Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES
BOEING HOPES to finalise by the end of October a broad-based product-development strategy to take the company into the next century. The company is wrestling with several options and, because it is short of engineers, is attempting to prioritise without over-reaching itself.
Mike Bair, a former chief project engineer from the 777 programme, is at the centre of the initiative, with the task of deciding how to juggle resources for proposed new stretches and long-range versions of virtually every aircraft family in the Boeing portfolio. A worldwide recruitment drive has been launched for these new products
To some extent, Blair's choices are limited, as the company is already committed to several big projects in the form of the third-generation short- medium-range 737-600/700/800, and the long-range -200IGW and stretched -300 derivatives of the 777. The bulk of the engineering design work, however, is already over for these programmes, and the main focus will be on manufacture, flight-testing and certification.
The 747-500/600X programme is seen as the top priority, and a commitment to proceed is expected at the Farnborough air show, with a formal launch possibly later in 1996.
Boeing has hinted that an announcement to proceed with the stretched, 235-seat 757-300X may also be made at Farnborough, depending on the progress of talks with customers. Condor is tipped as one of the favourites to launch it. "The programme is very definitely being worked. An announcement depends on timing," says Boeing. The prospects for a long range 757-200X, with extra fuel-tank capacity and an extra-range/payload appear to have receded.
Like that for the 757-300X, the timetable for the stretched 767-400X is still uncertain, but the project itself is alive. "We have a group of people working on that; it has not been shelved," says Boeing. Interest is said to be high and an announcement at Farnborough to proceed is a possibility.
Boeing needs to make a quick decision on whether to develop the short-bodied, long range 777-100X or a standard-bodied, long range -200X, if it is to meet its May 1999 entry-into-service plan. To stick to schedule, it must agree on a firm configuration by around March 1997 to begin a 26-month assembly and certification effort.
The manufacturer has been pulled, in two directions, by its' customers. American Airlines, which has yet to order any version of the 777, is believed to have favoured the -200X. Singapore Airlines, which ordered up to 77 in 1995, favours the -100X.
Boeing sources indicate that, as the Farnborough air show approaches, the company is leaning towards the -100X.
Source: Flight International
