Boeing sees 4% increase in aircraft demand in next 20 years

Boeing forecasts a demand for 36,770 new airplanes during the next 20 years, an increase of 4.2%, in its Current Market Outlook. The value of this demand, which covers the entire commercial aviation line from regional jets and… Read More

Is the A330neo engine Rolls Royce’s first carbon fan model?

The Airbus A330neo program has come a long way since our 29th of December article  “A330neo prospect gains traction.” With the Farnborough Air Show days away, we understand there are now Airbus internal job postings for engineers to join… Read More

Comparing the A330 and 777 Classic backlogs

Airbus has a major image problem with its A330 backlog: the aviation industry looks at the backlog and sees “two years worth of production,” assuming on its face that after 2016, there are no orders. Therefore the program… Read More

Odds and Ends: A330neo more likely; Boeing cockpit commonality; Monarch Airlines

A330neo more likely: The Financial Times of London has a long interview (including a five minute video) with Airbus Commercial CEO Fabrice Bregier (free registration required) in which he says the launch of the A330neo is becoming more… Read More

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