Update: Mario in the comments posted the full story here. Talk of four commitments from a new customer!
Glenn Farley is reporting that Boeing is seeing a 2% fuel burn improvement from their ongoing test program for the 747-8. He's also saying Boeing is optimistic about the future of the jet due to the experience Lufthansa is having with it.
Lufthansa, however, recently cancelled three A380 orders, saying they're lowering their growth targets. I had assumed they were going to increase their A380 order by two as opposed to lower it by three; a swing of five frames. I was also hopeful they'd top off their 747-8I order. Could the cancelling of the A380s mean they have no interest in more 747-8Is? Could it mean they'd rather have five more 747-8Is instead of five more A380s? One can only speculate.
Glenn Farley is reporting that Boeing is seeing a 2% fuel burn improvement from their ongoing test program for the 747-8. He's also saying Boeing is optimistic about the future of the jet due to the experience Lufthansa is having with it.
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| Line 1492 (RC031) D-ABYL, 747-8I #10 for Lufthansa, in Final Assembly |
Lufthansa, however, recently cancelled three A380 orders, saying they're lowering their growth targets. I had assumed they were going to increase their A380 order by two as opposed to lower it by three; a swing of five frames. I was also hopeful they'd top off their 747-8I order. Could the cancelling of the A380s mean they have no interest in more 747-8Is? Could it mean they'd rather have five more 747-8Is instead of five more A380s? One can only speculate.
Did you or anybody see the actual story that the guy did for his news channel? It was followed up by a web story here: http://www.king5.com/news/aerospace/Boeing-says-it-has-reasons-to-be-optimistic-about-747-8-227153501.html
ReplyDeleteThat link also has the actual news video for the story.
There were a couple of interesting items. First, they say they have 11 commitments for the -8i this year. We have known about 7 (5 Korean Air, 2 Air China), any idea about the other 4? They also state that those 4 are for an operator that has never operated 747s before.
The other item was the mention that the engines alone account for a 2% gain in fuel efficiency for the PIP. Do we have any idea what the total improvement may be?
Finally, does anyone know when that LH testimonial video that is linked in the story was put up? Perhaps it is recent and that is what triggered this news story in the first place? Perhaps there is still some light at the end of the tunnel with respect to LH perhaps taking up some more frames in the future. At the very least, it looks like LH will take up all of their currently ordered frames and are instead reducing their growth projections by trimming the A380 instead.
Yeah, that 11 commitment sentence is a bit ambiguous. It could read like 11 commitments from air china and korean air, as well as a new customer looking to make separate purchases, or 11 commitments from all three combined. Probably the latter, as the known numbers for air china and korean air don't add up. 4 frames for etihad maybe?
DeleteI haven't been able to find the testimonial video anywhere.
Here is the link to the testimonial. It was in the text version of the story: http://www.newairplane.com/747/customerHighlights/lufthansa-2/
ReplyDeleteAlso, I do believe that the testimonial is relatively new. I don't think others noticed it before and it is just making the rounds of discussion now.
The news video states "11 more Intercontinentals, including one airline that's never bought the 747 before." Since Etihad has never operated the passenger 747, I guess it could be interpreted that way. However, since they have operated the 400F at least, if they are taking that into account then we are still left looking I think.
You are also correct in that the text can be interpreted a couple of ways. It could be 11 for KE and CA and then that would imply some follow on for one of those two existing MoUs. However, I think the more likely case here is that the new customer has an additional 4 to the existing 7 that we knew of already.
Thanks for the link!
DeleteThere's a new article, that is unfortunately behind a paywall, that talks about Transaero continuing it's rapid expansion plans. The first paragraph or so of the article is available to read, and an interesting nugget contained in it is this:
ReplyDelete"Transaero Airlines, Russia’s second largest airline, expects its fast pace of growth to continue over the next several years as it anticipates delivery of both its first Airbus A380 and first Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental in 2015."
So, it seems that they will end up firming their 4 MoUs if the article can be believed. :-)
Hainan Airlines might buy B747-8I
ReplyDeleteWould be a great move to contrast with their "competitor" China Southern Airlines's A380
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