Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
Paris Air Show, Day 3: A320, 737 production rates of 50+ seen
Highlights from the show, as we see it: Boeing said the entry-in-service for the 737 MAX will be accelerated from the fourth quarter 2017 to the third quarter. Southwest Airlines of the USA is the first operator. Bloomberg… Read More
The debate over using DOT Form 41in comparing A320 and 737 costs
Long time readers know that we don’t think much of the veracity of data filed with the US Department of Transportation under Form 41, detailing maintenance and fuel costs. We know from a consultant who helped an airline… Read More
Figuring seat counts A320 v 737 families
Airbus and Boeing use different seating assumptions when comparing each others’ airplanes. As one of the charts in a previous post shows, Boeing’s assumptions tend to favor Boeing. Airbus assigns more seats to its airplanes than does Boeing… Read More
737NG-to-MAX production Plans and comparing the 737 with the A320/321
Boeing is gearing up for the transition from the 737 Next Generation to the 737 MAX at its Renton plant in Washington State. During pre-Paris Air Show briefings at Boeing last month, embargoed until today, Boeing officials detailed… Read More
Comparing the 737 and the A320: the story continues
The war of words between Airbus and Boeing continues over the A320 and the 737, with each company boasting its airplanes are better than the competitors. The competing positions were evident in the pre-Paris Air Show briefings from… Read More
Leahy skeptical of Boeing plan to add 737 seats, vows to maintain 60% share of neo-MAX sector
 Airbus’ chief operating officer-customers, John Leahy, dismisses the idea that Boeing can add more seats to its 737 family to gain competitiveness over the A320 family.  In a press briefing in advance of the air show discussing the… Read More
737 MAX may share NG improvements still to come, which might include more seats
Boeing’s 737 MAX, still weeks away from design configuration freeze and still with lots of detailed design to come, may share improvements still to come on the current 737 NG. The head of the MAX program, Keith Leverkuhn,… Read More
Sizing up engine market share on the A320 family
While competition between Airbus and Boeing snares nearly all the headlines and all the “sex,” competition for engine orders is less sexy and receives less attention. Part of this is because of the increasing trend toward sole-sourcing. The… Read More
Washington State Senate budget kills Office of Aerospace; attention turns to House
The Washington State Senate budget adopted last Friday killed funding for the Office of Aerospace, which was created less than a year ago. The move was driven by the need to find more than $1bn to fund education… Read More