This year has seen Airbus' A3XX ultra large aircraft family steadily gaining momentum as it moves from project status to a fully committed $11 billion programme. Meanwhile, Boeing has finally launched its new 777X family and is finalising plans for larger derivatives of the 747.
The year has seen some important developments by the West's two large aircraft manufacturers, but it has been a 30-year-old airliner design - Concorde - which has dominated the headlines in recent months. Whether the grounding of the entire fleet, instigated in the wake of the Air France crash in July, is a temporary measure or the end of the world's only supersonic airliner, is not yet known. What is clear is that the fate of 100-seat, this Mach 2 aircraft is most likely to be sealed within the next six to nine months.
The A3XX tempo is building rapidly in Toulouse as the 550-seater programme moves towards an expected launch by early next year, underwritten by commitments from key customers. The European consortium is, itself, poised to for a huge shake-up next year when it will become a fully integrated company. The move comes as output at its Toulouse and Hamburg plants hits record levels.
Meanwhile, completion of the first A340-600 is underway as Airbus studies another addition to its A330 family - the 220-seat A330-500 - which will provide a new generation replacement for the A300/A310.
Boeing finally put the much delayed launch of the 777X family behind it earlier this year, and now has derivatives of the twinjet to rival the A340-500/600. The firm continues to hold a relatively pessimistic view of the market for ultra large aircraft, but has two larger "747X" derivatives on the drawing board which will be ready for a launch decision early next year.
Meanwhile, deliveries began of the latest 767-400ER model in August, while Boeing ended production during the year of the former McDonnell Douglas types inherited through the take over.
Efforts continue in Russia to revive the once mighty airliner manufacturing industry. With the Russian Government attempting to coax the country's banks to help fund its airlines' fleet renewal programmes, there are prospects of airliner output being increased. The Tu-204, which is the most successful of Russia's new generation airliners, is likely to benefit most from these efforts. The 190-seater has been joined by a smaller, longer-range 160-seat derivative which had its first flight this year.
Source: Flight International
