The "big two" have enjoyed a much-improved sales performance during the first six months, as the momentum that Airbus and Boeing picked up in the second half of 2009 carried on into 2010.
The two rivals' combined net orders have risen almost four-fold from 69 in the first half of 2009, to 268. Boeing has enjoyed a particularly strong turnaround, with its gross orders more than doubling to 188 and its cancellations falling dramatically compared with 2009, giving it a net order total of 151.
A year ago the US airframer's 787 orderbook took a big hit accumulating 73 cancellations, which combined with the 11 unit deficit on other programmes pushed Boeing's overall net sales tally to just one unit.
This year demand for the 737 has driven the airframer's sales boom, with the twinjet taking 112 net orders in the first six months. Boeing has subsequently added a further 26 737 orders to its backlog in the first week of July, giving it a healthy start to the third quarter.
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While the 777 and 787 experienced relatively strong sales during the first half, both suffered double-digit cancellations that forced down their net order totals.
Having enjoyed being top dog throughout 2009, Airbus finds itself in second place at the mid-point of the 2010 race. Again the net order intake is up significantly on last year's first half, almost doubling from 68 to 117. However the European airframer's single-aisle models unable to match the success of the 737, with just 43 A320 family orders being taken, which is largely the reason for its fall behind its rival.
The six-month tally does include one important Airbus order - that from Emirates for 32 more A380s, worth upwards of $11 billion at list prices. However given the size of the Dubai airline's commitment for the double-decker, Emirates would have negotiated a sporty price for the new tranche.
This year the two airframers' combined and individual output is down the first half of 2009, although Airbus remains in the driving seat. However Toulouse and Seattle look to be on course to achieve their year-end total targets of 500 and 460-465 deliveries, respectively.
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Combined deliveries fell 6%, to 472 units but is still at the second highest first-half performance in recent years. The decline is largely due to a 24-unit fall in Boeing shipments to 222 aircraft - a year ago the airframer's output surged to 246 aircraft as it recovered from the strike that halted production for several months in 2008.
Airbus deliveries fell slightly from 254 to 250, but significantly the total included seven A380s. This is the superjumbo's best first-half year shipment tally to date and is a major improvement on the same period last year when Airbus handed over just two A380s. Airbus's single-aisle production has again exceeded a double-century, but is down seven units on the first half of 2009, at 201 deliveries.
The combined backlog has declined 3% from the end of 2009, to 6,659 aircraft but still equates to a healthy six years of production at current rates. Airbus retains a very marginal lead, with 3,355 orders against 3,304 for its Seattle-based opponent.
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Source: Flight International
