Higher volumes of Boeing 737/MAX fuselages and wings, Airbus A220 wings, and Bombardier corporate jet fuselages have pushed revenues of Spirit AeroSystems to $980 million in the third quarter. On the downside, the tier-1 supplier is affected by lower widebody rates and the ongoing troubles with the Boeing 787, resulting in another $46 million forward loss on the Dreamliner, it reported on November 3. More 737 and A220 deliveries compensate for Spirit’s 787 woes.
Looking at the 737/MAX first, higher volumes are reflected in the number of shipsets delivered to Boeing. In Q3, 47 deliveries compared to 15 last year, when production rates were very low. In the first nine months, Spirit delivered 111 shipsets compared to 52 last year. The company expects to deliver 160 shipsets this year or another 49 in Q4 and reduce its inventory of previously produced 737 fuselages and wings from 110 to 100 by the end of this year. It will work towards maintaining an inventory of twenty shipsets for flexibility by the end of 2022.
Active as a journalist since 1987, with a background in newspapers, magazines, and a regional news station, Richard has been covering commercial aviation on a freelance basis since late 2016.
Richard is contributing to AirInsight since December 2018. He also writes for Airliner World, Aviation News, Piloot & Vliegtuig, and Luchtvaartnieuws Magazine. Twitter: @rschuur_aero.
