue and backlog; reaffirms 2025 outlook
By Tom Batchelor
Aug 5, 2025, © Leeham News: Embraer’s revenue and order backlog hit a record high in 2Q 2025, with the Brazilian manufacturer reaffirming its full-year guidance after a strong performance across its business.
The E2 family has improved fuel efficiency. Credit: Embraer
Revenues totaled $1.82 billion in Q2, a 22% increase year-on-year and the highest second-quarter revenue in the company’s history.
The standout driver was Executive Aviation, with segment revenues soaring 64% compared to Q2 2024.
Defense & Security, Services & Support and Commercial Aviation also performed well with increases in revenues of 18%, 13% and 4% yoy.
The company delivered 61 aircraft during the quarter, up 30% from 47 in the same period last year.
This included 19 commercial jets (10 E2s and 9 E1s), 38 executive jets (21 light and 17 medium), and 4 defense aircraft.
CEO Francisco Gomes Neto described the period as the “strongest second quarter in [Embraer’s] history.”
Boeing adds back deferred production costs for 777X in 1H2025
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By Karl Sinclair
August 5, 2025, © Leeham News: Boeing boosted program deferrals in the second financial quarter on the 777X and 737 MAX, shifting costs around, which had the effect of improving the profit-and-loss picture for the quarter.
Boeing spent more money on a unit-cost basis (UCB) than the company reported in its earnings.
Source: Boeing 2Q2025 Financial Reports.
Using program accounting, Boeing Commercial Aircraft (BCA) claimed a loss of $557m for the quarter. On a unit-cost basis (UCB), the amount spent to produce those aircraft delivered to airlines during the period was ~$1bn more than declared in its financial results.
However, the silver lining is that this is an improvement over the 1Q2025 UCB, when $2.933bn was lost.
This has become the typical result at BCA, where expenses are understated on the income statement, with a sizable portion capitalized and stored in Inventory.