Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES
McDONNELL DOUGLAS (MDC) says that the final selection of the engine for its MD-95 twinjet will depend on which power plant the launch customer selects.
The BMW Rolls-Royce BR715 and the Pratt & Whitney mid-thrust family of engines are offered on the 100-seater after the exclusivity agreement previously held by BMW R-R lapsed earlier this year.
John Wolf, MDC's executive vice-president for development, says that the international-supplier partner team, for the MD-95 is basically complete, with the exception of the empennage, "for which we have a choice of several good suppliers".
The company says that it will make significant cost savings by setting up its partner team. Wolf adds that the plan will reduce the cost of a wing by 42%, the fuselage by 34%, systems by 25%, the nose by 30%, other systems by 49% and final assembly by 20%. He admits, however, that the increased complexity of integration, support and engineering on an international scale will increase support costs by 30%, "...but the result is worth it", Wolf insists.
While 25% of a current MDC aircraft comes from a non-US supplier, the figure for the MD-95 will be 49%. MDC remains confident of launching the aircraft by the end of the year, despite the recent losses of potential launch opportunities at Scandinavian Airlines System to Boeing and ValuJet to Airbus Industrie.
The company says that it is in "serious" negotiations with "several" potential launch customers, thought to include Northwest Airlines.
MDC has denied reports that it is considering the sale of a stake in its Douglas aircraft division to China. "There is absolutely, no basis in fact to those reports whatsoever," says Wolf. "Douglas has no interest in that and is not in the process of selling itself in China. There is no interest whatsoever in equity sales to a foreign partner."
Wolf adds however, that "...there is strong interest in a partnership of a broader type, however, and the future lies with global partnerships".
Source: Flight International
