Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
Regional operations with the Turboprop, prop-jet or Jet
- We examined the future of turboprop airliners Jan. 5, 2015, analyzing the backlogs of Bombardier and ATR–and the ATR overwhelming dominance of the current turboprop sector. This is the second of a series looking at this sector.
By Bjorn Fehrm
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Introduction
08 Feb 2015: Passenger traffic is growing the world over on a regional, domestic and international level. For domestic and international airlines the choice of mainline transport aircraft is clear today: there are only two vendors, Boeing and Airbus, and they produce similar products.
For regional transportation there is more choice. First of all, one can chose type
of aircraft, turboprop or jet. Within jet, there are several OEMs that are active. The choice in turboprop is more restricted. In practice, the choice stands between the classical turboprop with ATR and a faster type from Bombardier, the Q400 “Prop-Jet” as it is called, as its speed lands between the classical turboprop and regional jet.
The question is, what are the real differences between them in terms of design, passenger comfort and economics and what is the right choice for a market segment? We will take a deeper look into this by analyzing the ATR72 as the classical turboprop, the Bombardier Q400 as the Prop-Jet and CRJ700 as the regional jet.
Summary:
- The ATR72-600, Bombardier Q400 and CRJ700 are all about the same size, around 70-80 seats single class or 60-70 seats dual class.
- They offer different comfort levels, and it is not all about speed.
- In developing the economics in two steps we seek the crossover points between the different types.
Odds and Ends: Real-time flight tracking; LEAP-1A testing
Real-time flight tracking: At last, the airline industry is adopting rules to require real-time flight tracking. ICAO, the international organization governing rules and regulations, approved one to require real time tracking next year. The action is long overdue.
Singapore Airlines has made the decision to begin installing the system sooner.
Initially data will be transmitted at 15 minute intervals but if a flight anomaly occurs, transmissions will occur at one minute intervals. While the system won’t prevent real-time accidents (or hijackings), locating airplanes sooner could save lives if an accident is survivable or accelerate recovery of flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders to solve an accident sooner and potentially prevent accidents in the future from the results.
LEAP-1A testing: The CFM LEAP-1A, destined for the Airbus A320neo family, is now in flight testing, reports Flight Global.
JP Morgan aerospace analyst Joe Nadol dies in train-car collision
It is shocking and very sad news that the aerospace analyst for JP Morgan, Joe Nadol, died in that horrific Metro North-SUV crash Tuesday north of New York City.
I knew Joe professionally, though casually, and regarded him as one of the better aerospace analysts. He covered Boeing and was the first analyst to predict the 787 would be late.
All of us who knew Joe must be stunned by this news. I know I am.
Nadol was just 42. He is survived by his widow and three young children.
By Scott Hamilton
Areas of investigation of TransAsia GE235 accident
A TransAsia ATR 72 crashed yesterday on take off from downtown airport.
Investigators will look at the following:
- Because the reported Mayday call indicated engine flameout, there will be initial focus on the engines and with it, anything that contributes to flameouts, such as fuel contamination, bird or other foreign object ingestion, and mechanical issues;
- They will look at why the airplane didn’t climb out under power of one engine, as airplanes are designed to do;
- Did only one engine flame out or did both;
- What caused the airplane to drop off dramatically on one wing to a perpendicular position as it crossed the highway–did the plane fall off on one wing due to flight conditions or did the pilot, believing he was going to lose the plane, bank sharply in a desperate attempt to avoid crashing into the city;
- Pilot actions in handling the flameout and subsequent actions in flying the airplane;
- Did the pilots deliberately head for the river to avoid crashing into buildings;
The mechanical history of the airplane; and - The history of the pilots.
Recovery of the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder should provide information quickly to answer many of the questions above but the full investigation typically takes a year or more.
Exclusive: Emirates Airlines gets pitch for 100 Boeing 747-8s
- Update, 3:30pm PST: For those who may not be adept at reading literally what was written, we did not say Boeing made the pitch.
Feb. 4, 2015: In a pitch designed to save the Boeing 747-8 and simultaneously kill the prospect of an Airbus A380neo, Emirates Airlines has received a pitch for 100 of the slow-selling Boeing, two sources familiar with the situation tell Leeham News and Comment (LNC). This is isn’t yet a formal proposal, as far as we know.
Tim Clark, president of Emirates, said he would buy 100 A380s if Airbus re-engined and launched the neo. The neo would use the new Rolls-Royce Advance engine, according to two different sources. Neither Pratt & Whitney nor GE Aviation, which dominate the current A380 engine market share with its joint venture Engine Alliance GP7200, are interested in developing a new engine for the prospective A380neo, according to public statements by both companies. PW doesn’t offer an engine alone that could be adapted to the size required for the A380neo. GE’s GEnx engine, used on the Boeing 787, is in the thrust and size bracket but would only improve the efficiency with 4-5%, thus not worth the change effort. The smaller version of the GEnx is on the 747-8. Read more
Airbus/Boeing production rates forecast through 2020
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Introduction
Feb. 3, 2015: Boeing out-delivered Airbus in 2014, for the second year in a row, as the 787 program improved in delivery rates and before the A350 made its first delivery in December.
Topping Airbus in deliveries allowed Boeing to claim it is the world’s leading commercial airplane manufacturer. By the delivery metric, Boeing is. By orders, Airbus came in first again, maintaining a decade-long lead.
The A350 ramps up its production this year even as the A330ceo rate begins to come down at the end of the year and further next year. Boeing vows to maintain the current production rate of the 777 Classic at 100/yr. The 747-8 rate is declining. And both companies are ramping up rates of the single-aisle airplanes.
The production wars continue.
Summary
- Airbus is forecast to out-produce Boeing by 2018.
- Boeing’s ramp-up of the 737 line will drive the delivery stream.
- The 737 rate may hit 63/mo by 2020.
- Airbus will likely match.
Triumph Group loss on 747-8 gives more clues on program status
Triumph Group revealed an unexpectedly large forward loss related to the ailing Boeing 747-8 program on its fiscal third quarter financial results last week.
The forward loss was triggered by Boeing’s decision in December to reduce the production rate from 1.5/mo to 1.3/mo from September this year.
Investment bank Canaccord had this to say in its note following Triumph’s earnings call:
Airbus A400M; how good and how late?
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By Bjorn Fehrm
Introduction
01 Feb 2015: Six years ago Tom Enders, then-CEO for Airbus (when the parent was named EADS), threatened to stop the A400M project. He then played hardball to get eight European states to understand they had to pay 5bn Euro more or get no plane. Airbus existence could be threatened by a project that its management when the program was launch (CEO Jean Pierson) did not want but that the politicians convinced Pierson’s successor, Noel Forgeard, to do.
Airbus A400M Atlas landing at Farnborough Airshow. Source: Wikipedia.
Now Tom Enders is CEO of Airbus Group and has to apologize to the same governments that he struck a deal with then to finish the project if Airbus got the money and a consent to three years of delays. Now Airbus can no longer fulfill the terms and the airplane is still falling short of performance specifications. Deliveries have been delayed further and promised capabilities will be delivered later than said. Like then, heads are rolling at Airbus and tighter control is being applied.
Summary
- The A400M rests between the Lockheed Martin C-130 and the Boeing C-17.
- European countries need an airlifter for military and humanitarian missions.
- Dirt airstrip capability is needed.
- The program will take longer to complete and this time Airbus has to pay.