Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
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
Boeing should “dual source” 737 fuselage work–right here in Puget Sound
Boeing’s 737 line suffered a second disruption when a train carrying fuselages from Spirit AeroSystems derailed in Montana, sending three of six down an embankment and into a river. Source: PBS. The disruption may be short-lived, but nonetheless… Read More
Boeing’s production gap challenge for the 777 Classic
Wall Street aerospace analysts are becoming increasingly concerned that Boeing will fall short of its goal to maintain 777 production rates at the current 8.3/mo through the introduction of the 777X, planned for entry-into-service in 2020. One analyst… 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
Asiana crash finding implicates Boeing somewhat, but our view is this is a pilot issue, plain and simple
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) yesterday lay the Probable Cause of the crash of the Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 last year at San Francisco as pilot error, but in the process implicated a “complex” auto-throttle system as… Read More
Southwest Air’s expansion to resume next year, says CEO
Southwest Airlines plans to complete the integration of AirTran by the end of this year, positioning the carrier to resume expansion into new markets, says CEO Gary Kelly. In an interview last week at WN’s Dallas headquarters, Kelly… Read More