Tuner 2
7th Oct 2004, 04:52
From smh.com.au -
US aircraft manufacturer Boeing said the efficiencies built into its new 7E7 Dreamliner long-haul passenger aircraft, which begin flying commercially in 2008, would reduce airline operating costs by about 10 per cent at today's prices.
The aircraft design and construction allows for a 20 per cent cut in fuel consumption compared to similar planes, a 15 per cent reduction in maintenance costs and faster flying time, Boeing vice president of sales, marketing and in-service support John Feren said.
"We have estimated around 10 per cent in direct cost saving for an airline," he told a media briefing.
Boeing so far has 52 firm orders for the aircraft - the first was from Air New Zealand Ltd for two and followed by Japanese carrier ANA for 50.
Mr Feren said he hoped Qantas Airways Ltd would see and appreciate the value of the aircraft and place orders in the future.
"We are not in active negotiations with Qantas at this point in time," he said.
"They will look at their market needs and when they think the time is right they will probably put to us some investment proposals.
"I don't expect that to happen in the next few weeks.
"But there will be airline customers servicing Australia with the 7E7 and Qantas will study that."
Boeing is pitching the tri-class 7E7, its first new model in 15 years, as a breakthrough development in aircraft engineering.
It can carry up to 289 passengers, has a flight range of 6,500 kilometres - enough to carry passengers from Sydney to Los Angeles and Dallas, and from Perth to London at a stretch - and more luxurious passenger interiors.
It is quieter and expels fewer emissions compared to other aircraft, has an average 40 per cent larger cargo capacity, is easier to reconfigure and can operate with either General Electric or Rolls Royce engines.
Asian airlines have expressed interest in the aircraft and Vietnam is considering placing an order for four.
Boeing is striving for a regional balance in supply of the aircraft and has forecast 30 per cent each for Asia Pacific, Europe and North America with the remainder going to the Middle East and Africa.
"But at the same time we expect Asia, Asia Pacific, Australasia and New Zealand will be much more than 30 per cent," Mr Feren said.
"We are seeing better prosperity for the airlines in those regions, higher growth rates in terms of passengers, more demand for airplanes."
But the aviation market is expecting Airbus, already pounding the pavement to sell its 253 seat A330-200 and 295 seat A330-300 planes, to respond swiftly to the threat posed by the 7E7.
Mr Feren played down a potential battle for the skies, saying it was a large market worth $US400 billion or of 3,500 units over the next 20 years.
"We think there are a number of distinct features in this (7E7) that will make our airplane successful," he said.
"I would expect in the next few months Airbus will make a decision on what they will do.
"But it's not much of a concern."
Boeing has set itself a target of 200 confirmed orders for the aircraft by the end of the year.
Mr Feren said the company was not experiencing a slowdown in sales.
"That may happen but it does not seem to be the case at this point in time," he said.
"We are working with nearly 20 airlines around the world to finalise contracts this year."
Mr Feren also said he did not see the benefit in airlines allowing passengers to use mobile phones on flights: "It's really a social issue and would you really want to sit next to somebody that's having a divorce settlement with his or her spouse for five or six hours?"
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Just spotted the stuff-up -
"...a flight range of 6,500 kilometres - enough to carry passengers from Sydney to Los Angeles and Dallas, and from Perth to London at a stretch..."
US aircraft manufacturer Boeing said the efficiencies built into its new 7E7 Dreamliner long-haul passenger aircraft, which begin flying commercially in 2008, would reduce airline operating costs by about 10 per cent at today's prices.
The aircraft design and construction allows for a 20 per cent cut in fuel consumption compared to similar planes, a 15 per cent reduction in maintenance costs and faster flying time, Boeing vice president of sales, marketing and in-service support John Feren said.
"We have estimated around 10 per cent in direct cost saving for an airline," he told a media briefing.
Boeing so far has 52 firm orders for the aircraft - the first was from Air New Zealand Ltd for two and followed by Japanese carrier ANA for 50.
Mr Feren said he hoped Qantas Airways Ltd would see and appreciate the value of the aircraft and place orders in the future.
"We are not in active negotiations with Qantas at this point in time," he said.
"They will look at their market needs and when they think the time is right they will probably put to us some investment proposals.
"I don't expect that to happen in the next few weeks.
"But there will be airline customers servicing Australia with the 7E7 and Qantas will study that."
Boeing is pitching the tri-class 7E7, its first new model in 15 years, as a breakthrough development in aircraft engineering.
It can carry up to 289 passengers, has a flight range of 6,500 kilometres - enough to carry passengers from Sydney to Los Angeles and Dallas, and from Perth to London at a stretch - and more luxurious passenger interiors.
It is quieter and expels fewer emissions compared to other aircraft, has an average 40 per cent larger cargo capacity, is easier to reconfigure and can operate with either General Electric or Rolls Royce engines.
Asian airlines have expressed interest in the aircraft and Vietnam is considering placing an order for four.
Boeing is striving for a regional balance in supply of the aircraft and has forecast 30 per cent each for Asia Pacific, Europe and North America with the remainder going to the Middle East and Africa.
"But at the same time we expect Asia, Asia Pacific, Australasia and New Zealand will be much more than 30 per cent," Mr Feren said.
"We are seeing better prosperity for the airlines in those regions, higher growth rates in terms of passengers, more demand for airplanes."
But the aviation market is expecting Airbus, already pounding the pavement to sell its 253 seat A330-200 and 295 seat A330-300 planes, to respond swiftly to the threat posed by the 7E7.
Mr Feren played down a potential battle for the skies, saying it was a large market worth $US400 billion or of 3,500 units over the next 20 years.
"We think there are a number of distinct features in this (7E7) that will make our airplane successful," he said.
"I would expect in the next few months Airbus will make a decision on what they will do.
"But it's not much of a concern."
Boeing has set itself a target of 200 confirmed orders for the aircraft by the end of the year.
Mr Feren said the company was not experiencing a slowdown in sales.
"That may happen but it does not seem to be the case at this point in time," he said.
"We are working with nearly 20 airlines around the world to finalise contracts this year."
Mr Feren also said he did not see the benefit in airlines allowing passengers to use mobile phones on flights: "It's really a social issue and would you really want to sit next to somebody that's having a divorce settlement with his or her spouse for five or six hours?"
------------------
Just spotted the stuff-up -
"...a flight range of 6,500 kilometres - enough to carry passengers from Sydney to Los Angeles and Dallas, and from Perth to London at a stretch..."