Farnborough Air Show preview

The Farnborough Air Show is just around the corner, and we don’t expect the event to be especially newsworthy. Here are our expectations for the show: Airbus Market expectations are that Airbus will launch the A330neo at the… Read More

The struggling Boeing 747-8

News reports that Boeing is promoting the 747-8I to Emirates Airlines prompted some to leap to conclusions that the struggling program is about to get a sorely needed shot in the arm. We don’t think so. For one… Read More

New airplanes nearing fruition? A330neo, 757RS buzz increasing

Development of two airplanes–the Airbus A330neo and a replacement for the Boeing 757–may be pushing to the forefront, according to two news articles yesterday. Reuters reports that a decision whether to proceed with the Airbus A330neo could come… Read More

Odds and Ends: MH370 Update: Australians think hypoxia most likely, others still point to pilot misdeeds; and more

MH370: Australian investigators, having reevaluated evidence of missing Malaysian Airlines MH370, conclude that crew hypoxia may be the most likely reason the flight disappeared. But even within the Australian government, this is not a unanimous conclusion, and it’s… Read More

Challenge 777X tax breaks, “correct” US ExIm Bank Boeing funding, says Airbus CEO

Challenge Boeing 777X tax breaks and adjust the US ExIm Bank rules. This is the view of Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier. We had the opportunity for what amounted to a one-on-one, on-the-record discussion with Bregier during the Airbus… Read More

American easing away from continuous hubbing, returning to peak banking

American Airlines will ease away from the continuous hubbing that smooths operations at key airports, increases aircraft utilization and cuts costs as it returns to the peak-and-valley hub-and-spoke system adopted decades ago under former CEO Robert Crandall. Although… Read More

Next new, clean sheet airplane around 2030, says Airbus

Airbus currently is planning for the next new, clean sheet airplane around 2030 and now are focusing on incremental improvements to the existing product lines, officials said at the Innovations Days annual media briefing last week in Toulouse…. Read More

PW works toward 10% fuel efficiency gain for 2020’s GTF

With the Airbus A320neo expected to enter flight testing this fall, equipped with the Pratt & Whitney P1000G Geared Turbo Fan and the Bombardier CSeries, also with the GTF, already in testing, PW is already engaged in research… Read More

Airbus Innovation Days, Part 5: wide body twin development

Kiran Rao, executive vice president, strategy and marketing. Rao discussed the wide-body strategy for Airbus at Innovation Days on Wednesday. The following paraphrasing synopsizes his remarks. More than 3,500 wide bodies have been sold by Airbus, starting with… Read More

Airbus Innovation Days, Part 4: A330neo announcement at Farnborough not a sure bet; CEO questions market forecast

Bregier sees hundreds, not 1,100-1,200, market potential for A330neo–perhaps not enough to justify program. A330neo needs to match operating cost of 787-8, officials say. New engines will up maintenance costs. Airbus officials say they are still evaluating whether… Read More