Jon Ostrower : February 2008 Archives

1:35 PM: Breaking: KC-X Tanker Announcement 5 PM ET Friday

UPDATE 3:45 PM: FlightBlogger will be covering the announcement live (as possible) at 5 PM ET from The Pentagon. I will make the complete audio of the press conference available following the conclusion of the event.

Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Duncan J McNabb will be announcing the winner of the KC-X contract.

UPDATE 4:23 PM: Bloomberg is reporting Northrop has won the contract.

UPDATE 5:37 PM: Just left the Pentagon - The Air Force has announced that Northrop Grumman and EADS has won the KC-X contract. The new tanker, according to Air Force officials will begin test flights in 2010 followed by operational capability by 2013.

UPDATE 6:50 PM:

1. Full audio of the press conference at the Pentagon.
2. Just wrapped up a podcast with Addison Schonland.
3. Northrop Grumman Statement, Boeing Statement

UPDATE 11:09 PM: Commentary from Scott Hamilton

Aviation photographer Liem Bahneman sent me this picture this morning of B-KPF, illustrating just how low the 777-367ER was to terra firma. (video)

From Liem:

Not to beat a dead horse, but I finally got around to making an illustration that depicts, by my estimate, the altitude of the Cathay-Pacific 777-300ER flyby at its lowest point (immediately prior to pulling up, as indicated by the wing flex and my subsequent photos).

I based this one the 20.4" 777 fuselage diameter and the estimated position of the runway below (based on the shadow).

I put my estimate at 31 to 33 feet. The media is saying 28 feet, which I initially thought was an extreme number, but now that I've taken the time to actually look, its really not that far off the mark. What is 4-6 feet of difference when you're talking about that much hardware being that far off the ground?

Good news coming out of Everett for the 787 Program:

"First Flight"
From Randy's Journal:

Our 787 chief pilot Mike Carriker, and our 787 systems director Mike Sinnett had an awesome experience earlier this month. They “flew” the Dreamliner with the “Blockpoint 8” software for the first time - in a successful test of the 787 integrated avionics and flight systems hardware and software that are now in final development.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner Successfully Completes Fuselage Barrel Test
Fair Use Excerpt:

EVERETT, Wash., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The composite technology, design and construction of the 787 was proven during a series of testing scenarios conducted beginning in late 2007 and concluding this week. The tests were performed on a composite fuselage test section and are part of Boeing's certification efforts for the 787.

Also, General Electric flew its GEnx 747-100 test bed to Everett this week:

Image Courtesy Rich Schlamp

Onward.

At the conclusion of 2007, aircraft makers and industry analysts expected orders for new aircraft in 2008 to cool considerably. By many measures the global economy has slowed, yet the expected downturn in aircraft purchases has not materialized for airframers. Looking at the available numbers from Airbus and Boeing illustrate that not only have orders not slowed, but they are up sharply over the same period last year.

Take a look:

Boeing has booked 189 orders to date during 2008 versus just 70 for the same period in 2007.

Airbus booked 238 orders during January 2008 versus 97 during January and February 2007.

*Official Airbus data for Februrary 2008 unavailable

Earlier this week, Steven Udvar-Hazy spoke with Flight's Laura Mueller saying, "Starting from today, no more than 75% of the order book is rock solid. The rest is potentially flaky or could disintegrate rapidly to become flaky and would be subject to deferrals and cancellation.”

“Boeing and Airbus want to put off the day of reckoning as long as they can, but it is coming. Airlines will start looking in the mirror every few months and ask: ‘what can we really absorb here?’ Once those reality checks are done more frequently, we will begin to see some major adjustments on a macroeconomic basis.”

Even based on his assertion that only 75% of the order book is solid, orders still exceed the pace of the previous record setting year. Even with this blistering start to 2008, growing market worries will continue to leave the further pace of orders as an open question. Only time will tell.

Once again, a convoy of A380 sections has wound its way through the French Countryside on its way to the Airbus Factory in Toulouse. This week, the forward, aft and wing structures of MSN040 arrived for final assembly. The photo of its nose section was taken earlier today. The aircraft is destined to be F-HPJB, the second Airbus A380 for Air France. Earlier this month, MSN033, the first A380 for Air France made its first daylight appearance sporting a newly painted tail fin.

Image Courtesy Yvan Panas

In other A380 news, MSN012 - F-WWSI - Singapore Airlines, flew for the first time last week on February 20th and was ferried to XFW for outfitting and rewiring two days later.

The multi-year, multi-billion dollar, multi-role KC-X Tanker contract could be awarded as early as today, following a meeting of the Pentagon's Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) responsible for signing off on the plan for the United States Air Force's 179 new aerial tankers.

The initial contract for either Boeing 767 or Northrop Grumman/EADS/Airbus A330 aircraft is worth up to $40 billion, with follow on contracts that could total as much as $100 billion.

According to industry analysts, Boeing is thought to be the odds-on favorite for the tanker deal. A lot is at stake for both manufacturers including the future of the 767 line in Everett, as well the potential establishment of a tanker/freighter production line in Mobile, AL for Northrop Grumman, EADS and Airbus.

UPDATE 3:02 PM: All indications point to the decision being announced Wednesday afternoon. The announcement will kick off with the notification of Congress, followed by contractor notification over the following hour, concluding with a formal announcement at the Pentagon at 5:00pm.

UPDATE 12:11 PM 2/27: The Malaysia Sun has "reported" that EADS and Northrop Grumman have won the USAF tanker contract. No word yet if they were able to generate the required 1.21 gigawatts for the return trip.

UPDATE 3:06 PM 2/27: Reuters is reporting that an announcement, according to a US official, is now expected Friday following the closure of the US Markets. Curiously, I noticed this morning that all the Tanker advertising from Boeing and Northrop Grumman had been removed from the Pentagon Metro stop.

FlightBlogger will be following the Tanker deal developments throughout the week.

Just got back from Singapore about 20 minutes ago and had to put this up:

Cathay chief 777 pilot fired after low-level flypast stunt
By Nick Ionnides

The Aircraft in Question
Cathay Pacific
Boeing 777-367ER
B-KPF

More pictures at the Seattle-Deliveries blog.

SINGAPORE -- Bombardier's board has authorized the company to offer its 110-130 seat CSeries family aircraft to potential customers.

Top launch customer candidates include Northwest Airlines, Qatar Airways, ILFC and Lufthansa.

The authority to offer is an important step towards official launch of the aircraft program.

FlightBlogger spoke with Bombardier representatives this morning, and at the time the Canadian company refused to speculate on a report suggesting the board was just hours away from making its decision to authorize the company to offer the new family of aircraft.

The company has said it will seek firm commitments from customers before seeking launch approval.

Filed Wirelessly

UPDATE 9:44 AM 2/23: Potential launch customer comments (FULL RELEASE):

"Lufthansa's focus is on a sustainable fleet development providing flexibility for the future. This includes, amongst others, the assessment of technology, reliability, environmental footprint, economics and passenger comfort. We are considering the CSeries family of aircraft in our broader evaluation of opportunities for the lower end of the single-aisle fleet because its proposed advantages could be attractive to us," said Nico Buchholz, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Fleet, Lufthansa.

"The CSeries aircraft's 2013 entry into service date suits us very well. We envisage an order for 20 aircraft," said Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Airways.

"We are very interested in the aircraft and have been looking at the CSeries program very carefully," said Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, Chairman and CEO/Founder of the giant lessor company International Lease Finance Corporation. "ILFC is not only considering buying the aircraft, we could become a co-launch customer. However, other major airlines need to sign up to the program as well. We would like to see a North American, European and possibly Asian customer," he added.

The emergency exit configuration on the model doesn't quite match the
real thing.

Sent from my handheld.

I recorded at bleary-eyed podcast this morning with Addison and I apologize if I ramble. The show has been quite slow on it's last day before it opens to the public tomorrow. However, a lot has gone on with this blog over the last 24 hours.

Bloomberg News has confirmed with Boeing that, "Some of the resources from the 787-3 have been temporarily redeployed.'' A revelation that originated from the story first published here yesterday.

Also, the Udvar-Hazy Interview got quite a bit of pickup in Seattle:

Top Boeing customer questions future of short-range 787 version
Seattle Times
By Dominic Gates

Push is on for a midrange Dreamliner
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
By James Wallace

Lastly:

BOC Aviation orders 5 Airbus A330 freighters
ATR sells 1 ATR 72-500 plane to Lao Airlines
Lufthansa Systems launches new flight planning module promising fuel savings

Chaser:
This is the sign immediately on the outside of the flight deck door on A380 MSN001. Too good not to share. More on the tour later.

This story broke overnight here in Singapore. This could be the major step toward launch. All indications point to the seriousness of Bombardier to move forward with the product. The buzz around the P&W geared turbo fan engine is the real story of SA2008. I am talking to Bombardier later this morning about the CSeries, so there may be more on this as the day develops. Stay tuned.

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW Bombardier to take step towards launching CSeries jets

SINGAPORE (Thomson Financial) - Bombardier Inc will take a significant step towards launching its long-awaited CSeries of larger airliners later this week, according to an aerospace industry source.

The board of the Canadian regional aircraft maker is expected to make a formal 'authorisation to offer' decision on the CSeries at a meeting on Friday, the source told Thomson Financial News at the Singapore Air Show.

The decision would mean Bombardier can put the proposals for the jet out to the market, paving the way for a formal decision to launch the 2.1 bln usd programme in time to meet a planned entry-into-service date of 2013.

UPDATE 1:33 PM: I had an opportunity to speak with representatives from Bombardier this morning. They would confirm nor deny anything about a potential board meeting for launch approval. They refused to comment on "speculation" about the launch of the CSeries. They added that in the event of a launch, it would be done as a larger announcement, not a trickling out of news.

SINGAPORE -- Boeing is considering suspending work on the -3 shorthaul variant of its troubled 787 twinjet as it fights to get production of the long-range -8 lead version and development of the -9 stretch back on track.

A 787 programme source says the delay in development of the -3, “May be a precursor for cancellation. Regardless, we're stopping work on it.”

The source adds that the short range -3, “being developed simultaneously with the -9…was really stretching the company's resources. This will free up people to work on the much more popular -9 variant.”

The -3, so far ordered only by 787 launch customer All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines (JAL), had originally been due to enter service in 2010, a few months ahead of the -9.

“We have been informed that there is a possibility of a delay to the 787-3,” says JAL. “We have not received a new delivery schedule since the delays to the programme were announced. Obviously the 787-3 is important to our plans. It has a shorter wingspan, which is important at key airports in Japan.”

Boeing is drawing up a new delivery schedule for all 787 customers in the wake of production delays which have pushed the aircraft’s first flight back to mid-2008. The manufacturer says it expects to announce its plans at the end of the first quarter and is unable to comment on any possible resequencing of the variants before then.

“We are working through delivery schedules with our suppliers,” says Boeing marketing vice president Randy Tinseth. “We won’t get the plans done until the end of the first quarter.”

On the future of the -3 variant, Tinseth says: “We have a commitment to ANA and JAL to build that airplane.”

Good morning again from Singapore! I'm writing on site at the Air Show right now and things are definitively slower today. As promised, here's the video tour of the Piaggio P.180 Avanti II.

Here's a rundown of the the last day:

Pratt & Whitney pushes GP7000 as alternative A350 XWB engine
Boeing bullish on biofuels ahead of Virgin demo flight
Jetscape buys 10 Embraer jets in $1.13 bln deal
Airbus says on track for aircraft production programs
Airbus completes first in-flight fuel cell test
Pratt favours IAE offering for next-generation narrowbodies
Also: ILFC says it is 'seriously looking' at the GTF-powered Bombardier CSeries

And a podcast wrap up with Addison Schonland.

Steven Udvar-Hazy, President and CEO of the International Lease Finance Corporation spoke to FlightBlogger this morning in a wide-ranging interview, and revealed that Boeing is exploring development on a new mid-range 787 derivative.

Mr. Hazy revealed to FlightBlogger that Boeing is exploring “very exciting” derivations of its hot-selling Dreamliner to, “…address more of the medium-haul and short-haul end of the market.”

Mr. Hazy elaborated:

It would be, “another version of the 787 that is lighter, that addresses more the performance capabilities at a different, at more the medium haul end of the market. That might be a more practical product line that will have a wider application with more customers than the -3 and we’re encouraging Boeing to come up with a 787 derivative to address that middle market which has wide global appeal to airlines in North America, European airlines, Middle East, China and South America and intra-Asia and US trans-con market and so forth. The dash three doesn’t quite do it. It seems too heavy.”

In addition, Mr. Hazy also felt that development of the 787-10 has “somewhat stalled” for a number of reasons.

“I think the Boeing engineering and product team is totally focused on the 787-8 and -9 and also getting the 747-8 intercontinental airplane into production and get it certified both the passenger and freighter. With the weight creep on the 787-9 there’s some real issues that have arisen, for example the landing gear, we have to have to be at a different landing gear configuration on the -10. The wing will have to be beefed up so your creating more weight, which means more thrust which then gets the situation into a regime with Rolls Royce and GE where the original GENx design and the Trent design for the 787 was not intended to be at those thrust levels as to what’s required at the -10. I think Boeing is carefully looking at the -10, but I think it’s slipped in terms of its priority.”

Listen to the complete interview here.

Much more with Steven Udvar-Hazy below the fold

Singapore -- Airbus Chief Salesman John Leahy hinted at the development of an ultra-long range A350 XWB with the -900 variant as the platform for such expansion.

The new product would be designated the A350-900R and likely replace the A340-500 in the Airbus product line.

The aircraft would be the fifth member in the XWB family. The -900R would potentially be available following certification and entry into service of the A350-1000 and Freighter models in the second half of the next decade.

The announcement came this morning at the Airbus press conference.

More on this, including audio of the answer to the ultra long range aircraft question which was posed by this blogger on location.

UPDATE 1:08 PM: Listen to the audio of the question.

Filed Wirelessly

Good morning once again from Singapore. My internal clock is slowly figuring out which part of the world it's in and I wanted to give a small overview of what went on yesterday. You can keep track of all the goings on during the day at this main Singapore Air Show site that Flightglobal.com is running which pools everything including photos, videos, news stories and my blog posts.

Garuda orders four 777-300ERs, seven 737-800s, and converted orders for 18 737-700s to -800s and six 777-200ERs to -300ERs
Lion Air orders 56 more 737-900ER, total ordered: 179
Fuel pump glitch grounds Singapore Airlines A380
Korean Air orders three more A380s
EgyptAir orders six more E-170s
Bombardier hopes for CSeries launch this year
Eclipse breaks into India with very light jet deal
New engine architectures needed to meet airline demands: CFM

Also, check out my first article for Flight International Magazine:
Second 787 could overtake first as production progresses
By Jon Ostrower

While exploring the static display here in Singapore a Piaggio P.180 Avanti II (HB-LTZ) caught my eye. A video tour of the aircraft will be available soon.

Here's a peek into the stunning Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 glass cockpit inside.

Image Courtesy Piaggio

Many MANY more below the fold.

I had a chance to sit down with Matthew Perra, Communications Manager with Pratt & Whitney commercial engines division, this morning. My wide ranging interview runs about 19 minutes and covers a wide range of topics including Geared Turbo Fan launch customers for both the Mitsubishi Regional Jet and Bombardier CSeries. Matt also talks about the 737 and A320 replacement possibilities for a scaled up Geared Turbo Fan.

Perhaps most interesting, the GTF, which is expected to enter flight testing on Pratt & Whitney's 747SP test bed the summer, is now under going ground testing with synthetic fuels. The 50% natural gas to liquid blend performed identically to traditional fuel. Perra says that the GTF will be certified for synthetic fuels right out of the box.

You can download it here.

Singapore -- Cessna, Hawker and BJets announced the largest ever order for business jets in Asia. The order, which is valued at 600 million dollars is for 20 Cessna Citation CJ2+ and 20 Hawker 850XP and 900XP jets plus an additional 10 options.

BJets which is expected to begin premium charter service in the second quarter of 2008 and will be based centrally around a home bases in Mumbai and Singapore. Today's announcement marks the official unveiling for BJets which has established a place holder website to promote its impendng launch. bjets.com

BJets will have the biggest fleet of private jets in Asia in its first 365 days of operation. The operation capitalizes on massive economic growth in Asia. BJets is Asia's first fractional private jet company.

Mark Baier, the CEO of BJets said, "Finally, India and Southeast Asia the two most dynamic regions in the world will have their own first true and dedicated private jet operator. Asian economies are expanding at a phenomenal pace and BJets will serve the immense growing demand for safe, efficient and reliable private jet travel."

Posted Wirelessly on Location

787 simulator tail number NCC1701E. Yeah, you read that right.

Sent from my handheld.

A380 F-WWOW MSN001 on static display. We'll have more photos and video
later today.

Sent from my handheld.

Good morning from South East Asia. After 25 hours of traveling, I've arrived in Singapore. The second leg of the flight was relatively smooth and uneventful. ANA Flight 901 on 767-300ER JA615A took about seven and a half hours. The aircraft was sporting a 777 signature interior including a nose camera. Our departure from NRT was delayed about forty-five minutes because of a failure in some section of the Tokyo datalink communications system. I spoke with the pilots after the flight who said that as a result, ATC was spacing flights six minutes apart.

Upon landing, I was able to spot one of the two SIA A380s as well, it stands out like a 470 passenger sore thumb. More pictures of her later.

It's a toasty 24 degrees Celsius here with 94% humidity right now, so the air show should be quite, er...warm when it gets to a high of 33. For those on the other side of the planet, that's about 92 degrees.

I'll be heading to the show this morning and I should have full wireless connectivity. I'll be posting photos from my iPhone directly to the blog throughout the day and have several interviews scheduled.

I'm here in Singapore for you, so tell me what you want to see and hear. I have a digital audio recorder with me and we'll be producing podcasts throughout the week. If there's a question you want asked to one of the companies here, let me know. Airplane detail you'd like to see, don't hesitate to ask. I want to give you the air show experience too.

Onward.

The 7000 mile first leg is done. On the ground in Tokyo. Next stop
Singapore to tonight. My ride from the states was a 54 week old ANA
777-300ER JA778A that was delivered from Everett on January 24, 2007.
Interestingly enough, parts of this airport resemble the United
terminal at Dulles. There are at least a dozen 777 & 747 here.

Sent from my handheld.

Just released:

Image Courtesy The Boeing Company

Final Assembly Begins on Another Boeing 787 Dreamliner

More and more every week, new A380 superjumbos are being seen out and about at Toulouse.

MSN013 - F-WWSJ - A6-EDB - Emirates

MSN019 - F-WWSP - 9V-SKG - Singapore Airlines

Both images courtesy of David Barrie

A buzz has been floating through Everett these last few days. An excitement not felt since the July 2007 roll out of Dreamliner One. In the evening hours on the 10th of February a modified 747-400 touched down after its brief journey from McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas.

On board was a payload both significant for its level of completion and what it represents for the future of the 787 program. Under a cold, wet and cloudy Washington sky, a parcel of progress found its way into Building 40-36 at the Boeing plant in Everett.

The precious cargo was the nose section for Dreamliner Two, which is destined to be the second 787 to take to the skies.

The nose structure (Section 41), which was manufactured by Spirit Aerosystems, arrived largely complete, stuffed with its windows, windshield wipers, doors, ducting, wiring, insulation, flight deck bulkhead, significant flight deck structure and much more. All flight deck equipment, such as panels, controls and LCD screens are installed in Everett. Section 41 also shipped with its radome installed to protect the honeycomb radar that had already been installed underneath.

This is the first A380 for Air France, MSN033. It will wear F-HPJA when it enters service with the French Flag Carrier. The parts for this aircraft were delivered in December to Toulouse for final assembly.

Special thanks to David Barrie for assisting with the image.

Virginia wild fires as seen on SV @ Roanoke on final approach.

Sent from my handheld.

Sent from my handheld.

I've added the following updates to the main A380 production post.


F-WWSI, MSN012 taxis for the first time today. Image courtesy David Barrie.

FLIGHT TESTING

MSN004 was repainted and flown using GTL (gas-to-liquid) synthetic fuel from Toulouse to Filton in the UK. It was the first flight of a commercial aircraft using alternative fuels.

PRODUCTION

MSN012 - Singapore Airlines - F-WWSI - 9V-SKF
The aircraft was spotted taxiing for the first time on February 11, 2008. The first flight typically happens within two weeks of the first taxi tests.

MSN014 - QANTAS - F-WWSK - VH-OQA
The aircraft was ferried to XFW on the 30th of January.

MSN020 - Emirates - F-WWSS - A6-EDE
This aircraft was seen being towed between assembly hangars at TLS on December 20.

MSN029 - QANTAS - F-WW** - VH-OQF
FlightBlogger has confirmed that parts for this aircraft were delivered to Toulouse in complete convoy over four days from January 21-24, 2008.

MSN033 - Air France - F-HPJA
FlightBlogger has confirmed that this aircraft has been assembled and was towed around the ramp at TLS on the 8th of February.

Sent from my handheld.

Some food for thought as we head into the weekend.

Image Courtesy Howard Pain

Boeing targets two-tier response to Airbus A350-1000 threat
By Stephen Trimble

The proposed 787-10, likely to be a 305-seater, "is a good product against the [777]-200, 200ER-class airframe", says Carson. "The 777-300ER is a little bigger and the 777-200LR has a little more legs so they could well co-exist. That will be part of the product and market studies that we continue to refine."

Carson also emphasises that Boeing believes the basic 777 airframe can remain competitive through the next decade with perhaps a "modest" refresh, focusing on engine and airframe technologies.

"There comes a time when you think about what you're going to do with the upper-end of that marketplace," he says. "We'll make some decisions about what to do with a major refresh, but we're not in any panic about that. We think its doing incredibly well in the marketplace right now."

Rather, Boeing still plans to hold off developing a new widebody in the 380-seat-and-above class market for at least 10 years, he said, adding such an aircraft would feature an all-composite airframe like the 787.

Image Courtesy Flight/Tim Bicheno-Brown

BA could eventually operate up to 30 A380s: Airbus
By Max Kingsley-Jones

Meanwhile, Leahy is feeling confident about Airbus's chances in phase two of the BA campaign to replace the bulk of its 747-400 fleet, where the A350 XWB is up against the proposed 787-10 and "777X" design study. The airline's chief executive Willie Walsh has said that he aims to reach a decision on this deal before the end of the year.

The 787-10 is "too small" so Boeing "is looking at what it can do with the 777 as the -300ER is not competitive with the A350-1000," says Leahy.

"We feel we have the right aircraft with the A350 and BA is leaning in that direction," he adds. Leahy does not expect Boeing to be ready to finalise its 777 development plans this year "unless it pulls a rabbit out of a hat".

Cessna unveiled its new Citation Columbus business jet yesterday. It's fast (Mach .85) , efficient (PW810 engines) and has very long legs (4000 nm). To boot, it's got wireless hubs on board to, "connect your PDAs, cell phones, laptops and just about any other communication device to the rest of the world."

This is an aircraft designed with the global economy in mind.

First flight is scheduled in 2011, FAA certification in 2013 and entry into service 2014.

See the complete product brochure from Cessna.

Click for high-resolution:

More high-resolution photos below the fold.

India's Tata Motors unit to manufacture components for Boeing's Dreamliner February 06, 2008: 06:34 AM EST

MUMBAI, Feb. 6, 2008 (Thomson Financial delivered by Newstex) -- India's largest vehicle maker Tata Motors Ltd, part of the salt-to-software Tata Group, said its engineering solutions unit has signed an agreement with the Boeing (NYSE:BA) Company to supply structural components for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner airplane program.

No financial details were given.

In a release, Tata said wholly-owned TAL Manufacturing Solutions Ltd will build floor beams for the 787 using new technology with advanced titanium and composite materials.

The floor beams for the 787 airplane will be produced at TAL's new facility in the central Indian city of Nagpur and then transported to Boeing partners in Japan, Italy and the US for further assembly, it added.

This is extraordinarily significant at first glance. This appears to be one of the first steps in the 787 recovery plan. BCA Chairman and CEO Scott Carson is speaking later this morning to a group of aerospace analysts and I'm sure this will be on his agenda. The announcement of a new structural supplier this far into the program means that 1. Another supplier has been replaced or 2. Another supplier was unable to meet the initial demand for floor beams and this is a supplement. Either way, it's clear that a supplier has not been making the grade on floor beam production.

By the looks of this graphic, IAI appears to be the supplier in question. The Wall Street Journal authored a piece in December citing significant concerns by BCA leadership about IAI and Vought Aircraft Industries, both partners are directly responsible for structural components like the floor beams on the Dreamliner.

Look for more on this here as the day develops.

UPDATE 1:00 PM: Scott Carson did not mention any supplier changes in his speech to the Cowen & Co Conference.

UPDATE 12:12 AM: According to a source familiar with the agreement Tata will manufacture floor beams beginning with the 787-9 an 787-3. There has been no change to suppliers of floor beams for the 787-8. It remains unclear whether or not Tata will be working in conjunction with the current 787-8 suppliers to supplement production or be absorbing the current work package for the variant aircraft.

Today's post is actually written from the road. I'm up in Boston (jetBlue E190 in case you were wondering). In a previous life I used to work in politics, and with today's democratic (small d) festivities in 25 states and territories across America, I felt it was appropriate to do a little crossover post.

If you happen to be in one of those 25 states and territories, get out and vote. One of the six candidates will be the President of the United States. Don't you want to have your say?

If you live in:

Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia

Then take 20 minutes on your lunch break or after work (stop reading the blog, you have my permission) and go vote!

Okay, I made my pitch for your civic participation. Now to the planes.

One aircraft in particular caught my eye at the Reagan Library debate. It was the centerpiece of the last Republican debate. The Boeing 707 that first flew as Air Force One with Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter and Bush.

Both Governor Romney and Governor Huckabee chartered an Express Jet Embraer E145 earlier in the campaign. Rumor has it that they didn't share the same plane.

Senator McCain has been flying a jetBlue Airbus A320. 10 pts to anyone who can spot the irony.

UPDATE: According to the NBC Nightly News on Feb. 6, Senator McCain had chartered a jetBlue Airbus A320 N658JB. Otherwise known as "WooHoo jetBlue!" the promotional A320 used to market the Simpson's Movie this past summer.

Congressman Paul's supporters have hired a blimp to orbit cities all over America.

Governor Romney was spotted flying a Boeing 737-400 (N42XA) around the south yesterday.

Both Senator Obama (N319TZ) and Senator Clinton (N310TZ) have been flying around on ATA Boeing 737-800s. A definite size upgrade for Senator Obama who had been previously been flying on a Gulfstream II (N747NB).

Winner gets the best ride of them all:

When an aircraft is first imagined on the drawing board, an ideal mission profile is modeled with city pairs, frequencies and payloads. When the new aircraft enters service, more likely than not the operator identifies a mission profile similar to what the manufacturer had intended.

Occasionally, you see an airline take the ideal mission profile and tear it to shreds. No one fully envisioned a 757 would be flying trans-Atlantic or an A320 trans-continental.

Taking a leap one step further, British Airways has ordered two Airbus A318 in a 32 seat all-business configuration to find its way into an ultra-niche market. The newest (and shortest) member of the A320 family will be put into service between London City Airport in the heart of the financial district and New York City. There has been a raging debate about whether or not this service is a good idea for BA. (See podcast) Either way, this is a bold step forward in responding to the premium trans-Atlantic carriers that are flying 767s out of Stansted.

The aircraft itself will be pushed to its operational limits. With a range of 3,700 nm, the aircraft will be able to make the trip without stopping for fuel on the east-bound leg from New York with the reduced weight. However, a 40 minute fuel stop will be required on the westbound leg. The exact location for the stop has yet to be determined, however Shannon, Ireland appears to be at the top of the list.

British Airways has selected CFM56 engines to power its pair of A318s. Both the CFM56 & PW6000 engine each have 180 minute ETOPS certification, essential for safe and efficient twin engine operations over the Atlantic.

The block times, according to Crankyflyer, a fellow blogger and GWU Alum, clocks in at 7 hours and 10 minutes to London (compare 6:55 - 747-400 JFK-LHR). The return leg is a lengthy 9 hours and 30 minutes (compare 7:10 – 747-400 LHR-JFK) back to the states, which includes the fuel stop.