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Headline News was last updated: January 4, 2010

Service

Guide.

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B787 Structural Elements

Setion 44 & 46 wrinkle requires a patch fix for the 1st 23 aircraft

August 2009:

A350 XWM subsidy cut: The UK government is to give Airbus $500M to develop the A350 XWB, half the amount the company sought.

Eletric Aircrafty Concepts  (August 2009)

Electric light sports aircraft (LSA) may be a green alternative for aviation by 2011.

The 1st light LSA design, the Chinese built Yuneec E430 is powered by lithium polymer (li-poly) battery packs.

Yuneec manufactures the E430 LSA in Shanghai.

An aircraft's new purchase price represents less than five percent of its lifetime costs over a thirty year period.

A330 pitot tube repair recommendations are inadequate and system-wide failures will persist, with dangerous consequences for passengers.

A330 pitot tube: Known safety deficiencies can lead to blockage of the A330 speed sensors due to icing according tom the Air France pilots union.

December 2009

Sukhoi (Russia) is rescheduling deliveries of the Superjet 100 indefinitely because of engine development problems.

Superjet 100 was scheduled for flight test in 2007, then in 2008 and now has no date certain for flight-testing.

Superjet 100 is the first civilian aircraft launched in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Superjet 100 is priced in the $28M range and has an estimated 150 firm orders and 80 options.

Superjet 100 is designed to compete with Embraer E-Jets and the Bombardier CRJ and is priced in the $28M range.

Superjet 100: Aeroflot is a major buyer and was due to receive the first production units in the first half of 2010. 

Sukhoi is in talks with existing buyers about new timeframes for the delivery of the aircraft already ordered.

Superjet 100 is a new, fly-by-wire regional jet (75 to 95 passengers) fitted with two turbofan engine surpassing ICAO noise and emissions requirements.

Aircraft Main System Suppliers: Thales, Messier Dowty, B/E Aerospace, Honeywell, Parker, Hamilton Sundstrand, & BF Goodrich.

Engine: The new PowerJet SaM146 engine (14,000 to 17,500 lb thrust) being certified to European, U.S., and Russian standards.

Engine JV: PowerJet is a development JV between Snecma/Safran (France) and NPO Saturn (Russia).

Engine design: Most of the engine design is based on CFM’s CFM56, jointly developed by Snecma (Sub of SAFRAN, France), and General Electric.

PowerJet is building the PowerJet SaM146 engine that was to be certified by May/June 2010.

Sukhoi’s civil aviation division is building the Superjet 100 airframe. Sukhoi is a subsidiary of United Aviation Corporation (UAC).

UAC was created in 2006, is state-owned, consolidated companies that manufacture, design, and sell military, civilian, transport, and unmanned aircraft.

UAC is projecting revenues of $4B for 2009, $5B in 2010, & is restructuring $2.4B of debt.

NPO Saturn claims that the PowerJet SaM146 is going through the process of receiving necessary documentation and testing.

UAC claims the engine makers shifted to an unspecified timetable for certification because they are not ready.

Pratt & Whitney (P&W) PW100G engine makes headway against the CFM56.  www.aviationregister.biz

PW100G allows new airframe manufacturers to enter the commercial jet market and take market share from Airbus and Boeing. www.aviationregister.biz

PW100G poses a threat to the GE/SNECMA strategy of incremental changes to the design of the CFM56 as fitted on the A320 and B737 families. www.aviationregister.biz

PW100G will now be fitted to the Bombardier C-Series, the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) and the Russian MS-21.

PW1000G high-bypass turbofan engine was formerly referred to as the Geared Turbofan(TM) engine. 

Irkut (Russian manufacturer) selects P&Ws PW1000G for its MS-21 medium range commercial jet due for first delivery in 2015.

MS-21 – Other suppliers: Avionika (Russian) & Rockwell Collins (USA) will provide the avionics systems to be assembled by Irkut.

MS-21 is an $8B project developed by Russia's major manufacturers Ilyushin, Tupolev, and Yakovlev & it will be built by Irkut.

MS-21 will replace the aging Tu-154, which accounts for some 80% of Russia's passenger and freight traffic.

TU-154 replacement: The TU-154 has been exported & operated by about 17 non-Russian airlines and air forces, and about 214 are in service.

MS-21 is also set to compete with the A-320 and B737 aircraft both fitted with the GE/Snecma CFM56 engine.

MS-21 represents a market for more than 200 replacement TU-154s and could easily lock in the Russian market from 2016.

Threat to the future of the CFM56: Add the MS-21 to the C Series and the MRJ, the potential order book could breach 1,000 aircraft.

Threat to the future of the CFM56: If yes, that would be a deathblow for the “future” development of the CFM56.

Threat to the Airbus/Boeing product line: The PW100G undermines Airbus & Boeing orders for 2,378 A320 family and 2,100 B737s worth about $225B!

Airbus & Boeing have the option to add the PW100G engine to any A320/B737 replacement design and as a retrofit to replace the CFM56.

B787 Dreamliner may be 9.25 tons overweight potentially reducing range, payload, and fuel efficiency.  

B787 weight problems: It is reported that airlines received a briefing document listing the maximum takeoff weight as 9.25 tons heavier than that published two years ago.

Weight issues: The operating empty weight may be 5 tons more than was originally designed

Boeing says the B787 weight increase refers to allowed operational weight that was increased after analysis showed the structure to be strong enough to carry extra loads.

Excess weight source: Much of the extra weight is attributed to the wing-body joint flaw that had to be reinforced with titanium fittings.

Boeing insists that the B787 will meet range and payload targets and it will deliver on the promised 20% fuel-efficiency improvements.

B787 (msn 40691) made its second test flight, this time in ANA livery. ANA will be the airline to take first delivery of the B787 in 2010.

CFM International China deal is worth $15B over 30 years. Safran & General Electric won the deal to supply engines for China's proposed C919 commercial jet.

Safran via CFM will supply engines propulsion systems components to Commercial Aircraft Corporation ( COMAC) for the C919.

C919 is China's first large passenger, narrow-body, single-aisle jet & China is developing it to compete against Airbus and Boeing.

COMAC selected CFM International (A GE/SAFRAN Co.) to supply the new LEAP-X1C engine as the sole western power plant to launch China’s COMAC C919 150 seat commercial jet.

Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) is developing the new C919 single-aisle commercial jet aircraft to enter service in 2016.

COMAC has forecasted a global market for more than 2,000 C919 aircraft over the 20 years following entry into service.

CFM claims to be the world’s most successful jet engine suppliers – delivering more than 20,000 engines for aircraft flown by more than 500 airlines worldwide.

B787 first flight:  The B787 Dreamliner took to the air on December 15, at Paine Field, Everett, Wash., at 10:27 a.m. P.T., Tuesday 15th for its first flight.

B787 No. 1 took off exactly six years after the Boeing board gave permission to proceed to offer the aircraft for sale on Dec. 15, 2003 and is 28 months behind schedule.

Gulfstream G250: Gulfstream Aerospace’ newest, large-cabin, mid-range business jet successfully completed its first flight. www.aviationregister.biz

Gulfstream designed and built the super mid-size business jet in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

B787 success: Boeing has confirmed that the fixes it made for B787 structural problems have been a success. The B787 is ready for its first flight. www.aviationregister.biz

Boeing completed the review & analysis of the B787 static test & validated the side-of-body modification made to the aircraft. www.aviationregister.biz

B787 modification entails installing new fittings at 34 stringer locations within the joint where the wing attaches to the fuselage. www.aviationregister.biz

B87 modifications have been completed on the first three flight-test aircraft & the full-scale static test aircraft. www.aviationregister.biz

B787 test: The static test airframe, the wing, & trailing edges of the airframe were subjected to their limit load, the highest loads expected in service. www.aviationregister.biz

B787 limit-load test is the test required to clear the B787 for first flight. www.aviationregister.biz

B787: The final gauntlet (functional) testing on the first aircraft was completed by checking out the avionics, hydraulics, & electrical systems in readiness for flight. www.aviationregister.biz

B787 moves to flight status: With the successful completion of static & functional testing, Boeing’s focus now moves to the first flight. www.aviationregister.biz

B787 certification: Boeing will conduct the ultimate load series required for certification in 2010. www.aviationregister.biz

B787 delays: In June Boeing decided to reinforce an area of structure at the side-of-body section of the B787. www.aviationregister.biz

Airbus A400M success: The maiden flight of the A400M took place at Seville, Spain. First deliveries are scheduled for 2012. www.aviationregister.biz

A400M is the first completely new military transport aircraft of its category designed in over 30 years.

A400 is designed to become the new standard in military airlift.

A400 offers twice the capacity and twice the payload of the current aircraft types that it will replace.

A400M turboprop engine: EuroProp International TP400-D6 is the all-new power plant for the Airbus Military A400M.

EuroProp International TP400-D6: When it enters service, it will be the most powerful turboprop in the Western world. (approx.11,000 brake horsepower).United ordered 25 A350 XWB & 25 B787 aircraft & has options for 50 of each for delivery between 2016 & 2019. www.twitter.com/avreg

United Fleet retirement plan: It will retire its B747s and B767s flying on international routes between 2016 and 2019. www.twitter.com/avreg

United fleet rationale: The A350 has a range 11% greater than the B747, & the B787 has a range 32% greater than the B767. www.twitter.com/avreg

United engine selection: A350 /Rolls Royce Trent XWB engine, and the B787 powered by either the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 or the GE GEnx.  www.twitter.com/avreg

United fuel burn advantage: It will reduce its fuel costs and carbon emissions from the 50 aircraft by about 33%. www.twitter.com/avreg

United maintenance advantage: It expects average lifetime maintenance costs for the new aircraft to be approximately 40% lower per available seat mile than the aircraft that will be retired. www.twitter.com/avreg

CRJ1000 delayed: Bombardier suspends flight tests and delays first delivery pending software updates to the rudder control-by-wire system. www.twitter.com/avreg

CRJ1000 first delivery to Air Nostrum is now scheduled between August 2010 and January 2011. www.twitter.com/avreg

Embraer’s Phenom 300 received the type and production certificates from Brazil's National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC). www.twitter.com/avreg

KC-X program: Northrop will not compete with its A330 for the tanker contract because RFP terms favor the B767. www.aviationregister.biz

Northrop says the fixed-price development contract for an 18-year period requires contractual and financial burdens it cannot accept.

Boeing shares the concerns about the amount of risk the Air Force tanker contractors are expected to carry.

Senator Richard Shelby (R), from Alabama claims the Pentagon’s tanker competition rules are a sham designed as a sole-source contract for Boeing.

B787 update: Boeing has completed the static test necessary to validate the side-of-body modification made to the B787 Dreamliner. (www.twitter.com/avreg)

B787 update: Boeing announced on June 23 that it was necessary to reinforce an area of structure at the side-of-body section of the 78. (www.twitter.com/avreg)

B787 modification: The modification entails installing new fittings at 34 stringer locations within the joint where the wing is attached to the fuselage.(www.twitter.com/avreg)

B787 test results: Boeing says the test was an important milestone for the program and that the test results will be confirmed after the completion of detailed analysis.(www.twitter.com/avreg)

B787: Boeing expects the full analysis of the B787 test results to be concluded in approximately 10 days. (www.twitter.com/avreg)

B787: A successful test result is needed to clear the B787 for its planned first flight in December. (www.twitter.com/avreg)

B787 static test airframe, the wing, and trailing edges of the airframe were subjected to its limit load, the highest loads expected in service. (www.twitter.com/avreg)

B787 limit load: The load limit is about the same as 2.5 times the force of gravity for the B787 wing. (www.twitter.com/avreg)

Cessna delivered the 300th Citation X business jet. (www.aviationregister.biz)

Airbus A400M price: The seven countries buying the 180 military aircraft on order will pay an additional $11B.

November 2009

Boeing said it has finished reinforcing the wing-body joint on the first B787 and expects the first flight will occur before the end of 2009.

B787 design flaw:  The modification is needed to fix a design flaw that has delayed first flight of the B787.

B787 design flaw: Boeing cancelled the B787s first flight in June when engineers discovered delamination problems.

B787 design flaw: Delamination was discovered on the composite carbon fiber skin at the wing-body joint during wing bending tests.

B787 fix consists of the addition of weight increasing reinforcements within the side-of-body section on the B787.

B787 fix:  The modification require the installation of new fittings at 34 stringer locations within the joint box where the wing is attached to the body.

B787 fix: The modifications commenced on 11 November and the first test flight is planned for late December 2009.

B787 fix: The ends of 17 stringers on each upper wing skin and the corresponding stringers on the wing box inside the fuselage had to be cut.

B787 fix:  Weight increasing metal fittings were then attached to the end of the stringers to strengthen them.

B787 fix completed: The side-of-body installations has been completed on the B787 static test airframe.

B787 tests: Boeing mechanics are installing this fix on the B787 that is used for strength tests on the ground in the next few days.

B787 tests:  Boeing will next reattach strain gauges and other instruments to the ground test aircraft and bend the wing to see if the fix works.

B787 progress:  Boeing will continue to install fittings on the second ground test airframe and the five flight-test aircraft in the coming weeks.

B747-8F: The first B747-8 Freighter is being painted and prepared for test flight and thereafter for delivery to Cargolux.

Do228 NG (New Generation) (19-seat turboprop aircraft): RUAG Aerospace is re-launching the Dornier Do 228 at the Oberpfaffenhofen plant.

Do228: Between 1982 and 2002, over 200 Dornier 228s were built in Oberpfaffenhofen and sold worldwide. About 150 remain in service.

Do228 NG will be equipped with digital avionics, a glass cockpit, use a 5-blade propeller to reduce noise, improve range & performance.

RUAG is a Swiss aerospace and defense group with facilities in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Sweden.

Dassault Falcon increases Middle East fleet by 21 large cabin business jet (60%) in three years.

Dassault expects its current Middle East fleet of 50 aircraft to grow by more than 50% in the next three years.

Dassault Falcon achieved the milestone of delivering its 2,000th business jet in 2009 - a Falcon 2000LX to Koc Holding, Istanbul.

October 2009

AirAsia (Malaysian) a low cost carrier postponed delivery of eight of 24 A320-200s aircraft orders from 2011 to 2014.

B747-8 is a loss making program because of lower than projected production rates.

B747-8 production costs increased as market conditions deteriorated and as a result, Boeing plans a $1Bn pre-tax charge in Q3.

B747-8 delays in engineering design resulted in re-work and disruption leading to higher supplier costs, the primary cost drivers.

B747-8 program is costing $640M more to complete than budgeted at both Boeing and its suppliers.

B747-8: Maintaining the B747-8 production rate at 1.5 aircraft rather than 2 per month is costing $360M.

B747-8: Holding the production rate at 1.5 instead of two per month is in response to weak market conditions.

B747-8 lower production rate results in the allocation of fixed costs and supplier volume-based penalties across fewer aircraft, leading to a higher cost per aircraft.

B747-8F: First flight will take place by early 2010 with first delivery in the fourth quarter of 2010.

B747-8 Intercontinental:  First delivery of this passenger variant is scheduled for Q4 2011.

ATR and Libyan Airlines signed a $35M contract 2 new 48-seat ATR 42-500s (PW 127M) engines, the first ATR aircraft to be delivered to Libya.

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation of Japan won an order for 50 plus 50 optioned new MRJ regional jets from Trans State Holdings.

MRJ (Mitsubishi Regional Jet) is a next next-generation regional jet manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation of Japan.

Trans State Holdings (St. Louis) owns Trans State Airlines and GoJet Airlines and operates regional feeder services for United Airlines and US Airways.

Mitsubishi says that many routes in the USA are operated with 50- to 90-seat regional jets, the market that this new technology aircraft is targeting.

ATR presented the first aircraft prototype of its new ATR 42-600 and ATR72-600 aircraft, October 2, 2009.

ATR42-600/ATR72-600 were launched in October 2007 and will enter into service in 2011

ATR has orders for 59 aircraft - 5 ATR 42-600s and 54 ATR 72-600s.

B787 wiring problems threaten further delivery delays according to a report from Bernstein Research.

B787 delivery: Bernstein notes that the B787-9 will be the most popular version but the interval between B787-8 first delivery and B787-9 first delivery has moved from two to three years.

B787 rewiring is required to reduce weight and improve maintainability, increasing the possibility that the first flight and delivery may be delayed again.

B787 order cancellations: 83 B787 orders have been cancelled in 2009 as the program falls 2½ years behind schedule.

A350 behind schedule: A report from Bernstein Research claims that the A350 program is five to six months behind schedule.

A350  delivery:  Bernstein says the interval between A350-900 first delivery and A350-1000 first delivery will be moved but my how much is unclear.

A350/B787 development: Bernstein reports that Airbus & Boeing face challenges in developing stretched versions of their base aircraft.

A350/B787 weight:  Bernstein indicates that weight reduction likely to be a key issue for Airbus and Boeing.

Gulfstream Aerospace rolled out the all-new, ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range, Gulfstream G650, first announced in March 2008.

G650 offers the longest range, fastest speed, largest cabin and the most advanced cockpit in the Gulfstream family.

G650 range is 7,000NM at 0.85 Mach and has a maximum operating speed of 0.925.

G650 offers an all-new fuselage cross section, allowing a wider and taller cabin than the G550 model.

G650 is scheduled for first delivery in 2012.

Azul (Linhas Aereas Brasileiras) signed a $1B, CF34-10E, 15-year, OnPointSM maintenance contract with GE’s Celma facility in Petropolis, Brazil.

Azul has leased Embraer 190/195s and 36 on orders, all fitted with CF34 engines.

Air Niugini (Papua New Guinea) orders two Bombardier Q400s ($60M) and optioned one ($32M) at list price.

ATR presented the first aircraft prototype of its new ATR 42-600 and ATR72-600 aircraft, October 2, 2009.

ATR42-600/ATR72-600 were launched in October 2007 and will enter into service in 2011

ATR has orders for 59 aircraft - 5 ATR 42-600s and 54 ATR 72-600s.

B787 wiring problems threaten further delivery delays according to a report from Bernstein Research.

B787 delivery: Bernstein notes that the B787-9 will be the most popular version but the interval between B787-8 first delivery and B787-9 first delivery has moved from two to three years.

B787 rewiring is required to reduce weight and improve maintainability, increasing the possibility that the first flight and delivery may be delayed again.

B787 order cancellations: 83 B787 orders have been cancelled in 2009 as the program falls 2½ years behind schedule.

A350 behind schedule: A report from Bernstein Research claims that the A350 program is five to six months behind schedule.

A350  delivery:  Bernstein says the interval between A350-900 first delivery and A350-1000 first delivery will be moved but my how much is unclear.

A350/B787 development: Bernstein reports that Airbus & Boeing face challenges in developing stretched versions of their base aircraft.

A350/B787 weight:  Bernstein indicates that weight reduction likely to be a key issue for Airbus and Boeing.

Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) is cutting its global workforce by approximately 410 due to a decline in customer demand and weakness in the global aerospace market with no signs of a recovery in 2010.

September 25, 2009

B747-8 first flight is expected by the end of 2009 and could be on the same day as the first flight of the B787.

B747-8 Freighter is due for first delivery Q3 of 2010 & B747-8 Intercontinental pax version is due for delivery in Q4 2011.

B747-8 orders: 105 orders on hand at list prices ranging from $293M to $308M each.

Boeing has begun B787 structural changes

Boeing has started making the B787 upper wing join area fix on the static test B787 and the first flight test aircraft.

B787 first flight is expected by the end of 2009.

B787 first delivery to launch customer ANA, Japan is not expected before Q4, 2010.

Boeing is installing the reinforcements on the area within the side-of-body section on the first flight test B787 and on the static airframe.

Modifications on the other 5 flight test B787s will begin shortly according to Boeing.

Oman Air CEO Peter Hill told Reuters that he is not certain his airline will stick with its commitment to lease 6 B787s from Kuwaiti lessor ALAFCO, a contract signed in 2007.

Oman Air CEO is not sure if Boeing has the ability to deliver the B787 as it was originally designed.

Boeing has performance guarantees and delivery dates it is committed to meeting but the manufacturer has not demonstrated that the confidence Oman Air  put in it is going to be met in the near future.

Eclipse Aerospace LLC (EAL), purchased the assets and intellectual property rights of insolvent Eclipse Aviation in August 2009.

In October, the FAA's Ft. Worth Aircraft Certification Office and the European Aviation Safety Agency transferred the Eclipse 500 type certificates to EAL, on the third anniversary of when the FAA originally issued the type certificate to Eclipse Aviation.

EAL expects to the Albuquerque-Double Eagle II training and 28 Eclipse jets formerly operated by DayJet, to generate working capital.

Aircraft production will not begin again for at least one to two years because of capital constraints and the need to support the in service fleet. EAL will offer Avio NG 1.5 and Flight into Known Icing upgrades for 154 aircraft equipped with Avio NG. 

September 2009

Mitsubishi unveils major changes to MRJ program - September 9th 2009

Mitsubishi Aircraft (MA) announced a stretched variant for the MRJ regional jet family.

MA may add a 100-seat version to the 92-seat MRJ90 and 78-seat MRJ70, putting it in competition with Bombardier's CRJ1000

and Embraer's E190.

MA unveiled extensive design changes. The manufacturer is moving away from using composite materials for the airframe in favor of aluminum wings.

The result is that 10-15% of the total airframe will be made of composite parts including the empennage, horizontal tail and vertical tail. MA is now using aluminum instead of carbon fiber composites for the aircraft's wings.

By using an aluminum wing box, the wing structure can be more easily optimized for the MRJ70/90 and the stretch version, making the MRJ family more competitive.

The biggest benefit will be for the MRJ70, which will weigh less.

The change will allow MA engineers to develop an optimum wing for the MRJ90 and minimize the deterioration of range performance for the stretched version. It will also allow for larger winglets, reduce block fuel burn, and improve take-off performance.

The height of the cabin is being increased by 1.5in to 80.5in, increasing the fuselage height by 2.5in to 116.5in. This gives the MRJ

a rounder cabin, and one that is wider and higher than comparable aircraft manufactured by Bombardier and Embraer.

The forward cargo compartment has been eliminated and the aft cargo compartment has been enlarged to make baggage handling simpler and to use space more efficiently.

The final design will be frozen in mid-2010 instead of the third quarter of 2009.

The first flight of the MRJ was delayed by two quarters, from the fourth quarter of 2011 to the second quarter of 2012.

Launch customer All Nippon Airways will receive its first aircraft in the first quarter of 2014 instead of the fourth quarter of 2013.

MA claims that the changes will not affect the performance of the MRJ. MA claims that this will still be "the most fuel efficient aircraft, have the lowest fuel-burn, noise and emissions, and the most comfortable cabin" in the regional jet market.

China’s COMAC plans to be one of the top three aircraft manufacturers the world after Airbus and Boeing.

Chinese aerospace manufacturers are emerging as a viable long-term challenge to Airbus, ATR, Boeing, Bombardier, and Embraer. They also offer a challenge to emerging manufacturers in Japan and Russia. China is interested in aviation based in part on the contribution aerospace exports can make to the balance of trade.

Boeing is projecting that the Chinese domestic commercial aircraft market will generate a demand for 3,700 aircraft over the next 20 years. Several major manufacturers have moved into China including Airbus and Boeing. Embraer and China Aviation Industry Corp (CAIC) have a joint venture to build the ERJ145 aircraft previously built in Brazil. Airbus-Xian Aircraft International is a joint venture to manufacture wings and composite parts for the A320.

Government-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) has been active in the commercial aircraft market for years. More than 210 orders have been received for its ARJ21 regional jet. GECAS has ordered five ARJ21s fitted with GE engines.

Chinese manufacturers had a strong presence at the Asian Aerospace Expo in Hong Kong in September 2009. During that show, China disclosed its goal to manufacture large passenger jets with 150 seats or more and to build cargo aircraft capable of handling over 100 tons of freight. The first flight of the C919 is planned for 2014.

Though the industry has consolidated in the European Union and the USA, and China can move to fill the market space abandoned by Airbus and Boeing; competitors have emerged in Brazil, Canada, Japan and Russia who are selling aircraft that have the same payload-range capabilities as those offered by China.

During the Paris Air Show in June 2009 Irkuk (Russia) proposed a plan to offer the MC-21 150-seat aircraft that matches the COMAC offering. Irkuk is proposing the first flight in 2014 and first delivery in 2016. Irkuk sees a market for 1,000 aircraft in this seat class.

Competitive pricing, reliable residual values, operating cost, global technical support and safety are key requirements that can persuade foreign investors to buy Chinese build aircraft.

September 2009

WTO decision on A380/A320 subsidies could push the $35Bn US Air Force aerial refueling tanker contract towards Boeing.

Airbus and Boeing are also disputing A350 subsidies. So far, $4Bn in subsidized funding has been provided to enable the aircraft to compete with the B787. 

Airbus will have to refinance the subsidized loans at commercial rates. Repayments are currently made as A380s are delivered to customers. 

A380 reimbursable investment loans were not found to be prohibited in their totality.

Airbus through the European Union has a counter claim that is being reviewed by a separate WTO panel and a decision is due by mid-2010. 

A380 ($13Bn), A320 ($8Bn) launch aid subsidies abused global trade rules according to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

August 2009

A350: EU governments will subsidize the A350 even if a WTO decision finds previous aid to Airbus was illegal.

A350: European Commission says that any support for the A350 has no relation to current WTO litigation dealing with previous Airbus models.

A318: The British Airways A318 to be operated on the London City to New York route is a modified A318 with 'steep approach' capability & will carry 32 pax.

B787: Boeing is taking another $2.5Bn charge for the program because some of its test-flight aircraft need more repairs and will not find buyers.

B787 could be affected by structural issues as engineers complete the design for the reinforcements of sections along the top of the wing.

A320F: United Aircraft (UAC) may select a construction site other than Moscow for a planned A320-family freighter conversion facility.

B787 delivery schedule: With 850 orders on hand Boeing plans to deliver 10 B787s a month by the end of 2013.

B787 orders: Customers cancelled 41 B787 orders but Boeing won 13 new orders for the 787 between April and June.

B787 cost: Boeing estimated that the first three test aircraft, which have no commercial value, to be $2.5Bn.

B787 profile: First unveiled in July 2007 as Boeing first all-new commercial aircraft since 1995. The structure uses carbon fiber to make it lighter and more fuel-efficient than aircraft built with aluminum.

B787 flight-testing was cancelled in June, the fifth time the launch had been put back.

B787 first flight will take place by the end of 2009; 2 years behind schedule & delivery to the first customer, ANA will take place in late 2010.

B787 delivery schedule: With 850 orders on hand Boeing plans to deliver 10 B787s a month by the end of 2013.

B787 orders: Customers cancelled 41 B787 orders but Boeing won 13 new orders for the 787 between April and June.

B787 cost: Boeing estimated that the first three test aircraft, which have no commercial value, to be $2.5Bn.

B787 profile: First unveiled in July 2007 as Boeing first all-new commercial aircraft since 1995. The structure uses carbon fiber to make it lighter and more fuel-efficient than aircraft built with aluminum.

B787 flight-testing was cancelled in June, the fifth time the launch had been put back.

B787 first flight will take place by the end of 2009; 2 years behind schedule & delivery to the first customer, ANA will take place in late 2010.

B787 Fuselage wrinkle: The Seattlepi.com blog says that in June Boeing ordered Alenia to stop work on B787 sections 44 & 46 barrel bond assemblies, 2 major structural sections because of flaws in the parts.

B787 structural issues:  According to Seattlepi.com Boeing attributes the decision to 'stringer edge steps' causing wrinkle in the skin of the carbon-fiber fuselage potentially leading to significant degradation of the structure.

B787 delays: Crane Co. & GE designers of the software for the B787’s braking system has not completed upgrade work because of a disagreement as to who should pay for it.

B787 first flight: Boeing has not yet scheduled a dates for the first flight and first delivery of the B787.

B787 breaking system is the first all-electric braking system for a commercial aircraft and replaces hydraulic breaking technology.

B787 GE Solution: GE Aviation said brake-control software can be changed in the future & phased into later production.

B787 Progress: Crane and GE redesigned the B787 brake-control system in 2008. This problem delayed the first flight of the B787.

B787 risk: Boeing’s $8Bn financial exposure is increasing following to two years of B787 delays and redesigns.

July 2009

B787 Dreamliner delivery slips to 2011

as the A350 delivery is set for 2013

The B787 is the most successful new aircraft Boeing has ever launched.  Boeing has 900 orders for the type. It has a list price of $178M.  The aircraft is assembled in Boeing's Everett plant in Washington State from sub-assemblies supplied by worldwide vendors.  The first delivery to Japan's All Nippon was originally scheduled for 2007 but a shortage of fasteners (nuts and bolts) delayed production. Launch of the B787 slipped again in 2008 due to production problems at parts suppliers in Italy, Japan, and the USA (Kansas and South Carolina) where the company lacked adequate oversight over its supply chain.  Boeing says that these issues have been addressed.  The 57 day strike at Boeing which cost the company $100M a day in lost cash-flow, further delayed B787 deliveries through to the end of 2009.

A second fastener problem was disclosed on November the 4th 2008 which pushed back the first deliveries of the B787 to 2010.  The June 2009 first-flight was pushed back to an unspecified date because Boeing was unable to successfully attach the wing to the fuselage wing box. The delivery date to first customer All Nippon is now more likely to take place in late 2010 or early 2011.

The B787 is not built with aluminum and steel in the traditional way. Considerable use is made of carbon-fiber composite materials and machined titanium castings. These materials required the development of a new type of fasteners to bind panels together. Design specifications require that they be of a specific length and thickness.  An estimated 3% of the fasteners used in non-critical areas of the aircraft are of the wrong specification and must be replaced. 

B787 boasts:

1)20% lower operating costs than current production aircraft.

2)The maintenance cost is 30% lower that current industry overhaul costs.

A350

Airbus is offering a competing aircraft, the A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body) which is due to begin delivery to customers in 2013. Airbus officially launched the A350 XWB in December 2006. The in-service-date for this aircraft has slipped from 2010 to 2013, now only two years behind the scheduled introduction of the B787 (The original delivery gap was four years).

Airbus has three versions of the A350 on offer: the A350 XWB-800 carrying around 250 passengers in a three-class configuration, the A350 XWB-900, which accommodates around 300 passengers and the A350 XWB-1000 with about 350 seats.

The A350 XWB will be more fuel-efficient than the A330 and less noisy. About 60 per cent of the A350 airframe will be built of weight-saving advanced materials like carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) and aluminum lithium alloys. The A350 will be the first Airbus design with an all-composite wing. The rear fuselage and the tail cone will also be constructed from composites. An aluminum lithium alloy is used in the forward and aft sections of the fuselage.

The cabin windows will be larger than on the A330. The cockpit crew rest area will be placed beneath the cockpit. This does not only saves space on the main deck, it is also a security precaution to keep the cockpit completely separated from the rest of the aircraft.

The first airline to buy the A350 XWB was Singapore Airlines. Other airlines that have ordered the aircraft are Eurofly, Air Europa (Spain), Kingfisher Airlines (India), Qatar Airways, TAM (Brazil), US Airways, Finnair and several leasing companies.

ATA Archive for Thursday, January 01, 2009

Boeing considers B737 enhancements

January 01, 2009

Bloomberg News

Boeing Co., whose 737 is the world’s most widely flown plane, said it’s studying new “product enhancements” as replacement plans for the aircraft have been delayed toward the end of the next decade.

The Chicago-based company is considering rolling out more changes to the current version of the jet as it has done since 2000, with improvements to performance, comfort and navigation, Russell Young, a spokesman in Seattle, said Wednesday.

“We will share the details of future enhancements when we have decided to implement them,” Young said.

Both Boeing and Airbus SAS have struggled to meet customers’ demands for a 20 percent reduction in operating costs for the 737 and the Airbus A320, short-haul planes that are the backbone of fleets for many airlines’ domestic routes. Engine makers haven’t come up with technology yet that would ensure enough of a decrease in fuel burn and emissions, forcing plane makers to push back replacement plans until late in the next decade.

With environmentalists and the slumping economy putting pressure on the industry, Boeing is considering a bridge model that would provide a 10 percent improvement until a replacement is ready, according to the current edition of Aviation and the Environment magazine.

Toulouse, France-based Airbus said Dec.17 2008 that it has begun testing a new kind of wingtip on the single-aisle A320 to boost fuel efficiency.

The center section (No. 11 in the diagram) of an aircraft is the juncture where the wing and the fuselage meet. It  is densely packed and is structurally the most important part of the aircraft. Changes here are complex and expensive.

Aircraft lead the way in November 2009: US exports increased by 2.6% to $136.8B, led by civilian aircraft, cars, and computer chips.

Left: The B787 build process starting with the first major structural component delivered on April 24th 2007.

Right: B787 first flight:  The B787 Dreamliner took to the air on Tuesday December 15, 2009 at Paine Field, Everett, Wash., at 10:27 a.m. P.T.

China plans to develop a global commercial aircraft industry as an import substitution strategy based on direct competition with western aircraft manufacturers from 2010 through to 2020.

China began importing Airbus and Boeing aircraft in 1972 and since then has spent $30B buying and leasing them. A total of 550 western built large commercial jets are in service in China.   China will pay $175B if it imports the 2,200 jets is will acquire in the next twenty years. COMAC is responsible for implementing China's strategy to manufacture passenger aircraft for domestic and export markets.

China is developing two large commercial jets to compete with Airbus and Boeing.

China’s proposed jet designs will seat 150 & 250 passenger & a freighter with a 100 ton-plus payload.

Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) is to conduct the first test flight of the C919 150-seat jet in 2014 with first deliveries in 2016.

COMAC broke ground on an assembly plant near Shanghai capable of manufacturing 20 C919s, and 50 ARJ21 regional jets annually by 2016.

China will start developing the 250 seat large commercial jet once deliveries of the C919 begin.

China has 208 orders for the ARJ21 and has yet to announce the launch customer for the C919. (Effective Januaary 2010)

CCTV Report November 7, 2008

CCTV Report July 15, 2009