Ever since the launch of Boeing’s wave of next-generation aircraft in the 2010s, questions have been raised about the future of the planemaker’s development plans. While previous precedents have pointed to a pure New Middle of the Market (NMA) jet to rival Airbus’ forthcoming A321XLR, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun has confirmed that Boeing has no immediate plans to launch a new product bring to.
No big changes
During Friday’s Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference, Calhoun noted that while the technology for a new next-generation sustainable jet is compelling, significant development is still about a decade away and there are no recent technology leaps to justify selling a new aircraft could .
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“The incremental power is tight enough that you won’t put a plane on it. So what are you betting on?” Calhoun said. “The other big benefit I think can be added to aircraft development is using a contemporary toolset to design a true digital threat, right?”
Boeing’s closest competitor to the Airbus A321XLR will be the 737 MAX 10, both of which are expected to launch in 2023. However, the extra capacity came at the expense of range, as the MAX 10 covers 1,700 less than the A321XLR. Photo: Getty Images
Alternatively, Boeing will work to develop digital tools to streamline the design and construction of new aircraft that have recently been implemented in the development of some of its defense programs. Again, however, the software still needs to iron out some current features before it’s ready for implementation, with a given timeframe of several years.
“It takes a lot of learning, the number of tests you can do virtually on the design and performance of the aircraft, manufacturability and service. But we need to develop and mature the tools,” he added. “So we have them. We’ve practiced them in several of our defense programs, some of which you see and some you don’t.”
NMA?
Boeing has received industry calls to develop a competitor for the NMA market, currently monopolized by the Airbus A321neo, with rumors circulating for over a decade about what will come next.
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Airlines are struggling to replace Boeing’s 757, which ended production in 2004. The jet, despite its now obsolete characteristics, continues to be in service with airlines worldwide, as a suitable successor has yet to appear. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Easy flying.
In 2015, Air Lease Corporation CEO Steve Udvar-Hazy told FlightGlobal that the planemaker was already looking for a clean successor to the 757.
“We’re very, very closely associated with Boeing … and based on everything we’ve seen, I don’t think the idea of a reengineering is on the table right now,” he said. “I think Boeing is looking for an aircraft that’s not just a 757 replacement, but that can do things beyond those capabilities in terms of range and size.”
Boeing’s most comparable jet to the A321XLR is the 737 MAX 10 under development, the extended variant of the current MAX series. Although the MAX 10 offers just 14 fewer seats than the A321XLR, its range is significantly shorter at around 3,300 NM compared to Airbus’ 4,700 NM and 757-200’s 3,915 NM, potentially putting it off many transoceanic routes.
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The outlook
Despite the demand, Boeing won’t start development for “at least a couple of years” as technologies evolve. But Boeing is confident that when it’s ready to re-enter the market, its offering will provide some competition for Airbus. Calhoun summarized, “I’m confident that my sales team is confident. Our customers put their trust in me, so why should I rush? Not a good reason.”
What technologies or features do you think Boeing would implement in a future clean-sheet airplane? Let us know in the comments.
Sources: Search Alpha, Bloomberg, FlightGlobal