The usual hissing and snarling between big rivals before Paris Air Show

…Incidentally such an outcome also leaves programs like MS-21 with the best possible competitive environment, at least if they can execute on time to get the largest window before new clean-sheet designs eventually come out from Airbus and Boeing.

I know what I’d do if I were COMAC or Irkut.

Have a design Mach number of 0.6-0.65.

Take the hit on speed and have a more fuel efficient aircraft.

Don’t try and beat them on their home patch. Set up camp somewhere else and see if the airlines bite. Given the price of fuel – I firmly believe most airlines would swap a 20% decrease in speed for a 10% decrease in fuel consumption.

I wouldn`t take that as any intent of purchase per se… Superjet had a similar `consulting` arrangement with several airlines including Lufthansa, but I don`t see Lufthansa putting any actual orders in for SSJ. It`s more just a matter of consulting with `representative customers`, especially for an OEM with little experience with the general market, and Ryanair or Lufthansa is happy to share their needs/desires to potentially broaden the competition of airframers.

…But yeah, C919 is another program that could benefit in such a market environment (vs. minimal/zero 737NG update and A320NEO)
And there are definitely a good number of customers who want to re-new (or create) a fleet in the near future before Airbus or Boeing can have clean-sheet designs ready.
C919 probably has the best prospects with customers already heavily invested in CFM, who can leverage the same engine maintenance infrastructure / contracts.

Or COMAC C919, if your airline is named Ryanair.

Yes, it seems bizarre that the press bandies the topic about as if it`s not obvious what is the most likely outcome.

…Incidentally such an outcome also leaves programs like MS-21 with the best possible competitive environment, at least if they can execute on time to get the largest window before new clean-sheet designs eventually come out from Airbus and Boeing.

The 777-300ER is really the cash-cow for Boeing at the moment, I too think they will update that to protects its position than start a 737 replacement too early.

Boeing has also said that they will pursue a new/updated 737 OR update their 777 to remain competitive with A350.
If they start an all new 737 NOW, it will be on par with CSeries technology, albeit they would be looking at a higher capacity.
Airbus itself will certainly do a clean-sheet A320 replacement at some point (10-15 years out), and it`s looking like open-rotor is highly likely to be a part of that. If Boeing goes ahead with a new 737 replacement now, it will basically not be able to compete with that, even with re-engines (since open-rotor needs to be designed in to begin with), which isn`t an approach that can last 30-odd years.

I see Boeing doing nothing more than a minor update to 737NG and possibly re-engine, possibly in a package that can be applied to current 737NGs (to make the economics work better), while doing a more robust update to 777 to keep it competitive with A350. Anything else doesn`t make sense. 737s will continue to sell, even with NO updates, though `new customers` will be harder to find… But it just doesn`t make sense to chase new customers for the next 10 years if it puts them in a long-term disadvantageous position, not to mention letting A350 take away new 777 customers.

I think Boeing may be waiting till next year to observe the operational statistics of the 787 and whether to go down the same composites and design path or not.

As I said before, Boeing may be significantly loosing out to the NEO at the moment but if they can actually deliver an aircraft that saves 20 % in fuel burn they will have no problem in the future. What they need to do is show their customers such as Ryanair and Southwest that they are going to announce one thing or the other in Q1 2012.

Boeing are far from being beaten

Hi KabirT
Boeing are far from being beaten
Yes I agree and it’s good for the European economy but Boeing are far from beaten yet.
In a few weeks the ‘Plastic Pig’ goes to ANA, then there will be a resurgence of Boeing’s successes leading to as they say an announcement (likely early 2012) about their plans regarding a strong competitor to the A320Neo.
They may(more than likely) have an all new composite design in their labs and wait on the Dreamliner going safely into service as the starting gun to go public with it.

Its swings and roundabouts and Boeing are slower but also steady in the wake of the current economic situation. Good investors prefer stability rather than a roller coaster ride.

They will be both (Boeing and Airbus) in the frame for many years to come and there is room for both.

I wish I was in Paris right now (usually would be) but have just graduated as a ‘bean counter’ and must go back in to a full time job first.

This years Paris will be A320NEOs year, whatever Albaugh might say.

Although he has indicated there might be a few new 748 orders.