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FEATURE AVIATION

“There is a preference but I am not going
to tell you,” said Delaney.
And Delaney dismisses concerns that
Boeing is nervous about a new program at
least from an engineering perspective.
“The beauty of it is, because of the airplane
technologies we developed for the MAX, 787
and 777X, we have all the things we need to put
the airplane together,” he told Norris.
But the trick is “can we get it to a price
point that is right for our customers?”
“There are things we are watching, like
the ability of this production system to
scale. That’s because the rates here and the
rates for the next airplane, which would be a
replacement for the 737 potentially, require
us to build at rate and at scale, so there are a
whole bunch of lessons or objectives.”
One of the reasons that Boeing is in no
hurry is that it wants to learn from the 777X show how technologically challenging such smaller than Boeing and Airbus currently
production to reduce manufacturing costs. a project would be for the manufacturer that think,” Flottau said.
“We expect ourselves to get better chooses to launch an aircraft in the category.” The survey also points to airlines
and more efficient as we understand the The first surprise he said was that suggesting that the MOM aircraft would also
engineering process, the material set, the “airlines, traditionally conservative when it be a replacement for the 737 and A320.
way to make it, the way to handle defects comes to innovations that are challenging That is a concept first raised by Asian
and all the other aspects of manufacturing,” too much of their operational status quo, Airlines & Aerospace last year. Our article
he told Norris. seem to be prepared to reintroduce wide- “Back to the Future” in September/ October
Understanding the needs of all the bodies into medium-haul flying.” 2015 raised the question that the “757
potential customers is also a challenge. The survey found that 60 percent of replacement will likely be the basis for a 737
At Farnborough, Randy Tinseth, VP the carriers participating in the survey replacement with the longer 240-seat model
marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, would consider ordering a small wide-body, coming first and the ‘baseline’ 200-seat
told media that not only is it the economics provided it fits into existing airport gate aircraft coming later next decade.”
of building the MOM but also the “breadth infrastructure, Flottau said. At the time, Boeing sources told Asian
and depth of the customer base” of up to 300 “The limitation at many airports is Airlines & Aerospace while everything is
operators. wingspan: a new aircraft cannot be much on the table and fluid, the “twin-aisle 757
He notes that not only are differences wider than an Airbus A320 or a Boeing 737 if replacement” being the (stretched) basis
in passenger count and range but business it is to use narrow-body gates. And wingspan for the 737 replacement is “intriguing” while
models as well. “One of the challenges is to is defined in part by the range requirement, another couched it as “fascinating.”
figure out how you can build an airplane that which leads to the next challenge: Of the What will be fascinating is to see how this
has the flexibility to address the concerns of airlines interested in buying a MOM jet, 22 latest episode in the Sport Game plays out.
all of those operators,” Tinseth told media. per cent would need a range of 4,000-5,000 One senses after a one-hour round table
“And then you have future business nm, 24 per cent would want 3,000-3,999 nm at Farnborough that Boeing’s Chairman
models.” and another 23 per cent want only 2,000- Muilenburg is a very good poker player and is
Then you also have the current airline 2,999 nm,” Flottau noted. not giving anything away.
who may change their business models to And in a twist that makes things more It is almost inconceivable to think that
suit a new game changing aircraft type. complex again is that almost half of the in its 100th year Boeing has lost the will - or
In June Aviation Week and Space airlines surveyed that would buy a MOM ability - to build a world beater.
Technology published a report conducted aircraft have defined their preferred two-
by its parent Aviation Week/Penton Media class seating capacity as being 150-199 seats.
Research and Bank of America Merrill Lynch “Only 27 per cent want 200-249 seats,
which produced some fascinating results. and many fewer want an even larger aircraft. Boeing will stick to its timeline
According to Aviation Week’s Managing Those answers suggest a new midsize of 2024/2025 for the MOM entry
into service says Boeing Chairman,
Editor Commercial Aviation Jens Flottau aircraft does not have to be larger than President and CEO Dennis
“some of the results are surprising and 250 seats, and its smallest variant could be Muilenberg
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