Inspiring Confidence

Questions come and go, time never stops still for anyone and everything moves on.

The same can be said for the delayed 787 Dreamliner too. Since news of its rescheduling emerged almost a month ago, people have asked whether this will be the first in a series of setbacks and indeed, whether the stellar sales will continue.

Only last week, former program manager for the 787, Mike Bair spoke candidly about the problems with the partners in the program.

“We made a bunch of mistakes, and we learned a lot”

“Some of them proved incapable of doing it”

“Some of these guys we won’t use again”

Very strong language, but then, it underlines the product that is being assembled, whose sales success shows no sign of stopping.

LAN Airlines firmed up and order comprising four Boeing 777-200F’s and twenty six Boeing 787’s (6 more will be leased from ILFC and the remainder will be a mix of -8’s and -9’s).

Image courtesy of Boeing.com

With the 777-200F on track for a late 2008 service entry, the news for both it and the Dreamliner come at a time when skeptics are questioning whether Boeing has too much on its plate.

Ironic then, that in the face of the rumored 10,000 job cuts that Power8 should enforce, Airbus is still actively recruiting new employees.

Doors open for some, close for others - while confidence and can be put back into the 787, the A350 is also in need of a boost.

The hot tip at the Dubai Air Show next week was Emirates.

However, Emirates President Tim Clark announced that a deal may not be ready in time for the show at all.

“We are not sure we actually want to say we will go [for the A350] while [the 787] is still developing in Seattle,” he says. “It all depends on commercial terms, performance guarantees and all the other bits and pieces. They are going on as we speak. If we are not ready, we will not sign.”

Emirates hasn’t hesitated in the past to abandon widebody orders. The A340-600 was dropped in favor of the 777-300ER, and the news from within the carrier states that the A340-500’s may also be leaving the fleet once 777-200LR deliveries are complete.

Whether a deal is done or not is besides the point - the race to the December 31st finish line for orders draws near and the last major air show of the year may not be the grande finale some may talk about.

Regardless of who sports the biggest orderbook of 2007, next year will likely bring a sea of change.

With oil prices continually on the rise, how much confidence that inspires for both Airbus and Boeing at the end of 2008 is anyone’s guess….

4 comments November 6th, 2007