Leeham News and Comment

1. Odds and Ends: Boeing ponders 787 rate hike; A350 fly-by at PAS?; EMB wins order for E-Jet
   787 Rate Hike: Boeing CEO Jim McNerney acknowledged the company is considering a production rate hike for the 787. Readers here know we’ve been saying for months this is necessary for the 787-10 and to open up delivery slots for customers for the other sub-types. A350 fly-by at PAS? Will the Airbus A350 make an […]
2. United returns 787 to service today; WSJ points to other issues
   United Airlines is the latest carrier to return the Boeing 787 to service today, on a route from Houston to Chicago. UAL CEO Jeff Smisek is joined by Boeing CEO Jim McNerney on the flight. Meantime, the Wall Street Journal rained on the parade a bit with an article detailing other issues facing the 787. […]
3. Comparing the 787, 777-200/300ER and the 777-8/9X
   With a tip of the hat to Airliners.net, we came across this illustration. In case the visual doesn’t work well below, the direct link is here.
4. Assessing the A350 program
   News from EADS that it is beginning to consider another Airbus A350 assembly line, or ramping up production more quickly than currently planned, to accommodate increasing demand for the -1000 validates a desire expressed months ago by John Leahy, COO of Customers for Airbus, that he could see more -1000s if he had the capacity […]
5. Boeing gets launch order for MAX 7
   Boeing finally got a launch order for the 737-7 MAX, from Southwest Airlines. Southwest converted 30 737-700 orders to the 737-7. The 7 MAX competes with the Airbus A319neo and the Bombardier CSeries.
6. Taking care of business at the airframe OEMs
   The news yesterday the Boeing resumed delivery of the 787 is good news, not just for Boeing and the airlines, but for all the stakeholders. Although Boeing did not stop or slow production of the aircraft during the grounding, had the grounding continued for six months instead of 3 1/2 we saw, Boeing may well […]
7. EADS earnings and Airbus A350, A380 updates
   EADS reported its first quarter earnings and in the process reiterated plans to fly the Airbus A350 in June. Speculation remains rampant that Airbus will fly the airplane in time for the Paris Air Show. Meantime, sales for the giant A380 languish, with open delivery slots in 2015–the year Airbus has said the program will break […]
8. 777X for Washington State: Reports Jon Ostrower
   “According to people familiar with the company’s thinking, much of the 777X industrial footprint will likely be retained in Washington state to keep the cost down, and will first employ an assembly line at its Everett, Wash., factory currently being used to build 787 Dreamliner jets.” The Temporary Surge Line or TSL is prospectively slated […]
9. Odds and Ends: 777X features; progress on A350, 787-9 and CSeries
   777X features: More details are emerging about the planned features of the Boeing 777X. Progress, Progress, Progress: The CSeries prototype gets its tail number, the Boeing 787-9 is taking shape, and the first A350 has been painted. Richard Branson in drag: this speaks for itself. EADS North America on Sequester: The CEO, Sean O’Keefe, has […]
10. Washington State to roll out 777X retention plan; here’s what needs to be done
    Washington Gov. Jay Inslee will announce today his plan to keep the Boeing 777X assembly here, at the Everett plant where the current 777 series is built. Inslee previously has said the State needs to pass some additional gas taxes to improve the highway transportation infrastructure. We expect him to talk about this further. Improving […]