Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
FAA assumes MAX inspections, won’t slow deliveries, agency says
Boeing photo.
Nov. 29, 2019, © Leeham News: The decision by the Federal Aviation Administration this week to assume inspections of Boeing’s 737 MAXes before delivery won’t delay the company’s projected schedule, once the airplane is recertified.
The FAA Wednesday notified Boeing that federal inspectors will examine each of the hundreds of MAXes that have been built but stored since the March 13 grounding order before the airplanes can be delivered.
Boeing historically had this authority as designated representatives of the FAA.
The decision raised questions whether this would slow the delivery schedule Boeing plans.
Bjorn’s Corner: Analysing the Lion Air JT610 crash, Part 5.
November 29, 2019, ©. Leeham News: We continue the series about the Lion Air JT610 crash by now analyzing the final part of the flight.
We try to understand what changed when the First Officer took over the flying from the Captain and why the aircraft subsequently crashed.
Converting customers to the FSA
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By Vincent Valery
Introduction
Nov. 28, 2019, © Leeham News: As Boeing works its way through the 737 MAX crisis, all consideration whether to launch the New Midmarket Aircraft (NMA) is on hold.
But the Boeing sales force has been testing the market with a single-aisle concept, the Future Small Airplane (FSA) to replace the MAX.
This highly confidential effort has been underway for months. Some lessors have been approached to swap some MAX orders for the FSA—there was a supply-demand imbalance for lessor-ordered MAXes even before the grounding—and airlines across the globe have been approached to gauge interest.
Summary
- Solving a lessor placement headache;
- Older 737 NG replacement;
- Accommodating airlines that over-ordered;
- Brand new (non) metal for old carriers.
Looking beyond MAX
Nov. 25, 2019, © Leeham News: Boeing still doesn’t have a timeline for recertification of the 737 MAX and the Federal Aviation Administration isn’t going to be rushed, but aerospace analysts are increasingly looking beyond the grounding at a normalized Boeing.
It will be well into 2021 before Boeing clears the inventory of MAXes.
Nevertheless, analysts see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, hoping that it isn’t an oncoming train.
Boeing quietly rolled out the 737-10 MAX last week in an employee-only event. The 10 MAX is the last of the long line of 737s that began with the -100 model in 1967. It had a capacity for 110 passengers. The 10 MAX can seat 220 passengers. Boeing photo.
Several aircraft programs beset by engine woes
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By Judson Rollins
Nov. 25, 2019, © Leeham News: Nearly every manufacturer of jet engines is experiencing problems with various models, which is causing delays for several prominent Boeing and Airbus programs. The Airbus A220, A320neo, A330neo and Boeing 787, 777X are all experiencing engine-related setbacks.
Grounded 787s at London Heathrow. Source: Twitter / Alex Macheras.
Summary
- Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan (GTF) operational limitations on A220, A320neo.
- CFM LEAP said to be causing renewed A320neo delivery delays.
- Multiple new airworthiness directives on Trent 1000, 7000.
- GE9x component issues causing delays to first 777X test flight.
Pontifications: Good, and Bad, news from the Dubai Air Show
By Scott Hamilton
Nov. 25, 2019, © Leeham News: The Dubai Air Show proved to be a mixed bag for Airbus and Boeing.
Each company picked up important orders and commitments.
But each company saw some previously announced commitments reduced in the process, including, for Boeing, a reduction in the backlog for the slow-selling 777X.
Bjorn’s Corner: Analysing the Lion Air JT610 crash, Part 4.
By Bjorn Fehrm
November 22, 2019, ©. Leeham News: We continue the series on analyzing the Lion Air JT610 crash by analyzing MCAS in more depth before we go to the final part of the flight.
We look at what was wrong with the initial version of MCAS, the augmentation system that caused JT610 to crash and what has changed in the updated version. Read more
Can the DHC 8-400 compete with the CRJ550 for the 50 seat Scope Clause market? Part 2.
By Bjorn Fehrm
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Introduction
November 21, 2019, © Leeham News: Last week we started our analysis of the De Havilland Canada’s DHC 8-400 as a replacement for US Scope Clause 50 seat jets like the Bombardier CRJ200 or the Embraer ERJ-145.
We compared a newly produced and adapted DHC 8-400 with United’s CRJ-700 conversion to CRJ550, a 50-seater version of the larger jet. After looking at the airplane dimensions and cabin spaces last week we now go deeper into the configuration of the aircraft and their economics.
Summary:
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- The DHC 8-400 is offered as a 50 seater and 65 seater variant to fit the US Scope Clause market.
- The Turboprop has a cost advantage over the jet at the cost of a 20% longer trip time.
Airbus: We should fly like geese to save fuel and CO2
By Bjorn Fehrm
November 19, 2019, ©. Leeham News: Airbus presented a real innovative idea yesterday at the Dubai Air Show to reduce the environmental footprint of civil air transport. In the future we should fly like geese, it saves both fuel and CO2 emissions.
The airframer is starting a program to explore how the geese reduce their energy consumption while flying long distances. They fly in each other’s up-wash. This is to date the most innovative idea in the airframer’s quest to reduce air transport’s environmental footprint. Is it the most unrealistic? Perhaps not.
Figure 1. An A350 follows an A380, flying like the geese to gain from the upwash of the A380. Source: Airbus.
A tangled web at the HNA Group
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Now open to all readers.
By Vincent Valery
Introduction
Nov. 18, 2019, © Leeham News: The HNA Group, a Chinese conglomerate with a heavy focus on aviation, has been in the spotlight for a few years as its financial condition deteriorated.
Its current state came from its debt-fueled global acquisition spree, then the challenges in deleveraging.
At some point, the group owned stakes in 20 airlines in Mainland China and abroad. Other notable acquisitions include lessor Avolon, Swissport, Servair, SR Technics, and stakes in two foreign airports.
The HNA Group does not publish accounts. LNA went through the financial statements of its flagship subsidiary Hainan Airlines, since 2000, with the goal of better understanding the group structure and assess the airline business profitability.
Summary
- HNA’s relentless growth;
- A buying spree bites back;
- Domestic and foreign airline ownership model;
- Hainan Airlines accounting.