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Aviation History
1997
1997 - 0422.PDF
HEADLINES Boeing calls halt to 747-X programme... GUY NORRIS/LOS ANGELES BOEING HAS SHELVED its 747-500X/600X plans, opting instead to focus on development of the 767-400ERX and 777-200X and 777-300X long-range high- capacity twins. An update of the 747-400 is now a possibility. Boe ing Commercial Airplane group "senior officers" decided on the sudden move at a meeting in mid- January, but the announcement was not made public until 20 January. "We just could not make a business case for it," says vice pres ident, product strategy and mar keting, Mike Bair. For the time being, Boeing's ditching of the project leaves the field open to the rival Airbus A3XX, although the US company says that it will continue studying "aeroplanes capable of carrying more passengers man today's 747". Boeing Commercial president Ron Woodard says: "This remains one of the priorities of our product- development efforts. WTien the market develops for such an aero plane, we will be ready. "The small size ol the market meant the amount of money we'd have had to spend [on the 747-X], with or without the affect of |route] fragmentation, just did not make sense," says Bair. More than 1,000 employees were working on the Boeing will study son of 747-400 rather than opting for big daddy -500X/600X project, which was costing almost $3 million a day by early January'. Estimated total development cost for die stretched, rewinged aircraft was $7 billion. "Clearly, we got a different reac tion from the airlines than we had expected when we first went out with the proposal," Bair says. Mar ket reaction was subdued bv sever al factors, including Airbus In dustrie's decision to accelerate its rival A3XX-100/200 plans, the proposed $200 million-plus price tag, and Boeing's own 777-200X7 300X proposals. The aircraft itself was not an issue, claims Bair. "The aircraft we ended up with was a good one. The airlines were pretty satisfied with the product we'd defined." He adds that".. .we were there" with the targeted 10% reduction in direct operating costs relative to those of the -400. Despite the "accepted propos als" for up to 15 aircraft from Thai Airways International and Malay sian Airlines, the project did not attract sufficient market interest from US and European majors. The dust is being blown off ear lier product-development studies of 747-400 improvements, as well as more ambitious capacity- and range-increase projects, adds Bair. While fuselage stretches and wing- plug additions are being consid ered again for the -400, they will not be as dramatic as the changes earmarked for the -500X/600X. The full effect of the 747-X deci sion on the engine makers is less certain, although the most obvious impact is on the General Electric- Pratt & Whitney Engine Alliance formed in 1996 to power the new aircraft. A statement says that, ".. .while the activity leading to cer tification of die GP7177 has been suspended, the team will continue to support the preliminary design requirements of Boeing and Airbus". The Alliance ".. .contem plates completing the technical evaluation phase with Airbus [for the A3XX] by the end of February". J See News Analysis, P28. NEWS IN BRIEF • RECORD AIRLINE RESULTS The US airline industry appears to be on course for net profits of around $2.5 bil lion, making 1996 the best year in its history. American Airlines is leading so far with S854 million, although Delta Air Lines has come close with S754 million before special charges, and Northwest Air lines notched up $573 mil lion. Continental Airlines also reached an historic high with S319 million, while US- Air climbed to Si83 million. Evidence from the fourth quarter of 1996 suggests that demand is still buoyant. .. .Steps up tempo of long-range 777 work BOEING HAS REVEALED new details of its plans for heav ier versions of the 777, which will be led by the -200X effort, which the company hopes to launch, along with the -300X, at the time of the Paris air show in June. The projected entry-into-ser- vice date for the big twin is now mid-2000, "...but we are working to see if we can bring this forward", says vice-president for product strategy and marketing, Mike Bair. The -200X will have a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of between "700,0001b and 730,0001b [318,000-331,500kg], depending on exactly where the range require ment ends up", he says. The projected 250-passenger aircraft would be able to operate over distances of 15,725-16,650km (8,500-9,000nm) depending on MTOW. Additional fuel capacity would be provided in the outboard wing and horizontal stabiliser, both emptvon current versions. The -300X would have a MTOW of between 313,260kg and 317,800kg to ".. .get it close to 12,950km range, which would make it a better aircraft and the best 747-200 replacement", says Bair. At die lower weight, the -300X would still offer 25% lower operat ing costs than those of the 747- 100/200 and have a baseline range of 11,655km with die Rolls-Royce Trent 800 or 11,470km for the Pratt & Whitney PW4098. Entry into sen-ice is provisionally plan ned for early 2 001. Leading contenders for the 777-200X are believed to include American Airlines, for the Dallas Fort Worth-Tokyo route; Singa pore Airlines, for the non-stop Asia to US West Coast routes; and Malaysia, for similar needs. Both Asian carriers are in the market for up to ten aircraft initially, with longer-term needs for up to 20. United Airlines and Japan Airlines are among the prime candidates for the -300X. Boeing is also pushing the 767-400ERX, which was for mally offered for sale for the first time at the start of this month. Entry into service for the 10,460km-range stretch is 2000. J FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 29 January - 4 February 1997
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