Aircraft

Boeing is examining wide range of possible improvements for its current family of 737s - including new engine technology - as it looks to extend the twinjet's life until the arrival of an all-new replacement around a decade from now.

Randy Tinseth, vice-president marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, says that the technologies required to give the airlines their required 15-20% lower fuel burn and 25-30% better maintenance costs than today's aircraft will not be available until "late in the next decade".

This means that production of the current 737 family - which entered service in 1996 - is likely to run for at least another 10 years.

© Boeing

"To get to where we are we are going with the replacement, we're going to have to make improvements to the current aircraft," says Tinseth. Boeing will look to improve the 737's aerodynamics, performance and interior, he says, and is also "watching engine developments very closely".

Airbus will flight test the Pratt & Whitney GTF geared turbofan on an A340 later this year as part of its evaluation of new engine technology for an A320 replacement, but has not ruled out an interim GTF-powered A320 family development.

Tinseth says Boeing is "monitoring what's going on with the geared turbofan and what GE will do" but "will have to talk with our partners and see where we go" regarding any possible 737 re-engining move.