Odds and Ends: ANA, Airbus and Boeing; Era of the jumbo jet; Repo wars

ANA to stay with Boeing? After losing Japan Airlines to Airbus, analysts are split over whether ANA will also defect. Some say JAL’s order will give ANA cover to defect. Others say JAL’s order will increase the pressure… Read More

Odds and Ends: Contrary views of Mulally; Cathay considers 420-seat 777-9X; Long haul flight log; a walk in the park

Contrary views of Mulally: With increasing media speculation about the prospect of Alan Mulally returning to Seattle to take the helm of Microsoft, a company in need of strong and creative leadership, two interesting and contrary views of… Read More

Replacing Air Force One: will 747-8 production remain open, or can 777-300ER become AF One?

Bloomberg has this story about the prospect of replacing Air Force One “early in the next decade.” Aviation Week has this story as well. The Aviation Week story links to the Dayton Business Journal, and reports that the… Read More

Odds and Ends: The risk on airborne fires; C919 delays; A380 v 747-8I

The Risk of Fire: FlightGlobal has this story about the risk of fires on board (free registration required). The news article is alarming about the risks of lithium-ion batteries, combined with the new composite technology. The page for… Read More

Odds and Ends: Airbus will “win” the Air Show; AvWeek’s McNerney interview; 747-8 vs 747-400

Airbus will “win” the air show: We did this preview for CNN International. Jim McNerney Interview: Aviation Week has this long one. Dominic Gates of The Seattle Times will be blogging from the Paris Air Show. You can… Read More

Airbus v Boeing on wide bodies

Airbus and Boeing don’t confine their comparisons to the A320 v 737. They are equally forthcoming in discussing the wide-body strategies. The pre-Paris Air Show briefings included contrasts in how Airbus and Boeing see the wide-body strategies. Airbus… Read More

Assessing the A350 program

News from EADS that it is beginning to consider another Airbus A350 assembly line, or ramping up production more quickly than currently planned, to accommodate increasing demand for the -1000 validates a desire expressed months ago by John… Read More

Odds and Ends: 747-400 crash on tape; Repairing the 787 brand; Another 747 doom-and-gloom story

This is dramatic video on the National Air Cargo Boeing 747-400F crash at a US AFB in Afghanistan. Repairing the 787 brand: We’ve noted previously the brand damage Boeing has to deal with following the 787 issues. This… Read More

Odds and Ends: Boeing’s presence in Seattle; 747-8 future; Japan awaits 787 NTSB hearings; Airport delays

Boeing’s presence in Seattle: Bill Virgin, a respected local journalist and observer of aerospace and manufacturing, wrote this column for the Tacoma News-Tribune looking at Boeing’s future presence in the Seattle area. The points Virgin raise are valid,… Read More

Boeing cuts 747-8 production

This is going to be a busy day for Boeing. We’re waiting for word from the FAA to lift the grounding order of the 787 once the Boeing fix is installed and this morning Boeing announced it’s cutting… Read More