Engine Alliance undertakes PIPs, but not to level Emirates wants

June 17, 2015, Paris Air Show, c. Leeham Co. Engine Alliance, one of the two power plant suppliers for the Airbus A380, said today that it is undertaking Performance Improvement Package (PIP) upgrades to the GP7200 to lower… Read More

Paris Air Show: Bombardier

Subscription Required. Introduction March 17, 2015, c. Leeham Co.: Bombardier and air shows just don’t get along. In 2009, there was wide anticipation at the Paris Air Show that BBD would announce a deal with Qatar Airways for… Read More

Boeing 737 MAX: performance if engine has SFC shortfall

By Bjorn Fehrm Subscription required Introduction 14 April 2015, C. Leeham Co: There have been persistent reports that the CFM LEAP engines should be behind their fuel consumption targets. We commented on these rumors recently. It’s normal for… Read More

Pratt & Whitney: Lean, automated manufacturing key to GTF ramp up

April 2, 2015: Lean principals and increased shifting to automated manufacturing are key to an aggressive ramp up for the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbo Fan engine, according to officials. The first production engines for the Airbus A320neo… Read More

Bombardier CS300 analysis vs A319neo, 737-7

By Bjorn Fehrm Subscription required Introduction March 29, 2015, c. Leeham Co: Bombardier’s big bet in the aeronautics sector, CSeries, is well into flight testing, now more than half way toward the 2,400 hours required by Transport Canada… Read More

Bjorn’s Corner: Intro, LCC long range and CFM’s LEAP

March 19, 2015: This is the first version of my Corner where I will comment on the aeronautical world as I see it. It will be a mix of tech things (I am an engineer) and my view… Read More

Odds and Ends: CS300 first flight delayed; PW GTF; Boeing enters MidEast fray

CS300 first flight delayed: When Bombardier says it’s too cold for the CS300 first flight, you know it’s cold up in Montreal. It’s -21C at Mirabel (-6F) and partly cloudy, but that was too cold for the guests,… Read More

First analysis of Mitsubishi Regional Jet, MRJ

Subscription required By Bjorn Fehrm Introduction 25 Jan 2015: Japan has not produced a commercial aircraft since 1973, when the last YS-11 twin engined turboprop rolled off the assembly line. The YS-11 was developed by a consortium of Japanese “heavies,”… Read More

Fundamentals of airliner performance, Part 6; The engine

By Bjorn Fehrm 19 Jan 2015: There is a lot written about the fundamentals of how aircraft fly. It is something that fascinates people and it generates a high level of understanding of these fundamentals. The same is… Read More

Airbus reveals record orders at annual press conference

By Bjorn Fehrm Toulouse 13 Jan 2015: Airbus today held their annual press conference where they among other things revealed their final numbers for orders and deliveries. The press conference was hosted by Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier accompanied by COO… Read More