An aircraft order, debate about the next generation narrowbody replacement, questions on how to tackle the environment issue and the challenge of production rate increases were all part of the mix at Scott Carson’s press briefing as the show kicked off yesterday.
In a break from tradition, Carson, president and ceo of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, used the event to produce an order, with Henry Hubschman, the chief executive of mega-lessor GECAS, announcing he is buying six more 777 freighters.
“In a nutshell this aircraft is best-in-class – there is nothing close to it,” says Hubschman. GECAS already has 39 777s on its books or on order, including 14 freighters. Its latest buy adds a cool $1.4 billion at list prices to Boeing’s current $188 billion backlog.
Carson is convinced the industry’s strong performance will continue, although he does not expect the manufacturer to hit the record sales of the past two years. “This is an unbelievable cycle,” he says, which “all tends to talk about an elongated cycle the proportions of which we’ve never seen before”.
Boeing is pressing the engine manufacturers to develop technology that will enable it to launch a narrowbody to replace the 737, but Carson says it is “seven or eight years away from when we replace the airplane”. Boeing has been talking to customers for the past 18 months on this issue, but stresses: “We would not want to be first with today’s technology.” If Airbus moves first with this level of technology “it’s OK with us”, he added.
“My understanding is not before 2015 and it might even be a bit later,” says Hubschman, of the possible service entry date of a new narrowbody. “It is more important for customers to get the direct operating cost (DOC) improvement than to get the aircraft in their hands a year or two earlier.”
Emissions reduction will be an equally important factor for the new aircraft. Carson says the industry must address environmental issues through IATA and ICAO. “It is up to us to drive those bodies hard to ensure it doesn’t take too much time,” he says, replying to the suggestion that global moves to reduce aviation emissions can move slowly.
With its 787 mid-sized widebody set to burst through 600 orders, Carson knows he faces pressure to ramp up the aircraft’s output. However, Boeing remains cautious. “I was CFO in 1998/99 when we were recovering from our last exuberant journey into over commitment,” he says.
Source: Flight Daily News
