Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
Leeham News and Analysis
- Bjorn’s Corner: Air Transport’s route to 2050. Part 28. June 27, 2025
- Parent agency, FAA often at odds as politics outweighs safety June 26, 2025
- Electric Flight and the Ugly Duckling June 25, 2025
- Engine makers tout “Plan A” but have “Plan B” backups in R&D June 23, 2025
- Bjorn’s Corner: Air Transport’s route to 2050. Part 27. June 20, 2025
Bombardier optimistic about China
Subscription Required
Introduction
June 5, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Bombardier’s activities in China, where the fuselage for the CSeries is co-produced, have been at a standstill.
None of the Memorandums of Understand or Letters of Intent have been converted to firm
Bombardier Q400.
orders. A recent news report suggested renewed talks between COMAC, China’s commercial aircraft enterprise, and Bombardier over acquisition of the CSeries program
LNC sat down with Fred Cromer, president of Bombardier Commercial Airplanes, at the annual general meeting of IATA to discuss these and other issues.
Summary
- An update on the COMAC-CSeries relationship.
- An update on the slow-selling Q400 and CRJ programs.
- An update on the oft-discussed CS500.
Read more
Boeing has MOM sector “crisis,” says Leahy
June 5, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Boeing has a “crisis” in the Middle of the Market airplane sector, declared Airbus’ top salesman.
John Leahy, COO Customers, Airbus.
Development of the 737 MAX 10, which is expected to be launched at the Paris Air Show in two weeks, won’t solve it, either.
John Leahy, COO Customers for Airbus, made the remarks today during a small press event at the Annual General Meeting of IATA in Cancun, Mexico.
Airbus ponders lowering production rate on A380
June 5, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Airbus “likely” will decide this year to lower production rates
below 1/mo in 2019, officials said today during a press event at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Cancun, Mexico.
They declined to indicate what the “likely” rate will be, despite being pressed several times.
Bombardier sees no merit to Boeing complaint, says president
Subscription Required
Introduction
June 5, 2017, © Leeham Co.: A decision from the US International Trade Commission
Fred Cromer, president of Bombardier Commercial Airplanes.
(ITC) about the Boeing complaint of alleged Bombardier price dumping in its Delta Air Lines CS100 deal last April is scheduled to be issued June 15.
Bombardier believes the complaint to be without merit.
Fred Cromer, president of Bombardier Commercial Airplanes, explains why in this interview yesterday by LNC at the annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Cancun, Mexico.
Pontifications: ATR, Q400 replacement not any time soon
By Scott Hamilton
June 5, 2017, © Leeham Co.: The prospect of a new generation turboprop airliner remains as elusive as ever.
This is the clear conclusion from Media Days I attended Tuesday through Friday with Pratt & Whitney and Embraer at their respective Florida operations in West Palm Beach and Melbourne.
There are just two major manufacturers, ATR and Bombardier—and the latter is fading fast. ATR now has about 80% of the backlog. Bombardier is down to about two dozen unfilled orders.
Embraer aggressively pursues private jet market
June 2, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Embraer is aggressively growing in the private jet market, offering a range of clean-sheet designs to business jet versions of its venerable E-145 RJ and its E-Jet.
In a pre-Paris Air Show press briefing at EMB’s Melbourne (FL) facility, the Phenom and Legacy private jets took center stage. Both jet families, currently two and three members respectively, are assembled here at this growing facility.
Embraer’s US footprint spans 31 states
June 2, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Embraer is best known as a Brazilian company, but its US footprint and economic contributions are surprising for those who don’t delve into these sorts of things.
Gary Spulak, president, Embraer Aircraft Holding US, outlined EMB’s US presence on the first day of two days of pre-Paris Air Show briefings at the company’s Melbourne (FL) engineering, production and corporate aircraft center.
Bjorn’s Corner: Keeping airliners operational. Part 7
By Bjorn Fehrm
June 02, 2017, ©. Leeham Co: We last week got an understanding of the maintenance task types that a Maintenance Planning Document (MPD) for the Airbus A320 contains.
We now use this knowledge to build an operator’s maintenance program for our A320-based airline.
Figure 1. The first modern maintenance program was formed around the Boeing 747. Source: Wikipedia.
Read more
Pratt & Whitney, rest of industry, await Boeing decision on NMA
June 1, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Pratt & Whitney, like the airlines, lessors, suppliers and competitors, awaits a decision by Boeing whether it will launch the New Midrange Aircraft for the Middle of the Market sector.
PW’s president, Bob Leduc, said the company is going through its business case studies
Bob Leduc, president of Pratt & Whitney. UTC photo.
even as it provides information to Boeing.
In an interview yesterday with Leduc and PW Commercial Engines president Chris Calio at PW’s pre-Paris Air Show media days near its West Palm Beach (FL) engine production facility, Leduc says the market size and the assumption Boeing will choose two engine makers to power the NMA are among factors that will drive the business case.
Here is a transcript of the interview on the NMA and other topics. The lead into the NMA evolved from a question about the aftermarket services PW—and Boeing—have as strategic profit-center goals.