Embraer 2Q2018 results: KC-390 problem turns quarter red.

By Bjorn Fehrm

July 31, 2018, ©. Leeham News: Embraer presented its 2Q2018 results today. The company posted a loss as the KC-390 program was reset financially after a prototype was damaged in ground testing during the quarter.

The Military division’s KC-390 problem came on top of forecasted weaker 2018 deliveries in both the Commercial and Business jet divisions. A $110m company profit was turned into a $17.7m loss for the quarter by a $127m KC-390 program charge.

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Rising fuel prices hit earnings, but there’s a silver lining for OEMs

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Introduction

July 30, 2018, © Leeham Co.: Fuel prices are spiking and it’s already causing airlines to adjust growth and fleet plans.

But rising fuel prices could mean orders for slow-selling aircraft might pick up. Still, there are mixed signals on this front.

Summary
  • American and Southwest airlines are curbing growth and American is deferring airplanes due to rising fuel prices.
  • Alaska Airlines reported fuel prices were up 10 consecutive quarters, adding $850m to expenses.
  • Fuel prices were just under $80bbl on the US spot market last Thursday.
  • The inflection point between keeping current generation planes and ordering new ones with more efficient engines is fast approaching.
  • This could be a boost to the slow-selling Airbus A330neo and accelerate demand for the Embraer EJet-E2 and the Airbus A220 (nee Bombardier C Series).

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Pontifications: thyssenkrupp’s international expansion

By Scott Hamilton

July 30, 2018, © Leeham News: thyssenkrupp, the German supplier, is a mouthful to say.

Even its name is different, using the small “t” rather than a capital “T”.

Being from Chicago, I suitably butchered it when I met at the Farnborough Air Show with its CEO, American Laura Holmes.

I won’t even attempt to write how I mangled the name, but I didn’t feel too bad when I later discovered there is a 15 second YouTube video on its pronunciation: two-sen croup (in German) or tiss-in krup [as in pup] (in English).

Regardless, the company is in an expansion mode internationally—including in Africa.

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Bjorn’s Corner: Largest navigation change since radar, Part 7

By Bjorn Fehrm

July 27, 2018, ©. Leeham News: Last week we discussed new air navigation procedures which can benefit from the universal adoption of ADS-B.

Now we shall discuss some other needed developments for air navigation. The complement, and long-term replacement, of radio traffic with text messages.

Figure 1. CPDLC display in an Airbus A330. Source: Google images.

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Airbus posts strong earnings; ‘hell of a ride’ ahead, says CEO

By Dan Catchpole

July 26, 2018, © Leeham News: Airbus posted strong earnings for the year’s second quarter, thanks to better profitability on its A350 and A320 programs. Investors rewarded the news by pushing Airbus share prices to a 52-week high Thursday morning.

However, Airbus lowered its earnings for the full year due to its takeover of Bombardier’s troubled C Series program, since renamed the A220. Airbus plans to deliver 18 of the single-aisle jetliners this year.

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The Southeast ramps up to challenge Washington State in aerospace

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Introduction

July 26, 2018, © Leeham News: The US Southeast continues its aggressive expansion in aerospace.

Washington State plots to win the assembly site for the prospective Boeing New Midmarket Aircraft and expand its space footprint.

In a way, it’s a defensive holding game for Washington, which faces competition from more than a half dozen states where the cost of doing business is cheaper and the regulatory environment is friendlier to business.

Summary
  • Washington State doesn’t “get it,” say some suppliers and a trade group.
  • Gearing up for NMA competition.
  • Expanding the Southeast aerospace footprint.

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Boeing cash flows generously, KC-46A snarfs up some of it

By Dan Catchpole

 July 25, 2018, © Leeham News: The cash keeps flowing at Boeing. The aerospace giant posted free cash flow of $4.3bn for the second quarter of the year, despite recording $426m in costs related to its delay-ridden KC-46 tanker program.

Despite posting strong earnings, the charge rattled investors, who drove Boeing’s share price down in early trading Wednesday.

Boeing continues to work on closing the business case for its New Midsize Airplane (NMA), a business case unlike any the company has done before, Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg said in a conference call with reporters and investment analysts.

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Esterline’s Mason Products broadens its civilian use of unmanned systems controls

July 25, 2018, © Leeham News, Farnborough:  A unit of Esterline Corp. that supplies parts for all commercial airliners, including the cockpit for the Embraer E-Jet E2 is creating an advanced control system for Unmanned Systems to keep the US armed service members out of harm’s way.

It’s appropriately called Harm’s Way Controllers, or HaWC®.

Esterline’s Mason Products company of Sylmar (CA) is also gearing up to sell this system to the civilian world, beginning with law enforcement, fire departments and other public agencies, says David Tessier, president. The HaWC is used on UAVs, robots that scout dangerous situations, helicopters (providing live situational awareness) and other applications.

Eventually, Tessier expects that HaWC will migrate to uses in environmental surveys, agriculture and inspections for such industries as oil and gas.

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Leahy, Kirby headline “Plane Truths” conference in Chicago Sept. 11-12

July 24, 2018, © Leeham News: John Leahy, who retired in January after 33 years at Airbus, and Scott Kirby, president of United Airlines, headline the Leeham Co. and Airfinance Journal conference, Plane Truths: The Next 12 Months, Sept. 11-12 in Chicago.

This will be Leahy’s first conference appearance since he retired from Airbus, where he was COO-Customers.

Plane Truths: The Next 12 Months focuses only on the key issues coming up in the next year. Click here for more information.

Officials of American Airlines, Cargolux, HiFly, Rolls-Royce, Skyworks Capital, Collateral Verifications, Embraer and Bombardier are among those who will participate.

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More than 1,000 orders, commitments from Farnborough

July 23, 2018: More than 1,000 new orders and commitments were announced at the Farnborough Air Show last week, a final tally shows.

The value was more than $128bn.

Credit Suisse issued its post-air show note today with a complete listing.

Orders announced previously but were listed as Unidentified until the air show were not included.

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