As Oil Prices Slide Again
We know prices are rising now, but we think this is a temporary condition due to unrest in Middle East. If speculators step in, prices can spike even further. But in the long term we think the trend will be…
Month July 2013
Preliminary AAIB Report on Ethiopian 787 Fire Points to ELT
The British Aircraft Accident Investigation Board issued its preliminary findings (S5-2013 ET-AOP) on the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 fire at London Heathrow airport, and cites the Honeywell Emergency Locator Transmitter as the likely cause. The report indicates that the most…
WHAT IS REALLY AN “ORDER”?
As we reach the halfway point of the year, Airbus is reporting a record backlog of nearly 7 years’ of production, with Boeing closing in on similar record levels. But how firm are these firm orders? And what about options,…
The 787 Heathrow Fire
This was no small fire. It seems to have burned through the hull; the image shows the ribs. No public explanation for the fire has been given yet, but we know from reports that it does not appear to have…
Boeing’s 777 – A Strong Safety Record
The Asiana Airways crash in San Francisco was only the second major crash of a Boeing 777, both occurring during landing situations, and both resulting in a majority of the passengers walking away from the crash. The fact that the…
Lufthansa’s fuel cost mitigation
Recently Lufthansa conducted an “academy” in New York around the fuel problems the airline faces. Invitees were all local media, and it was a small group. The airline brought in three high level executives who made presentations of how the…