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Aviation History
1996
1996 - 2154.PDF
HEADLINES Alaska spurns MDC for Boeing ALASKA AIRLINES is nego tiating for a fleet of new-gen eration Boeing 737s, following an apparent decision to sell off its large McDonnell Douglas (MDC) fleet and become all-Boeing by 2000. If confirmed, the move will mean the end of MDC's long-run ning battle widi Boeing to supply Alaska with new equipment. The rift began in 1993, when Alaska began to reduce orders and options for up to 40 MD-90s ordered in January 1990. Eventually, all MD- 90 orders were dropped, although some were later converted to MD- 80 orders. At the same time, it also ordered 20 737-400s from Inter national Lease Finance, signalling the shift towards Boeing. Alaska declines to comment on the negotiations, which are be lieved to revolve around the larger- capacity 73 7-800. It says, however: "We have always said that we're trying to simplify our fleet." The airline operates 77 aircraft, 46 of which are MD-80s. It also flies eight737-200sand23 -400s. Further evidence of the trend away from MDC was revealed in May when Alaska's newest MD-80 (N978AS) flew directly from the Long Beach production line in California to Tramco's site at Paine Field, Everett, where it was re painted in Trans World Airways (TWA) colours and re-registered N951TW. The aircraft is the first of at least eight which Alaska is sell ing to TWA. • gg f 4f n/^- NEWS IN BRIEF • STRAIGHT AS AN.... Israel Aircraft Industries has successfully carried out a test intercept of a simulated bal listic-missile warhead, using the Arrow 2 anti-tactical bal listic missile. The test was carried out on 20 August from a boat anchored 10km (5.5nm) off the missile test site at Palmachim in central Israel. The test is the first of four intercept tests planned as part of the current phase of the Arrow programme. BA is being asked to pay $230 million to see this sight Boeing fights airline doubts in bid for 747-X go-ahead PAUL LEWIS/SINGAPORE GUY NORRIS/LOS ANGELES BOEING IS MOUNTING an intensive last-minute push to launch the Boeing 747-500/600X growth derivatives at the Farn- borough air show, which starts on 2 September, but the US manufac turer is struggling to win sufficient airline support — partly caused by the $230 million price tag put on the-600X version. The US manufacturer is press ing seven key international carriers to sign "commitments" for the 747-500/600X, in the form of memoranda of understanding (MoU). Boeing hopes then to go to its board of directors for formal approval to proceed. Talks centre on British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Thai Airways Inter national, each requiring an initial six aircraft — predominantly the longer-range 747-600X version. United Airlines is also understood to be looking at seven aircaft and Japan Airlines at another five. MAS is the airline expressing the strongest support for an early launch and has already made provi sion to convert outstanding 747- 400 options to the new versions. The other carriers are hesitating for a variety of reasons, however. The chief complaint is that Boeing is not giving airlines suffi cient time to make an evaluation and decision, having presented firm proposals only within the last month. "It's important not to go rushing into orders just because of meeting the deadline of some air show somewhere," says BA chief executive Robert Ayling. The sentiment has been echoed by senior figures within Cathay, SIA and Thai. "There is no way we can get all our people to evaluate the aircraft in its entirety within two months," says one executive. Shock at the 747-600X's pro posed $230 million price-tag has also caused many airlines to pause. While the price is quoted in 2001 dollar values, it represents a major hike from the 747- 400's list price of $ 16 5 million. Potential launch cus tomers had been expecting "a slightly more incentive-based price" of $200 million or less. Carriers are also demanding more precise payload/range guar antees from Boeing before com mitting to the new aircraft. BA is insisting on the -600X being capa ble of flying from London non stop to Singapore in winter, with no payload restrictions, while Cathay wants a similar perfor mance commitment for the -500X on routes from Hong Kong to Toronto and New York. The -600X is a 548-passenger aircraft with a range of 14,350km (7,750nm). The -500X will carry 462 people a distance of 16,100km. Key Asian carriers also have pri vately expressed the wish to hold off on a 747-500/600X commit ment until more detailed informa tion is available from Airbus on its planned A3XX. Boeing, however, has given itself until the end of November to launch the 747-S00/600X pro gramme, if it is to meet the self- imposed entry-into-service dead line of December 2000. A Boeing source admits that it "... could be tough" for some carri ers to be ready to commit to the .747-500/600X by the time of the Farnborough show. A final airline- advisory-group meeting will be held in Seattle on 29 August, the same day that the Thai board will decide on the MoU and three days before the start of Farnborough, when the new 747's baseline speci fication will be finalised. • See Feature, P54. 6 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 28 August - 3 September 1996
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