Skip to main content

Boeing rejects business case for 757 re- engineering

By: STEPHEN TRIMBLE
WASHINGTON DC
Boeing vice-president Randy Tinseth says the company has studied reviving and re-engining the 757 “a couple” of times, but concluded that the economics do not make sense.
“We’re not studying 757 re-engined replacements right now. It just doesn’t work,” says Tinseth, addressing the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance (PNAA) conference in Seattle.
Tinseth was asked to respond to a report in the Wall Street Journal that cited a source within Boeing saying a re-engined 757 was one option being considered as the company’s response to the long-rangeAirbus A321neo.
“No, no,” Tinseth replied.
In Boeing’s view, the 757 replacement market is limited. There are 550 passenger-carrying 757s still in operation, Tinseth says, excluding about 200-250 freighters. Of that market, only about 50-80 are flying trans-atlantic routes that exceed the maximum range of the 737 Max 9 or baseline A320neo.
Instead of focusing on a 757 replacement, Boeing is looking more broadly at the market for an aircraft that can fill the space between the 737 Max 9 and the 787-8.
“We’ve been talking to our customers and they want an airplane that’s bigger than today’s 757 and flies further – probably 20% further,” says Tinseth. “We are trying to figure out what that means, what that airplane would look like.”
With the KC-46, 737 Max, 787-10 and 777X still in development, Boeing’s research and development resources are occupied through at least 2022, Tinseth adds.
“So we’ve got some time to do it and we’ll take a real hard look,” Tinseth says.
Another barrier to reviving 757 production is that programme’s outdated and expensive assembly process, Tinseth says.
The 757 was assembled in Renton, Washington, alongside the 737, but as a longer and taller aircraft it required different tooling.
“That airplane had a unique very unique production system. It was relatively expensive to build compared to the 737,” Tinseth says. “The business case is just not going to close.”
One potential advantage, however, in favour of reviving the 757 is the certification programme. A clean-sheet designs requires a completely new type certificate. Re-engining an existing model can be done using an amended type certificate. It was not clear, however, if the US Federal Aviation Administration allows a manufacturer to amend a type certificate for an out-of-production aircraft.
An FAA spokesman, however, confirms that the agency’s regulations allowing amended type certificates extend to cover models that are no longer in production.
Marketplace Recommendations

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cameron welcomes new 50 million pound airside investment at Edinburgh Airpoort

Source: Edinburgh Airport Prime Minister David Cameron visited Edinburgh Airport this afternoon (22 January) as it announced a new £50m airside investment programme. Work begins this week on an extensive redevelopment of the airport’s immigration and baggage reclaim facilities, a move that will triple capacity for bigger long-haul aircraft. The Prime Minister was met by Chairman, Sir John Elvidge, and CEO Gordon Dewar, who took him on a tour of the airport’s new airside construction site which will be phased over the next four years. With long-haul traffic up almost 90% in 2014, thanks to new routes with Qatar Airways, United Airlines and US Airways, and increased services from Turkish Airlines, Edinburgh Airport is embarking on this ambitious development plan which will see a second immigration hall and baggage reclaim area created and extensive construction of new aircraft stands and air bridges. In 2013, the Board of Edinburgh Airport committed to investing £150m in Sc...
Post a Comment
Read more

U.S. Aerospace Industry generates 1.2 million jobs...nets $118.5 billion export sales

  In 2012, the U.S. aerospace industry contributed $118.5 billion in export sales to the U.S. economy.  The industry’s positive trade balance of $70.5 billion is the largest trade surplus of any manufacturing industry and came from exporting 64.3 percent of all aerospace production. Foreign firms are attracted to the U.S. aerospace market because it is the largest in the world and has a skilled and hospitable workforce, extensive distribution systems, diverse offerings, and strong support at the local and national level for policy and promotion.  According to a recent study by the U.S. Department of Commerce, aerospace exports directly and indirectly support more jobs than the export of any other commodity.  The U.S. aerospace industry directly employs about 500,000 workers in scientific and technical jobs across the nation and supports more than 700,000 jobs in related fields.  Investment in the U.S. aerospace industry is facilitated by a large pool of...
Post a Comment
Read more

NAMA NEWS UPDATE

ARAP STEERING COMMITTEE SUBMITS REPORT ...AS CHIDOKA LAUDS NAMA FOR CREATION OF PMO _THE steering committee of the Aviation Revenue Automation Project (ARAP), inaugurated for the purpose of driving the full automation of all activities in the aviation agencies on Monday submitted its report to the Honourable Minister, Chief Osita Chidoka in Lagos. Among the recommendations of the committee was the need to drive commitment and enforcement to ensure strict compliance by all stakeholders while chief executives of all agencies should be held responsible to ensure that all revenue lines are captured under ARAP platform; also that all agencies should be encouraged to establish the Project Management Office (PMO) as is the case with NAMA. Receiving the report, Chief Chidoka stated that “the power of automation especially in the dynamic world of aviation cannot be wished away as it would facilitate the one aviation vision and also set targets and measurable timelines”. While thanking member...
Post a Comment
Read more