777X decision due in October; where will it be assembled?

Lufthansa Airlines announced an order for the Boeing 777-9X, but the program hasn’t officially been launched yet. Source: Airline Reporter The Boeing Co. Board of Directors is expected to do so in October. Boeing doesn’t reveal the date… Read More

Busy decade ahead for new, derivative airplane EIS dates

The next decade will see an extraordinary number of new and derivative airplanes entering service, beginning next year with the Boeing 787-9 and ending in 2022 with what we believe will be a replacement for the Airbus A330…. Read More

Busy Week ahead: First flights; and Odds and Ends:Lufthansa to split order; Embraer tells of upgrades

Update, 2:30PM PDT: Boeing confirms that Tuesday is the target day for 787-9 first flight, time TBD and subject to weather and other factors. Update, 3:30pm PDT: Bombardier says 9:30 EDT Monday is the scheduled first flight for… Read More

Odds and Ends: Slowing sales; Airbus in Japan; MRJ delay; Crandall on merger

Slowing Jet Sales: Within a few days, Bloomberg, Reuters and The Seattle Times each had stories about slowing jet sales. Here is the Bloomberg story, focusing on cargo sales. Here is the Reuters story. Here is The Seattle… Read More

Odds and Ends: Lufthansa’s pending widebody order; MRJ v E-Jet E2; MAXimizing space

Lufthansa’s Pending Order: As we have written on previous occasions, Lufthansa Airlines has been preparing a large order for twin-aisle, twin-engine aircraft: 50 or more. We’d noted that the order was likely due in September. Aviation Week has… Read More

Odds and Ends: Boeing’s secret 777X plan; Airbus wins big with British Airways parent

Secret 777X Plan: The Seattle Times reports that Boeing has some secret planning underway for assembly options for the 777X. This involves increasing the automation on the assembly (and thereby reducing manpower) and increasing the production rate to… Read More

Odds and Ends: Fixing Ethiopian’s 787; Pricing the 777X; Indigo and Frontier Air

Fixing Ethiopian’s 787: The New York Times has a good article on the challenges of fixing Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 787. Pricing the 777X: The Wall Street Journal has an article about Boeing’s challenge of pricing the 777X. It’s… Read More

State GOP wants Inslee to fail in aerospace, say Democratic leader

Washington State Sen. Mike Hewitt, a Republican from Walla Walla, took another shot at Gov. Jay Inslee and Inslee’s efforts to build the Boeing 777X wings here in Everett, where Boeing’s wide-body factory is located. Here is Hewitt’s… 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

Washington on the move for new aerospace business

Washington State is showing signs of some real life in a slow ramp up to gain new aerospace business. For years, nay, for decades, state politicians took Boeing for granted. Boeing officials complained and complained and complained about… Read More