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Boeing is considering a possible shrink of the 767-400ER as an alternative to meeting the long range requirement of the proposed 767-300ERX with discrete upgrades from the stretched twin-aisle development.
The move would be a subtle but distinct change in direction for the 767 programme and could give Boeing a stronger platform to sustain the aircraft family into the next century. "The question is, how do we get the -300 in line with the -400ER?" asks Boeing director product marketing Joe Ozimek. "There are lots of approaches. We could take the -400 wing and put it on the -300. We could install the new interior and flight deck on the -300. Or we could shrink the -400".
The -300ERX, as a shrink of the larger stretch, would include the additional fuel capacity being studied for the -400ERX. This comes from a 4,540kg (10,000lb) fuel tank in the horizontal tail, and would help push range from 11,500km (6,200nm) to around 12,000km, increasing competitiveness with the similar sized Airbus A330-200. In concert with these studies, Boeing is also evaluating a slight speed increase for both models, as "airlines are getting more speed conscious," says Ozimek.
The speed increase study is being made possible by the improved efficiency of the swept wingtip designed for the -400, and in part, by the more powerful General Electric CF6-80C2B7F/B8F engine developments that could eventually offer up to 68,000lb thrust (300kN). To make the cost of the projected speed increase development worthwhile, Ozimek says it would have to be "at least a 3% to 5% increase, to around Mach 0.82" from the current Mach 0.8.
• The first 767-400ER will be rolled-out at Boeing's Everett site on 26 August, and will begin flight-testing in early October. Certification is due by April next year, with deliveries to Delta Air Lines beginning the following month.
Source: Flight International
