Further Delays with Boeing's 747-8

Boeing appears to be focusing all its attention on the rollout of its 787. Originally they planned to present a first version of the 747-8 at this year's Farnborough Air Show. But all those excited to see the 747-8 live will be disappointed. The 747-8 did not make it across the Atlantic. And it doesn't look like it will happen anytime soon.

For the fourth time, Boeing had to announce delays with its 747-8 program. Right now it looks like the updated jumbo jet will not be delivered to the first customer until next year. Apparently, Boeing does not have enough capacity to work on too many projects at the same time. The 787 has been a huge success so far while the 747-8 has been, well, more of a disappointment. Only three airlines have ordered the passenger version so far. In addition, Boeing will have to make urgent decisions on what to do with its 737. Will they redesign it, adding more efficient engines, or start developing a brand new single-aisle plane? Airbus is in a similar situation - the European plane maker will need to decide soon on whether it wants to revamp the A320 series or come up with a completely new plane. The competition is set to steal some thunder here - just look at Embraer's E series or Bombardier's C series...

To read more about Boeing's current problems, please read this Bloomberg piece.

Qantas 747 with Engine Problems Returns to Sydney

A Qantas Boeing 747-400 en route from Sydney to Singapore had to return to Sydney after the pilots noticed an issue with at least one of the 747's engines earlier today. It is not clear yet what happened or what the problem was, but the pilots dumped some fuel and headed back to Sydney, where they landed safely. Qantas insists the incident was not an accident. However, witnesses report fire coming out of one engine. From my experience, that doesn't mean anything, since even engine stalls can cause fire from an engine and they are completely harmless.

If you want to read more about today's incident, please click here.

Bloomberg - Boeing Boosts Output on 777s and 747s to Meet Demand

I wasn't surprised to read that Boeing is boosting the production of its 777. The 777 is an awesome plane and it has been really successful with airlines from all over the world. But I was a bit stunned to read that Boeing is also increasing its 747-8 production. I am not a big fan of the 747-8, since I don't really understand why you would need a plane like it at all. I don't understand its unique selling point. The 747-8's design is a bit obsolete and it looks like a 747-200 with new engines (and apparently a fly-by-wire system). To me, it is just a "we need to build a successor of the 747-400" plane to compete with Airbus's A380. Airlines feel this way too. Only two passenger airlines (Korean Air and Lufthansa) have ordered the 747-8 so far and demand is less than expected. For a while, Boeing even considered axing the passenger version of the new jumbo jet altogether. Well, we'll see if the 747-8 turns out to be a success. Several dozen freighter versions have been sold already.

To read the Bloomberg piece, please click here.

Fast Company - Guide to Boeing's Jumbo-est Jumbo, the 747-8

Being a subscriber to Fast Company magazine, I have noticed an interesting fact: They are apparently big fans of Boeing. You might agree or disagree with their obvious preference of the American aircraft manufacturer, but they ran a very interesting online article on the new 747-8 on March 18. It's funny they kinda over-emphasize the fact this is the largest passenger plane ever built in the U.S. However, compared to Airbus's A380, this is not very impressive...

Fact Company

The Fast Company's Guide to Boeing's Jumbo-est Jumbo, the 747-8
BY Kit EatonThu Mar 18, 2010

Late yesterday, Boeing's 747-8 freighter prototype number three lumbered into the Spring sky above Everett's Paine Field on its maiden flight. It then flew about successfully for two and a half hours before swooping heavily down on the tarmac at Boeing Field in Seattle. The beast checked out okay during this trip, topping out at 30,000 feet an a maximum speed of 280 mph, and is the latest success for the new marque of jumbo jet. But what exactly is exciting about this airborne monster? Continue reading here.