Pontifications: The 747 revolutionized air travel

Feb. 11, 2019, © Leeham News: Few airplanes truly can be called revolutionary. Most are evolutionary. The Boeing 747 was one of those that falls into the former category. Just as the Boeing 707 revolutionized air travel, so… Read More

Countdown to Boeing’s decision on NMA, Part 2

Subscription Required Now open to all readers. Introduction Jan. 7, 2019, © Leeham News: As the airline, lessor and aerospace industries await Boeing’s decision whether to launch its New Midrange Airplane (NMA, aka 797), as of last month… Read More

Airbus poised to out-deliver Boeing in 2019

Subscription Required LNC’s Corporate and Enterprise subscribers received this Jan. 3. Jan. 8, 2019, © Leeham News: Airbus is positioned to out-deliver Boeing this year, boosted by the addition of the Bombardier CSeries acquisition last year. LNC projects… Read More

2019 Outlook: Boeing’s decision on NMA is the headline to watch

Subscription Required Introduction Dec. 21, 2018, © Leeham News: It is a stretch to say 2019 is a pivotal year for Boeing. There would have to be events of tsunami proportions to be pivotal for a company with… Read More

WOW-Icelandair combo may help Airbus, hurt Boeing in A321LR/XLR-NMA campaigns

Nov. 5, 2018, © Leeham News: The announcement that Icelandair will acquire competing low cost airline WOW Air seemed the inevitable conclusion to the financially-strapped WOW, which aggressively expanded against the entrenched incumbent. The combined carriers may help… Read More

Pontifications: Pilots train for instrumentation mismatches

Nov. 5, 2018, © Leeham News: It was a week ago that Lion Air JT 610 crashed into the sea, just 13 minutes after takeoff. The crash was the first involving the Boeing 737 MAX (in this case,… Read More

Some suppliers consider sitting out Boeing’s NMA program

By Dan Catchpole August 15, 2018, © Leeham News: If Boeing launches its New Midsize Airplane (NMA or 797), it is expected to use the cleansheet program to force new contract terms on suppliers. And that has some… Read More

Farnborough: NMA business case appears to weaken, evidence at air show indicates

Analysis July 18, 2018, © Leeham News, Farnborough: The biggest, longest-running story at this year’s Farnborough Air Show is about an airplane that doesn’t exist: the prospective Boeing New Midmarket Aircraft (NMA or 797). And the underlying story… Read More

Wide-body production rates show mix of strength, weakness

Subscription Required Introduction May 14, 2018, © Leeham News: Wide-body production rates by Airbus and Boeing are expected to go up modestly during the next three year, with a jump in 2022—if Boeing 777X production rates head for… Read More

Pontifications: Uncontained engine failures are rare but not unknown

April 23, 2018, © Leeham News: Last week’s engine malfunction on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 was another in a rare, but not unknown, uncontained engine anomaly in recent years. All recent similar failures didn’t cause a loss… Read More