Changes at Boeing

This is a week old. I know the numbers he based this on and the liquidity of all three airlines, or in the ball park as its public information. What do you guys think just out of curiosity? I am still hoping loads will come back somewhat before mid summer to allow this not to happen, but who knows these days.

https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-ceo-airline-collapse-coronavirus-2020-5

 

Let me let this article answer the question for you.


https://thepointsguy.com/news/american-airlines-not-going-away-coronavirus/


Also another article on Kirby formerly from AA and now with UA.


https://thepointsguy.com/news/scott-kirby-united-airlines-ceo/?fbclid=IwAR1iJpAftah0wnd-6OJEmh6HLujDnDb810s2iW1OouEyhJEh8Mj7kzxCiEk&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebook&utm_content=A6FFD1D0-9AB2-11EA-B1EB-920CFDA12A29&utm_term=Editorial

 

Maybe the way to allow full passenger capacity is to replace the overhead oxygen masks, fed by canisters, with a different kind of mask that can be worn for the duration of the flight, fed by ambient air. Each mask will need some sort of replaceable insert that can be replaced after each flight. The emergency canisters will still be there, with a valve that would automatically switch the air in the event of an emergency. It's a bit far-fetched, but it could work.

 

Lots of different face sizes required, but an interesting thought.

 

the airlines would still feed recirculated through them

 

https://www.fa-mag.com/news/where-to-worry-about-catching-covid-19--and-where-not-to-55769.html

It appears CV-19 doesn't spread as easily as once thought. So maybe the solution is to install updraft ventilators in planes and require passengers to wear N-95 masks. There's no way you can "social distance" on an airliner.

 

Hertz just declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy as airline and aircraft company woes ripple. You can get pretty good deals on yellow and black 2019 Z06s right now, all automatics, naturally.

 

Eat?
Drink?
Rest Room?
8 hour flight?

Nah....

 

RE: Lufthansa seeking Government Bailout

Yes, and Lufthansa is looking for that help.

"Lufthansa is currently flying around 1% of its normal flight schedule.
"CEO Carsten Spohr has said that continued fixed costs, like interest payments and existing fuel contracts, mean Lufthansa is losing around €1 million in cash per hour."

https://www.dw.com/en/german-govt-to-gain-251-stake-in-lufthansa-bailout-report/a-53304930
News
German govt to gain 25.1% stake in Lufthansa bailout: report

 

As I've been saying, Boeing's answer should have been an updated 757, and it may still happen!

 

If Boeing makes a 757 again it will only share the name with the original. Nothing about it will be pulled from the original 757 so everything will be a new design and more inline with a 787 as far as technology and design.

 

I disagree; I know of no reason why the fuselage would need to be changed, and perhaps the tail surfaces as well. The primary structural changes would be the wing and engines.

 

757 MAX would not work against A321XLR.

 

Not so sure on that. It could use another generation of engines that are more efficient than what the XLR will have. The 757 would have more seats which would be an advantage.

 

Why do you say that?

 

Economy of big numbers.
A321XLR can be flown by same pilots that fly A318/319/320/321. It is part of the most successful family of narrowbody airplanes in the last 30 years. Which means it's very, very economical.
757 cannot compete with that.

 

You make some sense with fleet commonality although it is not universally relevant to all airlines. Look at any of the main line US airlines where they already fly (or with the addition of the XLR) a mixed fleet of Boeing and Airbus narrow bodies. Delta is adding a A220 into its fleet and that has maybe only some small component commonality with the A320 iterations.

What Boeing has to do is get the seat mile cost and trip cost into the same frame or better than the XLR. The engines are going to be the number one pathway to that. That is an area where Boeing could leap frog the XLR by going to a newer engine development.

I do not know if the APB split scimitar winglets will help any more with the current 757 wing with the standard APB winglets. If it is good enough then they won't need to do a new wing which would really speed up the development time.

 

Any engines that can go on 757 can be adopted to A32x family. You don't think Airbus is not already planning future powerplants for the type? No, 757 MAX is not a competitive idea. It might achieve limited success within current operators, but that's too small of a market to develop a new airplane + companies are already ordering A321XLRs to replace 757s, so that window of opportunity is probably already gone

Boeing is, well, FUBARed. They don't have a single eisle to sell, in a time where it will probably be tough to sell even modern narrowbodies, let alone 787s.

 

The A320 family is also nearing the end of it's lifetime and they will also start working on a replacement too, especially if Boeing was to make a 787 style narrow body. If Boeing does a new narrow body now they will be ahead of Airbus in 10-15 years just like there are with the 787 and were with the 777-300. Watch the new 777X end up replacing A350's and the remaining A380's down the road with many airlines just like the 77W did with the other 4 engine aircraft from Airbus.. The 757 as a base is unlikely but an all new narrow body could be the answer.

 

A320 still has room to grow. They are thinking about new wing and possibly a further stretch.

Boeing could probably do a new narrowbody. The issue is, how many companies will be willing to buy it and how much better, if at all, would it be, profitability wise, against A32x. See, the conundrum is... The vast majority of improvements today come from the engines. So, if Airbus installs the same engines on the next 320, your all new aircraft might be more efficient, but probably by lowish single digits only - and no way will you be able to match Airbus on pricing or fleet size.

There's a tough call to be made at Boeing. As time goes by I have less and less hope 737 MAX will fly commercially again. And no Embraer deal means they have near zilch to offer to post-COVID19 market.

 

The 737 Max will fly commercially. You will eat your words before 2020 is over. That said I never liked the 737 post 737-200, although it is the perfect aircraft for Southwest to use since a fully loaded A321 has a hard time getting off the ground before the end of the runway at one of their main hubs. The only aircraft that will die due to Covid 19 will be the A380. Even the 7478 will survive as a freighter and I bet will remain in production for another 5 years or more.

 

Doubt it. Had it been "easily" fixable... 737 MAX would already be flying. There's a huge issue at hand. 737 MAX can only be certified as a grandfathered design. If they're unable to solve issues without hardware changes, it is not possible for MAX to be certified today. And if that is the case, Boeing will probably go bankrupt even without COVID19 issues. Doubt that they can sustain the commercial side of the company on widebodies only.
Even on the military side, it's not rosy... F-18 is at the end of the road, might pick up a few orders here and there, same as F-15, but nothing substantional. T-7 is the only product with potential.

 

Ever heard of the F-15EX? Not something I would have bought, but USAF is.

 

They’ll get the max flying. But customers will be hard to find for further production.

if they’re lucky they’ll develop a family of aircraft for the future with gov loans and no go bankrupt.

basicaly the mbas stripped a once premier company to nothing so when the storm came there ashes blew in the wind. Sad but predictable.

this is the same genius mentality that moved production of everything else to China.

 

The largest 747 parts supplier to Boeing has wound down production and sold off their equipment.