U.S. President Donald Trump began his Monday morning with some branding advice to Boeing. Speaking via Twitter, Trump stated: What do I know about branding, maybe nothing (but I did become President!), but if I were Boeing, I would...
Boeing CEO Accepts Blame For 737 MAX Crashes
Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg issued an extensive statement concerning the preliminary report on flight 302 by Ethiopian Airlines. In it, he seems to apologize and accept blame for both the Lion Air and Ethiopian 737 MAX crashes. He also promises...
Garuda Indonesia’s Threat To Cancel 737 MAX 8 Order Is Likely A Bluff
In my own import/export business, I’ve learned the great power of a bluff. I’ve got the feeling that is what Garuda Indonesia doing in “canceling” its large Boeing 737 MAX 8 order. It was Winston Churchill who was first said,...
An Open Letter From Boeing CEO On 737 MAX Crashes
Boeing Chairman, President, and CEO penned an open letter to “airlines, passengers, and the aviation community” on Boeing’s commitment to safety. It’s worth a few minutes of your time to read and consider. I have included the full text...
Captain Sully Has Choice Words For Boeing And FAA
Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III has penned a scathing new op-ed for Baron’s assailing Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. First, he bemoans that the FAA is understaffed and underfunded. To compensate, he points out that the FAA...
737 MAX Customers Have Nowhere Else To Turn But To Boeing…
In a world of mounting backorders in which demand far outstrips supply, disgruntled Boeing 737 MAX customers cannot just take their business elsewhere. Not if they wish to enjoy any semblance of timely delivery. There are likely escape clause provisions...
Three Airlines, Three Very Different Approaches To 737 MAX Tragedy
The crash of 737 MAX 8 jetliner in Ethiopia two weeks ago has evoked starkly different reactions depending on who you ask. Airlines have reacted in the same way. While Garuda mulls cancellation, flydubai digs in, and Norwegian fumes. We’re...
The Boeing 737 MAX And Iraq War Redux
The evidence was irrefutable. Every credible intelligence agency agreed. Only idiots didn’t understand. Statesmen from both sides of the aisle and the enlightened countries of the world all saw the imminent threat. Billions of dollars were spent. Lives...
Exclusive: U.S. Commercial Pilot Addresses Boeing 737 MAX Safety
121pilot, a frequent commenter on this blog, is a U.S. commercial airline pilot. I asked him to address the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX and he graciously agreed. His thoughts are below. There has been a great deal...
Boeing, Now It’s Your Turn To Calm The Public
Boeing does not owe the public, including its shareholders, an immediate explanation for what happened to an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 that crashed after takeoff yesterday, killing everyone onboard. But it would be wise to address the issue...
As China Grounds 737 MAX, Safety Questions Abound
Tragically, an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX traveling from Addis Ababa to Nairobi crashed shortly after takeoff yesterday. 159 perished and there were no survivors. The second crash of this aircraft variant in a matter of months has left...
United Orders Additional 737 + 777 Aircraft
Buried in the news of United’s excellent financials was a new Boeing aircraft order. As the airline continues to expand, United has placed a firm order for 24 additional 737 MAX aircraft and four additional 777-3o0ER. The deal was...
Collapse Of Iran Deal Hurts Airbus Much More Than Boeing
With U.S. President Donald Trump signing an executive order re-instating sanctions on Iran, Iran Air finds itself in a difficult position. So does Airbus. Boeing? Not so much. The USA is withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal framework. With...
Boeing 767 Production Will Continue Regardless of United Order
The Wall Street Journal rekindled rumors yesterday that United Airlines may purchase new Boeing 767 aircraft from Boeing. Whether that happens or not, the 767 has found new life and will not shut down. For weeks we’ve heard that...
What I Hate Most About the Boeing 787
I do love the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, generally. It is a great aircraft with a noticeable improvement in cabin air quality. But there is one thing about it that I simply cannot stand… That’s the automatic flushers on the...
Airbus and Trump Win, Boeing and Bombardier Lose
Bombardier will sell the majority of its C Series program to Airbus. Although talks have been ongoing for months, they took on a new urgency in light of the blistering 300% duty slapped on by U.S. regulators. The new...
Defiant Delta CEO: We Will NOT Pay “Nonsensical” Bombardier Tariff
Delta CEO Ed Bastian has come out swinging, saying Delta will take delivery of its new Bombardier C Series order while also promising it will never pay the 300% tariff levied by the U.S. Government. I outlined the stakes of the...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: October 1, 2017
Greetings from 38,000 feet. I’m in the air enroute to Europe, where I’ll be spending most of the week. No new products to review on this trip…TAP and Air India didn’t have award space… Some more disturbances in the...
Boeing Wins, Consumers Lose
Last week I wrote about a trade spat between Boeing and Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier over alleged subsidies. The US Department of Commerce has sided with Boeing and plans to slap a whopping 220% tariff on each Bombardier C...
Prime Minister: Canada Will NOT Buy Boeing Jets
Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau has declared that Canada will not do business with Boeing, threatening to look elsewhere to supply Canada’s next generation of fighter jets. Speaking at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May,...