Odds and Ends: Why new planes are delayed; Hazy profile; first 787-9

It’s Actually is Rocket Science: It’s a clever headline from Bloomberg News, explaining why new airplane programs are delayed. Focusing on smaller airplanes: Steven Udvar-Hazy, one of the craftiest executives in commercial aviation, is profiled in this LA… Read More

Odds and Ends: New upgrades for the B-52; MRJ delay confirmed; EIS estimates for new airplane programs

Upgrades for the B-52: The USAF and Boeing are upgrading the Boeing B-52 bomber to further extend the service life. The LA Times via the Seattle Times has this story. This is remarkable; the B-52 was designed in… Read More

Odds and Ends: Plane Business analysis of AA-US merger; Air Canada’s single-aisle competition

AA-US Merger: Plane Business made available Aug. 21 its previous analysis of the proposed American Airlines-US Airways merger outside its paywall. The analysis of the government’s analysis is pretty devastating to the government’s case. Read it and judge… Read More

CSeries edges closer to first flight, as payoff for gambles await Bombardier and Pratt & Whitney

The Montreal Gazette did a little digging with Canadian regulators and came up with this interesting piece, deducing the first flight of the Bombardier CSeries will come within the “next 11 days” (the story was dated Aug. 19)…. Read More

Key leaders hit back at Boeing “exodus” assertions; CSeries competition for the Big Two; A380 uses; Boeing hikes prices

Boeing’s WA ‘exodus’: Three key leaders in Washington State responded to the drumbeat from State. Sen. Mike Hewitt (R-Walla Walla) that Boeing is in an “exodus” from Washington. Read the article here. We agree that the use of… Read More

China short on re-engine orders, but nearly 400 C919 “commitments”

The Chinese government and airlines have very few orders for the re-engined Airbus A320neo family and Boeing 737 MAX. There are no identified Boeing 737 MAX orders in China and just 19 A320neos. There are 197 Unidentified MAX… Read More

CSeries first flight: late August or September (analysis)

We believe the first flight of the Bombardier CSeries is planned for late August or early September, based on the coming flight “in weeks” statements from BBD. We note this is “weeks” rather than “days,” and it is… Read More

Bombardier CSeries first flight target: still in “coming weeks”

Bombardier announced its second quarter financial results today and repeated in its press release the first flight of its CSeries will be in “the coming weeks.” News articles are here and here. An earnings call is at 10… Read More

Odds and Ends: CSeries first flight delayed into August; Boeing 2Q profit; 787 future; LHR fire solution

CSeries First Flight: Bombardier announced today that the first flight of the CSeries has slipped into August. Here is the press release. Boeing 2Q profit: Boeing reported a solid profit in the second quarter, with increased cash flow… Read More

Svalbard Trip Report 1, and other random thoughts

We’ve finished our Svalbard trip, the first leg of a multi-stop venture. We’ve taken nearly 300 photos and it will take some time to sort through these. Below are some we took with our handy dandy Blackberry. Before… Read More