It’s official: Boeing launches 787-10 with 102 orders, commitments

Here’s the Boeing press release.

Boeing expects the 787-10 to perhaps be the best selling model of the family over time. With a range of 7,000nm, it will have the ability to do most airline missions; 8,000nm-8,500nm range airplanes (let alone the proposed 9,400nm range of the 777X) is really more than most carriers need. We expect the orders to double by the end of the year.

In other Paris Air Show news, easyJet chose to stay with Airbus for its fleet renewal ordering a combination of 35 A320ceos and 100 neos. This was hard-fought competition. Boeing thought it won the deal on price, and Bombardier was ready to go with its own contract when Airbus came in at the last minute with a low price of its own, blowing both competitors out of the water.

Bombardier: This story explains in part why Bombardier has been challenged in selling the CSeries. The US Scope Clause inhibits sales to regional airlines; and lessors want to see a broader customer base. This is in addition to Airbus under-pricing Bombardier in key campaigns to block sales.

ATR landed an order for up to 90 ATR-72-600s.

Boeing will market the Embraer KC-390 to the Pentagon. After all the Boeing campaign about the Pentagon buying a foreign airplane for a tanker, this really takes the cake.

Paris Air Show Day 1

UBS has this easy-to-read Table of the orders and commitments announced on Day 1 of the Paris Air Show:

The big news, of course, is the launch of the Embraer E-175/190/195 “E2″ (second generation). The press release is here.

Embraer Rendering

Airbus scored an unexpected order for the A380: 20 from specialty lessor Doric Leasing, which has financed a number of A380s. We think this is an odd deal, and it must be one that already has some A380 customers lined up.

Tomorrow is expected to be the day Boeing launches the 787-10, so it should be Boeing’s day. We also believe tomorrow will be the day Airbus does a fly by of the A350 XWB. A little tit-for-tat, perhaps.

Paris Air Show news begins from Sunday; some details on EMB revamp emerge

The Paris Air Show doesn’t start until tomorrow, but news is already being made. A sampling:

Airbus

Airbus battles for supremacy in twin-aisle sector

Hundreds of orders seen this week

Airbus seen pulling ahead in easyJet race

Boeing

787 issues just a spot of turbulence

China set to become world’s third aircraft maker

GE pushes envelope with GE9X for 777X

Unrelated to the show: SC ponies up even more money. Washington State needs to do something to remain competitive. Washington has this presence at the Air Show.

Bombardier

Size matters, in reverse

First flight prep and FTV 2 progress

Expectations at the air show

Embraer

Revamped E-Jet launch at the air show

Odds and Ends: A350 completes first flight-CSeries to come, with other program launches; passenger experience

A350 First Flight: given the time zone difference between Toulouse and Seattle, our readers are hours ahead of us in following first flight of the Airbus A350. As you could imagine, since it was overnight here, we weren’t up (we may be dedicated, but we’re not that dedicated). First flight is, of course, a milestone in any airplane program, and we certainly got caught up in the excitement when the Boeing 787 finally had its first flight. Bombardier is still holding to its first flight for the CSeries by the end of this month.

With the launch of the 787-10 and the Embraer re-engined E-Jet coming next week at the Paris Air Show and the 777X by the end of this year, probably at the Dubai Air Show, we can’t remember when so many aircraft events like these happened in one year.

Aviation Week has a series of A350 first flight photos.

In other news:

Boeing’s plans for passenger experience: During Boeing’s pre-Paris Air Show briefings, largely embargoed until today, several Boeing executives spent a good deal of time talking about plans for passenger experience in the coming years. We compiled these comments into this story for APEX magazine. Most interesting were the comments that the sharp interior design of the 787, which has been borrowed for the 737 and 747-8, will be obsolete by the time the 777X enters service around 2020 and Boeing plans major upgrades. Keep in mind the 787 will have been in service nine years by then.

Boeing officials also emphasized how planning is emphasizing ways to help its customers capitalize on ancillary revenues. We cover this in the APEX story.

Boeing at Renton: The Seattle Times has a story about the activities at Boeing’s Renton plant. Boeing is preparing to integrate the 737 MAX into the factory, and Dominic Gates has a good story about what’s going on there.

A350 Suppliers in Washington State: KPLU, a public radio station in Seattle, has this report on A350 suppliers in Washington State.

Odds and Ends: Crowded airplanes; A350 first flight; Air France to firm A350 order

Crowded airplanes: USA Today has an article discussing today’s crowded airplanes. It’s going to get worse. Airbus is offering a configuration for the A380 that has 11 abreast in coach. Boeing says most airlines are now selecting 10 abreast for the 777. Most customers are choosing nine abreast for the 787. Gone are the days when the center seat had good odds of being empty. This is why Bombardier designed its CSeries wit a 19 inch center seat, the widest in the industry.

A350 first flight: Thursday at 10am Toulouse time.

Air France and A350: Several reports indicate Air France will at long last firm up its order for the A350 at the Paris Air Show. It has been held up over maintenance contract issues with Rolls-Royce.