Page 6 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2018 Online Magazine
P. 6
Timing the Market
iming is everything and
while pressure from
airlines is building, the
T797 relies on the engine
makers to also pull out some
magic. At the Singapore Air Show
Boeing marketing vice president
Randy Tinseth told media that
the company had brought in “all
three of the engine manufactur-
ers, to understand what they can
do.” Tinseth says with a smile that
the engine makers had brought
in “some intriguing proposals”.
Pratt & Whitney is understood giant step forward in comfort with the 797. Speaking at the Aviation
to be going down the GTF path, a 2-3-2 configuration in economy, Leadership Summit (SAALS)
but GE is expected to stay with 1-2-2 in premium economy and before the Singapore Air Show
a conventional but advanced 1-1-1 in business class. Delaney Joyce said slot constraints at key
design under the CFM banner. said, “Boeing already knows airport Sydney was going to force
Tinseth says that Boeing’s time- what the production system and an increase in size of aircraft. Like
line is Entry into Service (EIS) of the assembly sequence will look other airlines he wants the 797
2024-2025. However, Saj Ahmad, like and is already building parts to be able to retain its current
Chief Analyst at StrategicAero for the aircraft in the computer.” 35-minute turnaround specifica-
Research suggests the EIS may “We are trying to build the first few tion based on its twin-aisles. And
be a year later. “I sense that they hundred in the computer – that’s at the big end of town Delta Air
[Boeing] will launch it in Q4 this the power of the digital world.” Lines and United Airlines both say
year” but says that the “engine This is all key to working out the they want to be launch custom-
issue will test all parties.” Ahmad exact cost to build and then clos- ers. But Delta has wanted to buy
feels that questions remain over ing the business case.” And the the Boeing 797 for 38 years! In
the P&W GTF solution and the chances of a go-ahead? “I am February Delta’s chief Ed Bastian,
vexing issue of sole sourcing. very optimistic that we will close said it wanted to be the first to
“But if Boeing can drum up 10 the business case,” Delaney said fly the 797. “You’re going to see
to 15 launch customers, which is last year. us participate in Boeing’s middle-
pretty easy given the demand out Making a Case of-the-market campaign,” Bastian
there for a 757 market, then they’ll However, if Boeing is too con- told employees, Bloomberg
launch this year.” servative on the projected sales reported. “I hope that we’re going
Last year at the Paris Air Show, the business case may falter. to be a launch customer on that
Boeing’s VP and general manager Many analysts that Asian Airlines programme as well.”
of airplane development, Mike and Aerospace have spoken to Back to the Future
Delaney was very upbeat on the are bullish on the 797’s potential n 1980, McDonnell Douglas –
797 which will have oval-shaped sales with most saying that it has now part of Boeing – proposed
fuselage and be something like the potential to be the world’s almost exactly the same air-
a 767 above the floor and a 737 best-selling twin-aisle with sales Icraft but in an extraordinary
below. The reasoning on the fuse- in excess of 5,000 over 20 years. move, then declined an order
lage shape is that on the routes it Boeing, they suggest, needs to from Delta for 60, because its
will serve cargo is not a big-ticket start thinking 737 numbers not executives got cold feet on the
item and the smaller underfloor 787 numbers and price accord- development costs. Late in 1979,
area reduces drag. ingly. Downunder, Qantas chief MDC announced its Advanced
For the passenger, the 797 will be a
Alan Joyce says the airline wants Twin (engine) Medium Range
6 | March/April 2018 www.GBP.com.sg/AAA
