A final assembly line of Boeing's planned 7E7 Dreamliner could be in Dubai, claims a magazine published in the Arabian Gulf.
A senior Boeing executive says that such is the revolutionary nature of the programme – from the materials used to build it to the way production will be carried out – that if regional market support was strong enough, final assembly could be done within the region.
The exclusive story appeared in Caucus, the official journal of the American Business Council of Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
"Now these are very early days but the aircraft is revolutionary in every way including the way it will be built," Boeing's John Craig, vice-president, Middle East, International Relations, is quoted as saying.
"We would anticipate a large number of orders from China and I can foresee those aircraft being assembled in China. For aircraft for, say, the Middle East and Africa, I can foresee final assembly possibly being carried out in Dubai. In principle there is no reason why not.
While the programme has not been formally launched, the aerospace firm continues to talk to airlines worldwide. Emirates recently spoke approvingly of the proposed aircraft.
"This aircraft will revolutionise the way that people think about air travel," says Craig. "Everything about it is different, from the philosophy behind it to the technologies that will go into it."
Craig was speaking just weeks after taking up his regional post – one of 20 ‘super ambassadors' worldwide whose job it is to act as regional diplomats for the US firm.
One of the key messages he is seeking to get across is that Boeing is a "global technology company" and not just a manufacturer of civil aircraft. He and his colleagues also want to reinforce that Boeing, despite being synonymous with everything American, is truly an international company.
Though American himself, Craig is in a minority in the International Relations team: 15 of the 20 executives are non-American.
"We can no longer think of Boeing as a myopic Seattle-based organisation. It is a global organisation with global aspirations and that is why our representatives in many of the countries are nationals of those countries," he says.
The creation of the team "was a real step to break the mould of the old Boeing".
Such is the importance of the International Relations team that its members report direct to the Boeing chairman and the team remains separate from the business units.
Well-positioned
Says Craig: "We are here to enhance Boeing's image both at the political and at the public level and ensure that Boeing is seen everywhere as a good corporate citizen."
That could mean any number of things, he adds, including working closely with educational institutions in the region. "I am talking to people and working to understand what would offer the greatest value to people in the region.
"It could be something to do with getting students interested in aeronautical engineering but that is not necessarily the way to go.
"None of it is related to aircraft sales; it's about what people need and helping where we can in our role as good corporate citizens."
The placing of non-US citizens in most of the key posts was one departure for Boeing: the fact that nearly all of the International Relations team are from non-aerospace backgrounds was another.
Craig is a former US ambassador to Oman and was a special assistant to President Bush for combating terrorism.
Priorities for Craig at the moment are Egypt and Kuwait which both have a requirement for civil aircraft and integrated defence systems. Though it's early, Craig says he may consider opening satellite offices in either or both of the countries.
"In these countries there are ageing airliner fleets and a need to replace aircraft. I want to ensure that Boeing is well-positioned to offer the best package when those airlines feel the time is right to buy."
On Iraq, Craig sees a good long-term prospect. He believes that a reborn Iraqi Airways will emerge as a private concern.
Craig is complimentary about the booming airlines in Arabia which are bucking a gloomy global trend in the industry. He is blunt about the difference between the Gulf airlines and many others.
"We see a lot of airlines in the doldrums because their business plans don't make sense," he says. "Their cost structures are crazy.
"Here in the Gulf, there is a good market for passengers but, more importantly, they don't pay their pilots unreasonable amounts of money yet they don't have any trouble getting people to work for them.
"Emirates is an excellent employer but they are a little bit more rational about expenditure than a lot of airlines seem to be. "
Source: Flight Daily News
