Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON
Boeing has outstripped Airbus Industrie in the battle for large jet-airliner orders in the first half of this year, re-emphasising its dominance of the market sector. McDonnell Douglas (MDC), which is at the centre of a merger row between Boeing and the European Union, secured just 3% of the orders.
The world's three large-aircraft manufacturers - soon to be reduced to two now that the US Government has approved the merger between Boeing and MDC - have had a strong first-half year, taking some 300 orders between them, and delivering just slightly fewer aircraft than that number. This has resulted in only a marginal increase in the backlog.
Boeing leads the way, with 219 net orders, almost double its performance 12 months ago and 75% of the total for the three manufacturers. Sales of its Next Generation 737 models have been particularly strong. Boeing has suffered only five cancellations this year, compared to 87 in the first half of 1996. All five were for the 777.
Boeing production rates are rapidly moving to a new record high, with a 50% increase in shipments, to 161, compared with a year ago. Boeing has already delivered almost the same number of 747s and 777s so far this year as in the whole of 1996. It now expects this year's delivery figure to reach 340 aircraft, against 220 in 1996.
Airbus Industrie's production rate is also poised to break its own record. Airbus has completed around half of the planned 183 deliveries for 1997, compared with 126 in the whole of 1996. Deliveries for 1998 are forecast at 220. Significantly, with the Hamburg-produced A321 being joined by the A319, single-aisle aircraft production in Germany has out-performed A320 production in Toulouse for the first time.
Despite these gains, Airbus' order intake has not been as strong as for the first half of 1996, with the net tally of 91, half that of 12 months ago, and the number of cancellations similar (seven).
The A330 is now the most popular aircraft at the larger end of the Airbus product line, helped by the new long-range -200 model, with the consortium selling 19 of the type, although it did not sell a single A340 during the first half.
Uncertainty over the long-term future of MDC airliners (because of the merger with Boeing) has contributed to its low sales performance during the first six months. Only eight sales were recorded by the company. Deliveries are up on the same period of 1996 and accounted for 8% of the total.
Source: Flight International
