Assessing the 100-149 Seat Sector

Introduction Oct. 12, 2014, (c) Leeham Co.: The 100-149 seat market sector has long been criticized as irrelevant because of a string of poor-selling aircraft. Boeing officials even labeled this a Bermuda Triangle. The critics fail to recognize,… Read More

Odds and Ends: AA swapping A319s for A321s; Cancelled orders; CSeries; CFM LEAP enters flight testing

American swaps A319s for A321s: This is what Flight Global reports.  AA placed a large order to the Airbus A319ceo in 2011 but, having since merged with US Airways which has a large number of the small Airbus… Read More

New and Derivative Airplanes: Some good, some not: Part 2

Part 2 of two parts. With multiples and multiples of billions of dollars at stake to develop new airplanes, and the billions of dollars of cost overruns at risk, it’s understandable the Airbus and Boeing are shifting to… Read More

New and Derivative airplanes: Some good, some not; Part 1

First of two parts. Earlier this year, Airbus officials said they will concentrate on improving existing airplanes once the A350 enters service. Boeing followed by saying it would not take any “moonshots” and develop new airplanes, at least… Read More

Assessing the 70-90 seat regional jet sector

Introduction Major orders last week for Bombardier and Mitsubishi and the release of the Airbus Global Market Forecast provide an opportunity to look at market segments that don’t get a lot of attention in the shadow of the… Read More

Odds and Ends: 737 rate hike on cash flow; How the Chicago ATC fire impact unfolded; New PW engine chief

737 rate on on cash flow: The Seattle Times has a good article that described the impact on cash flow the decision by Boeing made to boost 737 production to 52/mo in 2018. The rate hike comes at… Read More

Odds and Ends: Boeing firms 52/mo for 737; Product strategy; Aircraft demand and production rates

Boeing firms 52/mo for 737: Boeing this morning announced what we reported in June 2013: that it will go to a production rate of 52/mo for the 737 in 2018. This will not be the last rate increase… Read More

Qatar Airways first A350-900 visible with official photo

Airbus today publicized the first official photo of a customer A350-900, just two days after its certification. It is Qatar Airways first A350-900, production number MSN006, which is towed between the different finishing stations at Toulouse. What is… Read More

A350 certified; we provide a comprehensive program review

Airbus’ most recent all-new aircraft, the A350 has achieved civil airline airworthiness certification from EASA today September 30, FAA certification will follow. It marks an end to an eight year program to develop an all-new airliner in the… Read More

Air Berlin 787 cancellation potentially gives Boeing big advantage in Delta order competition

The announcement last week that AirBerlin canceled orders for 15 Boeing 787s gives Boeing an unexpected, big advantage in the contest for a big wide-body order from Delta Air Lines–depending on when Delta wants the airplanes. The competition… Read More