Exciting 12 Months Ahead

2007 - WOW!

What a phenomenal year its been. Not just for the industry, but for planemakers on opposing sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Final figures for both Airbus and Boeing’s net orders for 2007 will soon be made public.

Both manufacturers have been riding high on confidence this past year, winning a string of orders across their product lineups - and losing some along the way.

It’s possible that such numbers of 2,500+ firm orders in a year between the two may not be repeated for quite some time. But then, most analysts didn’t expect 2006 to surpass 2005’s order intake, much less 2007 trouncing them all.

Airbus and Boeing have won a plethora of orders between themselves, tussling back and forth for dominance in a variety of markets, both passenger and freighter.

Already, BCA Vice President Scott Carson has talked up Boeing’s desire to move forward on a new 737 family - while Airbus presses ahead with definition/design freeze of the A350XWB and seeks to organize funding for the type, its own plans for an A320 family replacement are on the backburner for a while.

With both 737 and A320 families each having a very healthy backlog, the desire to push forward on new narrowbody jets will depend largely on how quickly and efficiently engine makers can meet the stringent performance and environmental goals both Airbus, Boeing and the world’s airlines all seek.

The two key highlights for the industry during 2007 have not just been the air shows at Le Bourget and Dubai.

Image courtesy of Airbus

The milestone of significance is the first delivery of the Airbus A380-800. After a two year delay plagued by wiring woes, Singapore Airlines is currently enjoying the publicity of being the only A380 operator in the world.

Deliveries to Qantas and Emirates commence in 2008.

The other major news is on the 787 Dreamliner.

After a successful premiere on July 8, 2007, news followed with the announcement that the project would be delayed by six months.

Image courtesy of All Nippon Airways

Patrick Shanahan has since been drafted in as the new program manager for the 787 and first slight is tentatively scheduled for the end of Q1, 2008 pending success in power on in late January 2008.

First delivey to All Nippon Airways is poised for late November/early December 2008 under the revised schedule.

Without highlighting each and every order won (or lost) this year by Airbus and Boeing, both companies enjoyed the spoils of one of the most eagerly awaited fleet renewal orders so far this decade - British Airways.

While Airbus won the equally highly talked about Emirates campaign, Boeing has continued to win orders for the 787, the fastest selling airplane in history. Confidence remains high in the Dreamliner, while analysts view the target of delivering 109 787’s by the end of 2009 as an uphill task.

Where 2007 news shattered all known records for business deals, 2008 will be an equally defining year.

Airbus plans to stabilize the A380 production and seek to increase A320 family and A330 production. Its US rival will be busy with 787 and 777-200F flight tests and also starts work on the 747-8F toward the end of 2008, the first major stretched derivative of the 747 since entering service almost four decades ago.

Sandwiched in between will be the Farnborough Air Show - if it’s destined to make an appearance from its busy flight test program, it may be the first opportunity to those outside of Everett to see the 787 in the flesh.

On a personal level, meeting up with Randy Tinseth despite his busy schedule was a privilege. From his candid interview to the spirited discussions we engaged in on the industry and all things Boeing was extremely enjoyable.

Signing off on a year with astounding orderbooks, the challenge of deliverance is one that Airbus and Boeing face together on a variety of different fronts.

You can read Boeings 2007 Year in Review by clicking here.

Enjoying the wave of healthy orders is one thing, 2008 will see both rivals driving forward to ensure that they can meet customer expectations on the back of a wave of high demand.

One thing is certain…there’s an exciting twelve months ahead.

Don’t blink, otherwise you’ll miss it….

…..what are your thoughts and predictions for 2008?

5 comments December 31st, 2007