Norwegian’s risky fleet expansion

By Bjorn Fehrm Subscription Required Introduction February 15, 2017, © Leeham Co.: In our review of Norwegian Air Shuttle last week (Norwegian from now on), we pointed out the company’s relatively weak balance sheet. It’s considerably weaker than… Read More

Long, bitter history precedes union vote at Boeing Charleston today

Feb. 15, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Boeing’s touch-labor workers at its 787 assembly plant in North Charleston (SC) will vote today on whether to become represented by the International Association of Machinists (IAM). It’s a vote with huge… Read More

Norwegian, from regional to mainline competitor

By Bjorn Fehrm Introduction February 8, 2017, ©. Leeham Co: When SAS (Scandinavian Airlines Systems) canceled Norwegian Air Shuttle’s (NAS) contract to feed its Norwegian network 2002, it had no idea the former feeder would almost run it out… Read More

Pontifications: Airbus, Boeing single-aisle production rates solid

Jan. 23, 2017, © Leeham Co.: The global economy is softening and airlines are deferring airplanes, but we don’t see Airbus or Boeing trimming aircraft production for their single-aisle airplanes. Over-sales and rising fuel prices support today’s A320… Read More

Bjorn’s Corner: Geared turbofans

January 13, 2017, ©. Leeham Co: The time has come to go through the reasons why some turbofan engines are designed with a gearbox between the fan and the low pressure shaft. The principle design is shown in… Read More

Airbus sets new delivery record for 2016

By Bjorn Fehrm January 11, 2017, ©. Leeham Co: Airbus Commercial Aircraft presented a new record in yearly deliveries at its Press Briefing in Toulouse today.  The division of an integrated Airbus (therefore Airbus Commercial Aircraft, ACA) delivered 688… Read More

Bjorn’s Corner: Turbofan developments in 2017

January 06, 2017, ©. Leeham Co: Before we finish of our series on airliner turbofan technology, let’s spend this Corner on what will happen on the airliner engine front during 2017. While there is no totally new engine that… Read More

Pontifications: Leahy’s retirement from Airbus

Nov. 14, 2016, © Leeham Co.: News emerged last week that Airbus super-salesman John Leahy has a new deputy, Kiran Rao. A new title for Rao wasn’t revealed in the Bloomberg story. He currently is EVP-Strategy and Marketing,… Read More

Airbus results depressed from continuing delivery delays

Oct. 26, 2016: Airbus Group reported that its nine months financial results continue to be depressed by delivery delays in the A320neo and A350-900 programs. The Group reported revenues of €43bn for the period and charges that lowered profits…. Read More

How Boeing is working to convert Qatar’s MAX LOI into a firm order

Oct. 18, 2016, © Leeham Co.: It’s only a Letter of Intent, the agreement between Boeing and Qatar Airways for up to 60 737-8s. Qatar announced the LOI two weeks ago because its CEO, the notoriously fickle Akbar… Read More