News
Boeing Completes Assembly Of First 747-8 Wings
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (4/21, James) Aerospace News blog reported, "Boeing has finished assembling the first set of wings for its new 747-8 Freighter," according to the company's announcement Tuesday. "Once complete, the 747-8 will be the newest version of Boeing's largest commercial jet. The plane comes in two versions -- the freighter for cargo and the "Intercontinental" for passengers." The blog noted, "The 747-8 is the 747 line's comeback kid, intended to maintain Boeing's competitivness in the jumbo jet market."
Aviation Week (4/21, Norris) reported, "Boeing set the clock ticking toward the long-delayed first flight of the 787 on April 20 by starting the 'factory gauntlet' tests, which evaluate all the aircraft systems during ground-based closed-loop tests to stimulate flight-like operations." After "completion of these tests, the 787 will then be prepared for the next phase, which is the intermerdiate gauntlet, " in which " phase, the aircraft will be fueled up and power for systems tests will be derived from ZA001's Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines and Hamilton Sundstrand APS 5000 auxiliary power unit, all of which will be activated for the first time."
TG Daily (4/22, Gruener) notes that the wings of the 747-8s "are considerably longer than what was outlined in Boeing's initial plans, but they will improved overall performance and greater fuel capacity the company stated." Accoring to TG Daily, "the 747-8 is Boeing's answer to the larger Airbus A380, but Boeing claims that airlines will be able to operate the 747-8 much more cost-efficiently. The plain id 18.3 ft longer than the current 747-400, stretching to 250 ft and a height of 63 ft. The engines are similar to those used for the 787 and provide a thrust of 66,500 pounds." The Puget Sound Business Journal (4/21) also reported the story.
Boeing, Airbus Confident About 2009 Deliveries. Dow Jones Newswires (4/21, Keeton) reported, "In a market where world air traffic is falling sharply and financing for new planes is hard to get, executives at Boeing...and rival Airbus...said they remain confident that planned aircraft deliveries to customers will be completed this year." Andrew Shankland, head of marketing at Airbus, said at the New York Airfinance Conference on Tuesday that the company "expects to deliver about the same number of aircraft in 2009 as the 483 it delivered in 2008, consistent with the company's outlook at the beginning of this year." He added that "Airbus expects would economic growth - which drives air traffic - to recover in the first quarter of 2010 and to increase by 4% to 6% in 2011."
Boeing Airbus Seen As Overly Optimistic In Production Forecasts
The Financial Times (4/21, Betts, Hille) reports that "Airbus and Boeing seem to be in denial" and "not fully facing up to the worst recession in decades." The Times points out that while decreasing demand and financing shortfalls are likely to lead to significant "customer deferrals and cancellations" of new planes in 2010, the two manfacturers remain "relatively optimistic that the cycle will turn and pick up in 2011" and have "only announced 5-10 per cent production cuts in their various aircraft ranges next year." However, "most industry watchers believe this is wishful thinking," and a USB study predicts that production will need to be cut "by 20 per cent to 30 per cent, if not by as much as 40 per cent."
Airbus signs 4 Billion Deal With VSMPO for Titanium. The AP (4/20) reported, "Airbus, the aircraft maker owned by European aerospace giant EADS NV, signed a 4 billion deal with a Russian supplier on Monday for long-term titanium deliveries." VSMPO-Avisma, "part of the state holding Russian Technologies, will supply titanium products to Airbus up to 2020." According to the AP, VSMPO-Avisma "is also eyeing a titanium joint venture with US aircraft manufacturing Boeing. Reuters (4/20) reported that Russian Prime Minister Valdamier Putin, speaking at the signing in Moscow, stated that the company would supply Airbus with 60% of its titanium needs.
