Just as its airline customers are radically changing their business models, so Boeing wants to change the model it has traditionally used to build civil aircraft.
Alan Mulally, chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, says at the show that it is "quite likely" that the 7E7 will be developed and produced under a new more efficient structure.
"I wouldn't rule out a 7E7 company that has equity shares," he says. "We are looking at everything on the 7E7 that improves efficiency."
Improvements
Although still short on detail, Mulally's vision sees a major break with the past in the development of the 7E7 twinjet, moving towards an ownership structure that could feature partners, suppliers, airlines and others.
"The time is now to figure out a different business model to significantly improve the efficiency of our business model to the marketplace. We are all ready to pull together a different modelè I am very positive about it," says Mulally, adding that such a structure has never been used on a Boeing Commercial Airplane project.
Balance
Boeing's risk-share partners have been asking the company how their financial interests in new programmes can be best represented and how they can better balance the benefits and risks. The equity plan would offer a "really tight alignment with all the participants", says Mulally.
With an in-service date of 2008, Mulally says that Boeing will be able to have a "very good and orderly development cycle" for the 7E7. He hopes board approval to launch the aircraft will be obtained during the first half of next year.
Source: Flight Daily News
