Boeing’s 737 ramp up shows confidence in economy, ‘skyline’ and the unions

The announcement last week that Boeing once again is planning to ramp up production of its venerable 737 line show confidence on a number of levels: The global economy continues to recover; The strength of the backlog, aka… Read More

US appeal of Airbus WTO ruling aimed at A350, future of A320

There is been some perplexed reaction to the appeal by the US Trade Representative to the World Trade Organization that the USTR and Boeing claimed only a few months ago were sweeping victories in the complaint that Europe… Read More

More 787 problems; 2Q delivery delay coming?

The news that Boeing has yet more industrial partner problems with the 787 doesn’t come as a surprise. Pre-Farnborough Air Show, the company revealed that there were shim issues from its Italian partner, Alenia. Two weeks ago we… Read More

SC incentives to Boeing nearing $1bn

Boeing told Washington State that incentives had nothing to do with its decision to locate 787 Line 2 in Charleston (SC)–that it was all about the unions. This article in the Charleston Post and Courier reveals that incentives… Read More

United splits wide-body buy

United Airlines today (Dec. 08) ordered 25 Airbus A350s and 25 Boeing 787s with options for an equal number. It’s clear why UA did this: the A350 is too big to replace the Boeing 767-300 and the 787… Read More

USAirways defers Airbuses; may help in United competition

US Airways early this morning announced it has deferred deliveries of 54 Airbus wide- and narrow-body airplanes from 2010 to 2013 and beyond, including the A350 from 2015 to 2017. While a blow to Airbus on the one… Read More

Did Qantas further cut 787 orders?

The Center for Asia-Pacific Aviation (CAPA) reports that Qantas of Australia now only lists 25 firm 787 orders and 25 rights to purchase the airplane in its latest fleet plan. Boeing still shows 50 orders by the airline,… Read More

KC-767 to benefit from 787 “surge” line

Key points: The ability to increase production rates to sell more 767s in the coming years; Lower production costs, which will be built into the KC-X bid in the hot competition with the expected Northrop Grumman KC-30 submission…. Read More

Boeing to build 737 into 2020s: Bair

The Renton (WA) Reporter has this story that Boeing will continue to build the 737 into the 2020 decade, further extending the timeline for a replacement aircraft, says Mike Bair, vice president of Business Strategy and Marketing for… Read More

SPEEA: We’ll organize Charleston engineers

If Boeing decides to put the second 787 line in Charleston, isolating this work from SPEEA engineers in Puget Sound, SPEEA told this column it will immediately begin an organizing effort of engineers hired in or transferred to… Read More