Boeing HQ
Today’s key stories focus on good news for Boeing with an order for 35 737 MAX aircraft from Aviation Capital Group, the US leasing unit of Tokyo Century Corporation. That order includes 19 of the yet to be certified 737 MAX 10 and 16 737 MAX 8 models, with deliveries through 2031. The good news continued as the company began FAA certification flights for the long overdue 777-X. Typically an FAA flight test program takes between 12-18 months, so aircraft may be certified as early as the second half of next year if all goes well, or early 2026 at the latest.
An interesting story in Flight Global speaks of Boeing being at the forefront of a revolution in predictive maintenance, but on closer inspection is clearly marked an advertorial rather than a Flight Global story. Sad to think that in today’s environment, Boeing cannot garner media attention for a positive story and needs instead to write and publish them itself. But the media are like sharks in the water, ready for attack. The Straits Times has a story that Boeing warned customers for further delays for 737 MAX deliveries as the production ramp remains slow, and the Times of India a story that ‘Boeing mechanics fear flying planes they build’ that repeats old whistleblower allegations. The stories seem to recirculate around the globe as media smell blood in the water.
Another news report indicates that Airbus is launching new initiatives aimed at strengthening manufacturing ahead of Boeing’s recovery. The supply chain constraints at Airbus need to be solved to enable the company to reach its production goals, and Airbus has not been able to press its advantage as strongly as it may have wanted during Boeing’s multiple crises.
Finally, Italy is eyeing a new tanker competition after dropping the KC-46A from Boeing, with the A330MRTT the likely replacement. The Italian cancellation comes as the replacement vision system for the refueling boom is not scheduled to be ready until 2026. This comes just after France sold its KC135 fleet to an independent operator, as European militaries are stepping up readiness.
Links to today’s key stories follow:
- Boeing scores order for 35 of its 737 MAX jets from a US lessor – BNN Bloomberg
- Boeing warns some customer of further delays on 737 MAX amid production crisis – Straits Times
- ‘Boeing mechanics fear flying planes they built’ – The Times of India
- Boeing at the forefront of revolution in predictive maintenance – Flight Global
- Boeing 777X finally gets FAA green light for certification flights – Seattle Times
- Airbus launches ‘LEAD!’ initiative, reportedly aimed to strengthen aircraft manufacturing ahead of Boeing’s recovery – Benzinga
- Italy Air Force eyes new tanker competition after dropping Boeing buy – Defense News
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