The champagne corks will have been popping in Seattle after Boeing's hugely successful commercial aircraft performance last year.
After the US airframer looked set to return to the top of the orders pile in 2005, only for a late surge from Airbus to deny it the crown, surely its record-breaking 1,044 orders last year will be enough to give it victory in the orders race when the European manufacturer declares its 2006 results next week?
But Boeing knows not to spend too long dwelling on past glories, no matter how recent. Airbus was in a self-confessed "absolute mess" last year, with the backlash from the A380 delay resulting in two chief executive changes. And the sales and marketing effort for Airbus's rival to the big-selling 787 - the A350 - was off-line last year while it underwent a radical redesign.
But this state of disarray cannot continue in Toulouse - and Boeing will be the first to recognise that. Airbus will be ready to rebound strongly now that it has sorted the A350, and repaired the damage from last year.
And the threat of a resurgent Airbus will not be the only challenge Boeing faces this year. In 2007 the 787 "dream" must be turned into reality with the construction and flights of the initial aircraft - it was during this phase of the A380's six-year development effort when Airbus tripped up.
Bring on 2007 - it promises to be one hell of a show.
Source: Flight International
