Experts: Boeing 777X could have edge over Airbus A350 1000
Puget Sound Business Journal by Steve Wilhelm, Staff Writer
Date: Thursday, March 15, 2012, 2:47pm PDT
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An upgraded 777 will likely mesh composite wings with an aluminum-lithium alloy fuselage. Pictured, Boeing assembles its 1,000th 777.
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Steve Wilhelm
Staff Writer- Puget Sound Business Journal
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As details emerge about Boeing’s plans for an updated 777 jetliner, the “777X,” as it's being called, this is increasingly looking like one area where Boeing may be able to maintain a firm capability lead over Airbus.
Analysts are saying the bigger and more efficient 777 (it’s already the world’s biggest twin-engine jet), will stay ahead of Airbus’ planned A350 1000 in size, and possibly in efficiency.
“We want to make sure we have an airplane with greater capability than what comes on from Airbus,” said Boeing Commercial Airplane CEO Jim Albaugh, neatly summing up Boeing’s strategy during a March 14 JP Morgan conference call with analysts.
During that call, he expressed enthusiasm about prospects for the 777 upgrade, saying the combination of a new fiber composite wing and new engines will increase overall efficiency “pretty dramatically.”
“If we can satisfy ourselves the risk is acceptable, we'll take this to the board,” he said, referring to a planned program launch.
Another widely rumored upgrade to the aircraft likely will be a switch to building the fusealge from a new aluminum-lithium alloy. Using the new alloy, an advance over the traditional aluminum Boeing now uses, would allow the company to reduce the aircraft’s weight significantly without requiring significant changes in how it’s made.
All of this will add up to a larger aircraft able to carry just over 400 passengers about 8,000 miles, compared to about 350 passengers for the competing Airbus A350.
(Airbus sized the A350 between Boeing’s 787 and 777 to compete against both. Whether or not that was wise will partly depend on how efficiently Boeing can upgrade the 777.)
Boeing’s tactics “are going to pose a significant challenge to the largest A350 variant and could potentially undermine its business case,” said a recent story in Aspire Aviation.
That story said the new plane could burn 15 percent less fuel per seat than the current model.
Development of the new model will be orchestrated by Scott Fancher, who ran the 787 program until a recent job swap with Larry Loftis, who had run the 777 program.
On March 14, Albaugh suggested the main reason for the switch was to tap each person’s skills.
“We wanted Scott to help develop what 777X will be,” Albaugh said, adding, “Already, after two weeks, I’m very pleased with the results.”
STEVE WILHELM covers manufacturing, aerospace and trade for the Puget Sound Business Journal. Phone: 206-876-5427 | Email:
[email protected] | Twitter: stevewilhelm108 Click here to sign up for the PSBJ Daily Update.