Company Watch - Boeing.

For more company news, data and analysis, please go to: http://www.airguideonline.com/professional.htm Jun 19, 2006

Boeing continues with its rush into the 787 with Singapore Airlines the latest to order, with a commitment for 20 of the new wide body and 20 options. Singapore has had to take its place in the queue for the aircraft with deliveries scheduled between early 2011 and mid-2013, catering for growth as well as fleet renewal. SIA has gone for the Dash 9, the latest version on offer with the largest cabin and longest range. In a standard three-class configuration, it can carry between 250 and 290 passengers. It also has space for about 20 tons of cargo, and will have a range of 8,600 to 8,800 nautical miles (15,900 to 16,300 kilometers). Singapore Airlines plans to deploy the aircraft on routes to North Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. http://www.boeing.com Jun 17, 2006

Ramp Rage was mentioned last week in respect of the new composite materials on the Boeing 787. This is the description of careless driving on airfields by airline service providers costing the industry millions each year. Not only that, prangs to aircraft inconvenience passengers, jeopardize an airline's image and potentially compromise safety. Holiday airline Thomas Cook is taking up the cudgels on behalf of the airlines with an education campaign aimed at reducing these incidents. The airline's ground handling and maintenance departments have joined forces to produce a poster graphically illustrating the costs of the kind of accidental damage which happens all too frequently. Featuring the side of a Boeing it points out areas of typical damage and lists the cost of replacement or repair. These include [pounds sterling]266,655 for rudder damage, [pounds sterling]100,000 for a nose cowl, [pounds sterling]80,000 for a fan cowl and [pounds sterling]77,246 for an elevator. In fact the cost is more. Thomas Cook say that taking a 757 out of service for 24 hours includes sub-chartering another aircraft for three flights at [pounds sterling]180,000 and hotel accommodation for 235 passengers at [pounds sterling]14,000. And 235 disgruntled clients. http://www.thomascook.co.uk Jun 17, 2006

The 787 Dreamliner is on schedule. Boeing denied reports that its 787 program schedule has been affected by a fault in a composite fuselage barrel section.According to Mike Bair, VP and GM-787 program, the fault had been expected owing to a problem with a particular mandrel that developed a flaw. "We knew there was a problem with the mandrel, which we tried to fix but we should have scrapped it," he said. At the start of a global media tour to inspect the 787's major assembly sites in the US, Italy and Japan, Bair reiterated that the program is on time. Citing continued strong interest in the aircraft, he said a decision on an increase in the production rate will be made later this month. That decision will be influenced by Emirates' expected announcement to launch the 787-10 at Farnborough next month. Jun 16, 2006

Boeing CEO links compensation to ethics. Boeing Chief Executive James McNerney has spent the past few months learning as much as possible about the company's defense and airplane units. Boeing is recovering from ethical scandals, and McNerney has developed a plan to link compensation in part to ethical leadership. Jun 13, 2006

The Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental order booked last week is a VIP transport for a Middle East-based buyer, According to sources in London, the order is linked to the order for 20 777s also booked last week. That order is believed to be for Qatar Airways. Jun 13, 2006

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner will feature dual flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders. Speaking to media on the 787 global tour, Mike Sinnett, chief engineer for 787 systems, said there will be units combining the FDR and CVR located both under the cockpit and in the tail. Jun 13, 2006

Boeing received orders for 33 airplanes in May. In addition to the 747s, these comprised 10 737s, six 777-200LRs and 14 777-300ERs. Orders for the 777s all were placed on May 30 by an unidentified customer(s). Six 737-800s were ordered by an identified customer on May 31. Jun 12, 2006

Boeing sells first 747-8 Intercontinental. Boeing has sold the first passenger version of the 747-8, according to information posted on its website late last week.The order has not been announced formally. It was recorded on May 30 and placed by an unidentified customer, which may or may not be an airline. Boeing also received orders for two 747-400Fs from an unidentified customer on May 31. The 747-8 was launched last November on the strength of firm orders for 18 747-8Fs from Cargolux and Nippon Cargo Airlines. Jun 12, 2006

US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating an uncontained engine failure on an American Airlines 767 that occurred during a ground maintenance test run on June 2 at Los Angeles International. According to NTSB, the HPT stage one disk on the number one GE CF6-80A2 broke into several pieces that "were found embedded in the fuselage, the number two engine, and scattered as far 3,000 feet from the airplane." The ensuing holes in the wings caused fuel leaks that resulted in a ground fire that was extinguished by airport firefighters. There were no reported injuries. Initial examination of the disk pieces found indications of fatigue cracking, the board said. Jun 15, 2006

Atlas Blue of Morocco took delivery of its first 737-800, the start of its plan to expand its fleet to 24 aircraft by 2012. The LCC, launched in 2004 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Air Maroc, operates six 737-400s on international services from Marrakech and Agadir to destinations across Europe. Jun 14, 2006

Investigators consider tougher inspections for some GE engines. Federal investigators are considering tougher and more frequent inspections for General Electric jet engines. An engine failed earlier this month in Los Angeles and severely damaged an American Airlines 767. Jun 14, 2006

General Electric revealed that Nippon Cargo Airlines was the customer for two 747-400Fs. NCA selected the GE CF6-80C2 to power the aircraft, scheduled for delivery in 2008 and 2009. The deal is worth more than $80 million, GE said. NCA ordered the same powerplants for the two dash 400Fs it currently operates and the six it will take over the next two years. "NCA has increased its order to better respond to environmental concerns and business opportunities, such as the opening of the new runway at Haneda Airport and the extension of the existing runway at Narita Airport," GE said. Jun 13, 2006

Singapore Airlines commits to 20 Dreamliners. Singapore Airlines kicked Airbus while it was down yesterday, announcing that it signed a letter of intent to purchase 20 787-9s plus 20 options.SIA stressed, however, that the A380 delay did not affect its selection. CEO Chew Choon Seng was among those who expressed displeasure with the A350, but the airline's reported concern over securing early Dreamliner delivery slots appeared to keep Airbus in the game. This did not matter in the end, and SIA opted not to wait for the redesigned A350 and instead will wait until 2011 to take its first 787. The order for the firm aircraft is worth $4.52 billion at list prices. Deliveries will occur through mid-2013. It did not announce an engine choice. The carrier said it will fund the purchase "by cash flow generated from airline operations" and that its selection of the dash 9 variant was due to the fact that it has "the largest cabin and longest range." A larger version, the dash 10,

has yet to be formally launched. The dash 9 can carry 250-290 passengers in a standard three-class configuration depending on whether customers choose an eight-abreast or nine-abreast main cabin. Range is 8,600-8,800 nm. (15,900-16,300 km.). SIA will operate the aircraft on routes to northern Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. Jun 15, 2006

Virgin Blue Airlines is the customer that exercised purchase rights for nine 737-800s last month, Boeing said yesterday. The aircraft had been listed on the airframer's orders and deliveries table as belonging to an unidentified customer. It is valued at $634.5 million at list prices and aircraft will begin delivering in 2008, replacing leased aircraft in Virgin Blue's fleet of 52 737NGs. Jun 13, 2006