Littleprince knows what he is talking about.
We have Torquelink worrying that Boeing offers the 777-300ER with only GE engines and then they get "only" 108 sales in a year. He then denounces this as a "mistake". Boeing must be very happy with this very 'route specific' addition to the 777 range of A/c and if they get another 108 orders next year they will be delighted.
What we have here is GE helping out financially to get the 747 ADV off the ground and looking for a head start. Boeing offer the A/c with GE engines at a lowest possible price. Great for the operators who dont care what engine type is used so long as they work
Cathay, Qantas and BA want it with RR engines and in the 80s Boeing would have bent over backwards to accomadate!!!!!!. They know better now so they say "no sweat Mr Loyalty". "You can have any engine you want but we aint paying for it" and suddenly loyalty goes down the cr@p hole.
Mr John of HAEKO/CATHaY in the 1980s threatened to NOT buy 747-400 unless they had RR engines (Like--- Cathay could have afforded NOT to buy the 747-400 to compete with its immediate competitors) We have moved on since then and the 747 ADV will be designed to fit competitavly between the 400 and the 380. The REAL operators will have to buy it to maintain their edge and it will be offered initially at lowest price with GE engines.
If SIA buy it, then Qantas will have to do the same, so will BA, Cathay and even the Virgin "Pullover'. What will loyalty be worth then when SIA say we couldnt care less if it has a RR engines or GE engines. Best price, earliest delivery, will be all that matters.
Chambudzi