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

Odds and Ends: Boeing helps create new competitor; Home for the 777X; CSeries backlog

Mitsubishi MRJ: The Seattle Times has this profile of the Mitsubishi MRJ and Japan’s emerging role in global aerospace. What particularly struck us was the narration about the benefits Mitsubishi gained from Boeing in designing and building airplanes…. Read More

Embraer selects PW GTF for E-Jet RE; concept clarity comes at last

It’s official: Embraer selected the PW GTF to re-engine the E-175, E-190 and E-195. In doing so, it looks like the E-170 will be allowed to wither on the vine. This is a huge win for PW and… Read More

Looking ahead to 2013 in Commercial Aviation

Last year yielded a few surprises in an otherwise predictable year. Jim Albaugh shocked the aviation world when he retired unexpectedly at age 62. He was expected to remain in his position as CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes… Read More

Odds and Ends: Random thoughts, Seinfeld style (i.e., about nothing)

We’re feeling irreverent today…. From Twitter: Boeing Defense ‏@BoeingDefense In Sept issue of #Boeing Frontiers: With #Apollo roots, Boeing has grown to be largest #aerospace employer in #Alabama http://ow.ly/dB0Ef Comment: We remember when Boeing said Alabamans couldn’t build… Read More

Odds and Ends: Why aircraft are late; catching up to Boeing

Why Aircraft Are Late: Boeing 747-8, 787, Airbus A380, A400M, A350, Mitsubishi MRJ, Comac ARJ-21, Sukhoi Superjet and probably Comac C919, Bombardier CSeries and Irkut MS-21–all late. It’s the new normal. Ernie Arvai at AirInsight takes a look… Read More

Future materials: aluminum lithium, standard metals or composities

The Farnborough Air Show isn’t just about orders, though these get all the sex and headlines. While we weren’t at the show, we had a telephone interview with a company called Constellium, previously known as Alcan. Constellium spoke… Read More

AirInsight has exclusive detail about MRJ delay

Mitsubishi last month announced a delay of more than one year for the MRJ, but was rather vague about the reason. AirInsight has the detail, following an interview at the Pratt & Whitney media day attended by officials… Read More

PW to dual-source neo engine manufacture

Pratt & Whitney will dual source manufacture of the A320neo GTF engine so there is no single point of failure, an official said at the PW Media Day in Hartford. Tom Mayes, general manager of the company’s Middletown… Read More