Company Watch - Boeing.

For more company news, data and analysis, please go to: http://www.airguideonline.com/professional.htm Sep 11, 2006

Jet Airways opened its $15 million hangar at Mumbai Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport. It can handle C checks and major MRO on 737 family and ATR aircraft, accommodating two of the former and one of the latter at once. "This significant improvement in the maintenance infrastructure of Jet Airways will form a solid basis for the further expansion of the airline," CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer said. Sep 7, 2006

Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter took to the skies for the first time at 10:38 a.m. today, initiating the flight test program that will culminate in U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. The two-hour, four-minute flight was the first of 250 expected flight test hours for the unique freighter, a specially modified 747-400 that will transport major composite structures of the all-new 787 Dreamliner. The enormous jet -- with its enlarged upper fuselage that can accommodate three times the cargo by volume of a standard 747-400 freighter -- gracefully took off under rainy skies from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (formerly Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport). Boeing flight test pilots, Capts. Joe MacDonald and Randy Wyatt, took the airplane north, and then flew roughly 150 miles south following along the east side of the island before heading north again. Sep 9, 2006

Boeing's Carson: 787 presents company's biggest challenge. The new head of Boeing's Commercial Airplanes unit expects his biggest test next year when the company launches the 787. Boeing this week named Scott Carson to lead the business after Alan Mulally left the company for the top post at Ford. Boeing also named James Jamieson to the new position of chief operating officer after Mulally's departure. Sep 7, 2006

Boeing named James Jamieson, 58, to the new position of COO at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He currently serves as senior VP-engineering, operations and technology at the parent company. He is a 30-year Boeing veteran with a broad background in commercial aircraft manufacturing, including serving as senior VP-airplane programs for BCA. In describing their roles, McNerney said that Carson "is firmly in charge of the business" and "will have the sales, marketing, corporate functions, business development," while Jamieson, who reports to Carson, "will have the airplane programs, manufacturing and engineering." Sep 6, 2006

Boeing yesterday named Scott Carson president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes effective immediately, succeeding Alan Mulally, who left the company after 37 years to take over the top spot at troubled Ford Motor Co. Carson, 60, is a 34-year veteran of Boeing and served most recently as VP-sales for BCA, where he is credited with reinvigorating the company's flagging sales effort, leading to record aircraft orders last year. He also served as CFO of BCA. During a conference call, Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney called Carson "a natural choice to lead the Commercial Airplanes team." He said Carson will continue to head the sales organization until he names a successor. Carson added that he will move "as quickly as he can" to appoint a new sales chief. Sep 6, 2006

Boeing yesterday operated the first 737-900ER test flight, taking off from Renton and flying for 45 min. over Washington and Oregon before landing at Boeing Field in Seattle, marking the start of a five-month test program aimed at securing FAA and EASA certification by early 2007 followed by delivery to launch customer Lion Air. The manufacturer has firm orders from five customers for 80 737-900ERs, designed to carry up to 215 passengers and fly up to 3,200 nm. Sep 6, 2006

Scott Carson to lead Boeing Commercial Airplanes as Mulally departs for Ford. Mulally led the development of the 777 and was named president of BCA in 1998. He added the CEO title in 2001. "I expect this to be a very smooth transition," McNerney told reporters. He added, "We wish Alan [Mulally] nothing but the best." Sep 6, 2006

Air France to equip entire 777 fleet with Boeing EFBs. Air France ordered Boeing Class 3 electronic flight bags for its fleet of 777s, comprising 42 in-service aircraft and 13 to be delivered. It is the eighth carrier this year to order the Class 3 EFB, Boeing said, adding the order was the "most significant" to date from a European airline. Air France partner KLM was the launch customer for the 777 EFB in 2002. The Dutch flag carrier currently operates 13 EFB-equipped 777s and eventually will have 18. Sep 8, 2006

Ethiopian Airlines signed an agreement with Atlasjet to lease a 757-200. The ACMI agreement will be for six months from Sept. 13. Sep 6, 2006

Mulally departs Boeing for top post at Ford. Alan Mulally, president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, will leave the jetmaker to become the head of Ford Motor Co. Mulally, who took the post in 1998, helped Boeing's commercial jet business recover from production problems and return to profitability. Boeing named Scott Carson, a 34-year Boeing veteran, to lead Boeing Commercial Airplanes business, effective immediately. Sep 6, 2006

Boeing's former chief of the commercial aircraft division has popped up at another US giant with the announcement that Alan Mulally will become chief executive at Ford. Mulally, who battled Airbus for years, will work alongside Bill Ford, the great-grandson of the founder of the car maker. The former Boeing man said his product knowledge gleaned from the aircraft designer would hold him in good stead for this new role. Sep 10, 2006

U.S. and Brazilian companies developing airplane biofuel. The president of Brazil's Tecbio says his biofuel company is teaming up with NASA and Boeing to develop a biokerosene aviation fuel. He says rising oil prices encouraged his company to resurrect the 26-year-old fuel invention that uses vegetable oils. Sep 4, 2006