Boeing tells Spirit to pause 737 MAX fuselage production

June 11, 2020, © Leeham News: Spirit Aerosystems, maker of the Boeing 737 fuselages, yesterday said it will lay off 900 workers on the MAX line for three weeks. “Spirit received a letter from Boeing directing Spirit to… Read More

Pontifications: Boeing focuses on design, production vs airplane development–for now

By Scott Hamilton May 11, 2020, © Leeham News: Boeing killed development of its alphabet soup of airplane concepts for now. “For now” is a relative term. When Boeing will be ready to show concepts to customers as… Read More

Updated with earnings call: Spirit Aerosystems reports 1Q loss, expect worse 2Q

By Scott Hamilton May 6, 2020, © Leeham News: Spirit Aerosystems, a major supplier to Boeing and Airbus, reported a net loss of $163m for the first quarter. The loss was a negative margin of 15.5% on revenues… Read More

Japan seeks to develop aircraft industry ties through Asian trade partnerships

By Judson Rollins Subscription Required April 20, 2020, © Leeham News: Japan has long been known as an engineering powerhouse, and Japanese manufacturing titans like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Aerospace have been a key part of Boeing… Read More

Boeing 737 production rate boost to 57/mo delayed by four years

Plan called for 737 rate to go to 57/mo YE 2019. This rate won’t be achieved until 2023. Rate reduction considered for 777.  By Scott Hamilton Feb. 5, 2020, © Leeham News, Lynnwood (WA): Suppliers attending the annual… Read More

Boeing looks to produce about 220 MAXes in 2020

By Scott Hamilton Jan. 30, 2020, © Leeham News: Boeing appears preparing to produce around 220 737 MAXes this year. Spirit AeroSystems announced this morning that it reached agreement with Boeing to supply 220 fuselages in 2020. The… Read More

Boeing tells union: MAX production halt “weeks;” others see months

Subscription Required By Scott Hamilton and Byran Corliss Introduction Dec. 23, 2019, © Leeham News: The Boeing 737 MAX production shut down will be measured in “weeks,” Boeing told one of its unions. But “weeks” is a highly … Read More

Unfinished 737s have peaked, Boeing tells analysts

Sept. 6, 2018, © Leeham News: Boeing officials say the parked inventory of 737s has peaked at around 50 aircraft and should come down slowly as traveled work is performed. Officials made the comments yesterday at its annual… Read More

Boeing confident of 737 recovery by year-end; some analysts express doubt

Sept. 6, 2018, © Leeham News: As incomplete Boeing 737s fill the ramps, taxiways and other available space at Renton Airport and Boeing Field, company officials sought to assure aerospace analysts there is a recovery plan that will… Read More

Some suppliers consider sitting out Boeing’s NMA program

By Dan Catchpole August 15, 2018, © Leeham News: If Boeing launches its New Midsize Airplane (NMA or 797), it is expected to use the cleansheet program to force new contract terms on suppliers. And that has some… Read More