The final assembly of the first 737 Max 8, the first member of Boeing’s new, more efficient single-aisle family, has started on schedule and will be due for completion soon.
Boeing has announced that its current president and chief operating officer Dennis Muilenburg will take on the role of CEO with effect from 1 July 2015. He succeeds Jim McNerney, who has served the company in his position for the past 10 years.
Boeing supplier GKN Aerospace has announced its plans to open a new manufacturing facility in Orangeburg, South Carolina, that will produce inlet lip skins for the Boeing 737 MAX and 777X. The new facility will be located adjacent to the company’s current assembly facility. Production programmes will be carried out in the new facility, and technology development work supporting these programmes will remain at the company’s Camarillo facility.
Boeing has named a new vice president of Training Systems and Government Services (TSGS), Tim Noonan, effective immediately. He replaces Bob Gower, who announced his retirement earlier this year after nearly 30 years of serving the company.
Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab Incorporated, a solar cell and panel manufacturer, has named a new president, Tony Mueller, who is a veteran in satellite design and manufacturing. His appointment is effective immediately.
Boeing, the Lufthansa Group and Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) have finalised an order for three additional 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplanes, valued at US$990 million at current list prices.
Boeing has awarded Kennametal Incorporated with its 2014 Silver Supplier Performance Excellence Award. The award is given to suppliers that meet and exceed its exacting performance requirements for quality and delivery over a 12-month period.
Suppliers of the Year demonstrate focus on exceeding Boeing customers' expectations through quality, value creation, teamwork
Successor to be named in coming weeks
The Boeing Company named Jeff Johnson the vice president of the Boeing Military Aircraft (BMA) Business Development earlier this month. He succeeds Tim Norgart, who recently retired from Boeing. Johnson will be based in St. Louis, Missouri, and report to BMA President Shelley Lavender.
Beijing, China: Boeing has projected a demand in China for 6,020 new airplanes over the next 20 years, valued at US$870 billion. The company says Chinese carriers will take delivery of nearly 45 percent of the total demand for airplanes in the Asia Pacific region during the forecast period.
"China's aviation market is going through dynamic changes," said Randy Tinseth, the company's VP of marketing (commercial airplanes). "New business models like low-cost carriers and airplane leasing companies, a new generation of fuel-efficient airplanes and evolving consumer needs are driving demand for more direct flights to more destinations."
According to the aircraft manufacturer, tourism in China and intra-Asia travel support a strong demand for single-aisle airplanes, with total deliveries reaching 4,340 through 2033.
Meanwhile, Chinese airlines with large global networks continue to look for opportunities to expand as international flying increases from secondary cities apart from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. This growth in the long-haul segment is expected to result in demand for an additional 1,480 new fuel-efficient widebodies, such as the 777, 787 Dreamliner and 747-8 Intercontinental. This year's forecast reflects a continued shift in demand from very large airplanes to efficient new small and medium widebody airplanes.
"To compete in the tough long-haul international market, our Chinese customers are focused on evolving new business models, adding new destinations, increasing their capacity and resources," said Mr Tinseth. "These trends will shape market demand for an airplane lineup that has high efficiency, low operating costs, environmentally progressive technologies and a great passenger experience."