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 5. January 17, 2025
- What’s the future of the Boeing 787-8? January 16, 2025
- FAA understaffing affects air operations oversight; NTSB falls short, too January 13, 2025
- Bjorn’s Corner: Air Transport’s route to 2050. Part 4. January 10, 2025
- The market is ready for a 787F. But is Boeing? January 9, 2025
Future for the 777, A330 as 777X nears launch, A350 nears EIS
With the launch of the Boeing 777X expected to be approved this month by the Boeing Board of Directors, followed by the public launch at the Dubai Air Show next month, the future sales of the in-production 777… Read More
A350 program update: EIS date set (sort of); ambiguity over -800; talk of a -1000 stretch
Airbus provided a program update Monday to the international media. Here are links to initial stories. Airchive: Airbus sees shift toward 250-300 seat aircraft. Airchive reproduces some of the illustrations Airbus presented. Airchive reports the planned EIS for… 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
Boeing 787-9 departs on first flight
The Boeing 787-9 left this morning on its first flight at 11:02 AM PDT. We discussed the implications of this first flight on Sept. 13. We were at the first flight departure at Paine Field, Everett (WA), for… 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
Who needs a 747-8I? Air Canada puts 458 seats in 777-300ER
Holy crammed-in-coach, Batman! Air Canada has configured its latest Boeing 777-300ER with 458 seats, in three classes. How in the world? Airline Reporter tells how, and we wouldn’t want to be stuck in coach. We’ve been writing for… Read More
Replacing the 747-400
Replacing the venerable Boeing 747-400s remaining in passenger service is a prime objective of Boeing and of Airbus. The business case for their respective 747-8Is and A380s rests in large part on this approach, though for Airbus the… Read More
Odds and Ends: 777-8 “Lite”; group backs WA 777X effort; Asiana crash photos; a new 787 theory
Note: This Reuters article has some good detail about how Boeing gets the 777-9X to its advertised 20% economic gains over 777-300ER. 777-8 “Lite:” Boeing’s plan to launch the 777X in two versions, the ultra-long range 8X at… Read More
Asiana 777 crashes in SFO
An Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 crash-landed at San Francisco Airport Saturday, killing at least two. This is the first fatal crash involving a 777. Investigators will certainly look at whether fuel line icing may be a factor, which… Read More
777X: Why it’s not a composite fuselage, and going with a derivative for the 737
Boeing defends 777X aluminum fuselage, reads the headline from Bloomberg News, reporting from the Paris Air Show. During the pre-Paris Air Show media briefings by Boeing, we asked Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of aircraft development,… Read More
