Development of a twin-aisle narrowbody has gotten attention from Boeing, as the airframer continues to study a replacement for its highly-successful 737 family.
“I think it’s interesting and clearly something we have to look at,” the company’s VP marketing Randy Tinseth said this morning at the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) conference in Orlando, Florida in response to a question about twin-aisle narrowbody studies.
International Lease Finance chief Steven Udvar-Hazy recently said that the leasing company has been "advocating" the development of twin-aisle narrowbody aircraft with seven-abreast seating - which the lessor has dubbed "Airbus A360" and "Boeing 797" - but added that such an aircraft would depend on progress with new technology and would be a long-term prospect.
In terms of what a single-aisle replacement will look like, Boeing is “looking at everything”. The question will have to be answered over the next few years, says Tinseth.
He notes that Boeing has been working on 737 replacement studies for some time. It is well aware that some day, the 737 and Airbus A320 will be replaced “and we are preparing for that day”.
But Tinseth also points out technology to support a replacement for Boeing’s 737 narrowbody will not be ready “until at least 2015”.
Airbus chief operating officer, customers John Leahy discussed narrowbody replacement yesterday at ISTAT. Entry into service of a new Airbus single aisle aircraft is not likely to happen until about 2017-2020, and probably not until the latter part of that timeframe, he said.
Source: flightglobal.com's sister premium news site Air Transport Intelligence news
Boeing 737 aircraft profile
Source: FlightGlobal.com
