Boeing hopes to be in a position to launch its all-new 250-seat conventional airliner programme within 12 months, following the long- expected decision in December to ditch the Sonic Cruiser.
The so-called "Super Efficient Airplane" will be Boeing's next new commercial aircraft, competing in the mid-size category where demand is forecast at up to 3,000 aircraft. Boeing Commercial president Alan Mulally says the aircraft will be defined and committed over the next year. "Our plan is to get the aircraft going," he says, regardless of any impending war with Iraq or the on-going market depression, and adds: "Hopefully we are at the bottom of this cycle."
Although the Sonic Cruiser concept ignited interest throughout early 2001, the market collapse that followed the 11 September terrorist attacks ended any hopes of Boeing launching the programme. Although it attempted to revive interest in the high-speed design, Boeing concedes that the airlines in its study group were increasingly serious about the baseline reference model, the conventionally configured Super Efficient Airplane, formerly dubbed Project Yellowstone.
Commenting on the forces that redirected Boeing's product development strategy, Mulally says: "I have never seen the combination of economic cycle and terrorist overhang have such an impact on our industry."
The company took what many believed was a foregone decision on ditching Sonic Cruiser in the week starting 9 December. Mulally says that low-level studies of Sonic Cruiser concepts will "continue to be looked at" but says the "vast majority of resources" will move to the efficient design.
The single aircraft Super Efficient family will offer 777-like range and speed capability, for low-cost operation on point-to-point routes at 15-20% lower operating cost per seat than the 767 (Flight International, 12-18 November). Boeing plans to commit to "technical launch" of the aircraft in early 2004 "at the latest", says Mulally, with the same 2008 entry-into-service target as the Sonic Cruiser, which Mulally predicts will "fit well with the economic recovery.
"Through the next year we will end up with a shared view with the airlines that want to be launch customers. That, plus the business case, will determine what happens," says Mulally.
Boeing also plans to launch the extended-range 737-900X derivative in 2003, says Mulally. Configured for 205 passengers, the aircraft will be aimed primarily at charter airlines.Source: Flight International
