Boeing launches the 7E7 "Dreamliner"

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Boeing's new fuel-saver 7E7 could prompt Airbus retooling: experts
Wed Dec 17, 8:27 AM ET Add Business - AFP to My Yahoo!

PARIS (AFP) - Boeing's planned fuel-saving 7E7 passenger jet could inspire European arch-rival Airbus to modify some of its own aircraft instead of developing an entirely new plane, experts say.

"Airbus could minimize its response by optimizing the A300-600 and continuing to develop the A330-200," two aircraft that correspond in seat and flight capacity with the positioning of the future 7E7, Jean-Paul Herteman, chief executive of French aero-engine manufacturer Snecma, said Tuesday.

Speaking the same day Boeing announced it was offering its new 7E7 Dreamliner for sale, the chief of the state (news - Y! TV)-owned Snecma suggested Airbus would swap engines on some of its planes.

"Airbus has the A330-200 which fits very well into the 7E7's niche ... I wouldn't be surprised if they reacted by trying to retool the A330-200 with the Dreamliner's engines," said Herteman, who next year will head the propulsion division of Snecma, a major partner in the Airbus consortium.

The 7E7 engine was expected to contribute half of Boeing's projected 20-percent fuel savings for the future twin-aisle aircraft, in comparison with similar mid-sized jets.

However, Herteman emphasized, Airbus is "not under pressure."

Officially, the European aircraft manufacturer plans no response to The Boeing Company's new project, considered a mere patch to the aging product range of the Chicago-based group.

"No response is needed," said an official of the Toulouse, France-based Airbus.

"There are those (Boeing) who are responding to our A330-200 market domination, which is a plane launched five years ago and which incorporates at a technological level practically everything that the 7E7 is expected to have."

Mathieu Blondel, a consultant at Arthur D. Little, suggested that Airbus could meet the latest challenge through its customization services.

"Airbus could continue to work from a common platform on 'customized' versions," adapted to the specific needs of certain clients," Blondel said.

"That's been the case recently with the A340-600, with a flight range extended from that of the A340," notably developed for airlines in Asia and the Gulf, he said.

The A340-600, which allows non-stop transpacific flights from Asia to the east coast of the United States, "is currently a competitor of the 7E7 which also has a long-haul strategy," he added.

By contrast, "the 7E7 won't lead Airbus to launch a new type of aircraft," he said.

"This airplane is not expected to lead Airbus to radically change its vision of long-haul aviation," based on a network of major hubs, compared with Boeing's point-to-point strategy.

Besides, said an analyst who asked not to be named, "Airbus doesn't have the means today to respond to the 7E7 because of its development of the A380," its new superjumbo aircraft.

The A380, which is expected to enter service in 2005-2006, two years ahead of the 7E7, has cost more than 10 billion euros to develop.

"Once the A380 is finished and flying, perhaps Airbus will consider a new version of the A330," the analyst said. "But I don't see today a short-term response" to the 7E7.

"If one looks at the history of aeronautics, there is always a gap between the product range of the two major rivals," he said.

"New aircraft always seek to fill a lack in the other's line. Two competing aircraft are never faced off because there's no room in the market," he added.

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indeed looks as a great aircraft....... can give a masisve blow to the A330.

GO BOEING!!!!!!!:p

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By the looks of the "specs" revealed so far by Boeing it doesn't seem as though Airbus has much to worry about. It just looks like a limited form of "catch up" on Boeings part. As in all these scenarios, time will tell.

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I'm curious to know who will be the launch customers

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I'm pretty curious to see if this time, they'll also drop that project, which, after all, ain't really revolutionary...

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yes Airbus seems to be taking over the market, why did Boeing scrap the 747X and the Sonic Cruiser?

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Lets face it we need competition in the airliner market, and for Boeing not to be in there is at the end of the day a very bad thing.
I hope they do develope the DREAM LINER and they do put it into production would hate it to become a paper aircraft like the last 2 or is it 3 they have jumped up and down about and then cancelled.

Paul

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Originally posted by Srbin
yes Airbus seems to be taking over the market, why did Boeing scrap the 747X and the Sonic Cruiser?

because both the 747X and Sonic Criuiser were senseless.....the SC was just marginaly faster than the current flying aircrafts the B747X never attracted enough attention.

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I've read that with the 7E7, boeing want to begin standardising its cockpits like airbus do. It is said the Dreamliner flight deck will be much like that of the 777.

If true, thats a good move. Many of the prospective buyers for the dreamliner already operate the 777, BA, UA, AA etc.
so this will enable airlines to transfer some pilots from the 777 the 7E7 cutting a lot of bills in training. And if Airlines are after anything these days, its to save a penny.

Any specifications published so far are projected, performanc figures are projected also. People who judge the 7E7 now are simply narrow minded

before we start a "the 7e7 will be a failure, Airbus have nothing to fear" debate, lets wait until boeing have the prototype built and tests are underway.

Don't judge a book by its cover.

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Originally posted by Bmused55

before we start a "the 7e7 will be a failure, Airbus have nothing to fear" debate, lets wait until boeing have the prototype built and tests are underway.

Don't judge a book by its cover.


Words of wisdom.... let's wait and see. I can't wait !

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I bet BA gets in on the launch. Aren't their 757's getting old now? Plus, they helped launch the 777.

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Would this 7E7 allow operaters to get rid of their 757 and 767 fleets?

If so, that would reduce costs a lot, and with a product range consisting of the 717 series, 737 NG series, 777 series, and 7E7 series, plus the 747 if they still want to build it, you have a nice array of airliners from which to choose.

I hope the 7E7 does make it.

I think it's a great idea, and a better idea than many people (cough Airbus supporters cough) are giving it credit for.

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Originally posted by Hand87_5
Words of wisdom.... let's wait and see. I can't wait !

yes but right now we can only judge it by the cover because the book is yet to be written. So any asumptions wont be wrong i think.:)

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Nightmare Liner

What is the current situation re all the problems cropping up with the B787 Dreamliner,last heard it was being labelled the nightmare liner with all its apparent problems,and some airlines threatening on top of delivery delays already experienced to cancel orders as they felt the current issues the last straw.

Mike E

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WOW - What a thread resurrection!

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11 years 8 months

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Perhaps this is a more appropriate recent topic? http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=121629

I can understand the threat of delivery delays as customers don't want to take on faulting aircraft (BA delayed the A380 after the wing-crack issues).
But I find it unlikely airlines will cancel orders all-together. Most airlines (whether they like it or not) need the 787. The future success of countless airlines relies on this one aircraft, to cancel it from their order books would be corporate suicide with the rising fuel and maintenance bills from aircraft such as the 767.

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There will be delays - depends on how quickly suppliers' issues can be unearthed

There will be delays - depends on how quickly suppliers' issues can be unearthed (lawyers will make money all round)

Please see my post http://forum.keypublishing.com/showpost.php?p=1978967&postcount=84

I hardly think the airline world will turn away from the 787 so rapidly as it will be in their interests to maybe defer than cancel if the delay impacts immediate deliveries.

They can always preferential lease with Boeing's co-operation a 777 as an temporary alternative until all the current serious 'gremlins' in the 787 are ironed out.

And there may be more 'gremlins'' to come that have not yet manifested. Modern airline safety demands that they be identified and dealt with appropriately.

I still stay with my money on the 787 being a good aircraft for the future of the airline industry along with the 777 and the 737MAX.

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This thread is over 9 years old. Sorry but closed