Page 11 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2018 Online Magazine

9, enabling it to have two more rows of The NMA or 797 as it would be called will have a composite
seats. For airlines that can fill a larger nar- fuselage with an oval cross-section, composite wings, 2-3-2
row-body, this means that the seat-mile
economics are better for the A321. But, for
airlines in the more traditional part of the
narrow-body market (150-170 seats), the
737MAX-8 is more attractive than the A320.
This is because the MAX-8 is two meters
longer than the A320neo and, hence, can
handle two more rows of seats.”Now the
playing field or the airport runway is more
level with any minor airframe / aerodynamic
advantage of the base models being wiped
out in pricing. The neo has helped Airbus
a great deal to close the gap and match
the 737 on performance. Airbus believes
that 50 per cent of its deliveries going for- upbeat on the 797 and says it would be “revolutionary” and,
ward will be A321neos and that according
to Bernstein was one of the clear signals
that prompted Boeing to finally act on
the MAX10. But Bernstein says that the
MAX-10 is still at a disadvantage against
the A321neo-LR, with its extra range“The
MAX10 will not handle three auxiliary tanks,
so it will not be able to deliver the range
of the A321neo-LR.” However, it is a little
cautious on the A321neo-LR claimed per-
formance stating that “the addition of three
auxiliary tanks means that it is very limited
on space for cargo and baggage and seat
count will likely be under 175 passengers.”
Either way both Airbus and Boeing are
sold out. Boeing has over 4,400 737s to
deliver and the current rate of 47 a month
will climb to 57 a month by 2019 or 684 a
year and at that rate its 6.4 years produc- longer-range missions as say that A330 or 787 do. And, the
tion. Airbus also has eye watering numbers
with 5,479 A320 family aircraft to deliver
as of November 30 last year.
Wild Card Entry
hese backlogs put any new orders
much closer to the EIS of what
Bernstein and the industry refer to
Tas the Boeing “wild card” the New
Midsize Airplane. Bernstein calls Boeing’s
NMA“A possible game-changing airplane”
and says that its probable launch in 2018
as one of the most important events likely
to come this year”.
ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE
seating, and minimal cargo capacity (beyond passenger bag-
gage). Capacity is expected to be 220-270 passengers. The
oval cross section requires Boeing’s single rolled barrel tech-
nology from the 787 as this type of cross-section cannot be
done with a metal airplane because the stresses of pressur-
ization over time would drive the fuselage toward a circular
cross-section says Bernstein. Recently Boeing signaled its
seriousness for the 797 when it moved top engineer Terry
Beezhold to the program. Beezhold was until the appointment
the chief project engineer on the 777X program, leading the
effort to complete the design of that airplane and to introduce
a highly automated production line. Beezhold joins another
Boeing star Mark Jenks who was appointed as VP and GM
of the program in September last year. Bernstein is really
it says difficult for Airbus and others to replicate. It says that
the revision of the mission of the NMA is a key to its success.
Last year Boeing moved the design from being a 757 replace-
ment to being a 767 replacement and the MAX10 helped
that decision. At 240 seats and 5000nm range the original
concept was struggling but 270 seats and 3,500nm range
makes sense says Bernstein. “We believe the new positioning
of this airplane could have very large market potential. That
is because it would be perfect to address Asian markets that
are often dense and relatively short haul (under 2,000 nm).
The 797 would not carry the weight and structure for the
engines would be designed from the outset for high cycles.
The huge appeal of the 797 will be its twin aisles for pas-
senger comfort and overhead bin space which has become
a critical factor in the US particularly. But Boeing still faces
challenges on getting the production costs down, although a
big factor there will be production rate and if initially reaction
to the design is any guide that may not be a factor. The indus-
try believes that Airbus will have to counter with a stretch of
the A321 – the A322 with a new wing and engines but long
and thin is not popular with passengers. Clearly Asian is again
the key as the 797 would be a perfect intra-Asia machine and
its 270-seat capacity an excellent insurance again capacity
issue into key airports. The Singapore Air Show is sure to
give more clues to the future of this exciting airplane.
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