Boeing's airliner output slumped to its lowest level for five years in 2002 and orders tumbled 25% to 251. Airbus will declare its 2002 figures this week, and although it will have been beaten by Boeing in output, the European manufacturer is set to be well ahead in the order stakes with over 300 sales.
The US manufacturer delivered 86 jets in the final quarter, bringing its year-end tally to the expected level of 381 aircraft. This was 28% down on the 527 delivered the year before. These are the worst output figures for Boeing since 1997, when the company delivered 375 aircraft, and a further 24% fall to 290 aircraft is expected this year.
Boeing's 251 orders last year were over 80 shy of its 2001 achievements. The net order intake fell to 176 as a result of 75 cancellations and adjustments. This is the lowest figure since 1994, when 125 orders were taken, net of cancellations. The 737 and 777 were Boeing's big success stories in 2002, taking 162 and 32 orders respectively, but the manufacturer will be concerned by the lack of 757 sales last year.
On its military side, the company reported deliveries of 98 aircraft, of which the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet accounted for 40. Boeing's space programmes recorded four Delta deliveries and six satellites last year.
| 2002 orders and deliveries | ||
| Orders | Deliveries | |
| Boeing 717 | 32 | 20 |
| Boeing 737 | 162 | 223 |
| Boeing 747 | 17 | 27 |
| Boeing 757 | - | 29 |
| Boeing 767 | 8 | 35 |
| Boeing 777 | 32 | 47 |
| Total | 251 | 381 |
| Orderbook changes | -75 | |
| Net orders | 176 | |
| 2001 totals | ||
| Gross orders/deliveries | 335 | 527 |
| Difference | -84 | -146 |
| Net orders | 272 | |
| Difference | -96 | |
Source: Flight International
