Archives
Click here for Randy Baseler archives
Below is a listing of all entries posted to Randy Tinseth's Journal, with excerpts.
February 2010
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Gonna fly now
[ Comments 6 ]The first flight of the 747-8 Freighter is set for Monday, February 8, at 10 a.m. Seattle time. We completed taxi tests on Saturday, the last functional test planned before the -8 flies. We’re told that the airplane reached a... -
I gotta feeling
[ Comments 2 ]SINGAPORE - I just finished up my 2nd Singapore Air Show. What a week! Things for me got started with the ATW (Air Transport World) awards. Air New Zealand took home the big prize, “Airline of the Year, and Air... -
Heat of the moment
[ Comments 17 ]SINGAPORE - I delivered my media briefing here on Tuesday at a very hot, muggy and busy air show. A lot of the news coverage so far has focused on our outlook for the next couple of years - essentially... -
GOL!!
[ Comments 7 ]SINGAPORE - I’m at the air show and getting ready for my press briefing here. There’s a lot to talk about as always and I hope to fill you in as time permits. Meantime, Boeing reached a pretty neat milestone...
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January 2010
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Great gig in the sky
[ Comments 6 ]I’m heading to Singapore, but before I leave for the air show, I wanted to point you to some great new material about 787 flight testing. Clearly the Dreamliner is the subject of intense interest right now. And many of... -
Alignment
[ Comments 9 ]Over the past several months I’ve been asked over and over again about the future development of the 777 and 737. It’s an understandable question in light of our new competition and the changing marketplace. Today we got some... -
Challenges and achievements
[ Comments 4 ]By now you’ve read about our 4th quarter and full year 2009 results. We’ve discussed here many times the challenges we faced over the past year. So I’m not going to tell you it was a totally successful year, from... -
Visionary design
[ Comments 5 ]LONDON - I’ve been traveling this week, first to Dublin, then here in London and on to Warsaw. And I’ve been looking over your great comments to the recent post linking to our 747-8 Design Highlights site. Thank you for... -
Initial airworthiness
[ Comments 10 ]We’ve reached our first 787 flight test milestone this week, completing what’s known as “initial airworthiness” testing. I imagine no one is happier about that than our flight test engineers. What this milestone means is a couple of things. It... -
747-8 interactive
[ Comments 27 ]We’ve just updated our newairplane site with an information-rich package called 747-8 Design Highlights. Click on the image above to go to the 747-8 Design Highlights site. On the site you can explore a number of interactive features, such as... -
On target
[ Comments 11 ]As has been my tradition these past couple of years, I just took a look back at our post from this time last January. Here’s what I said then: I don’t think there’s any need to “sugar-coat” the outlook for... -
New year dreams
[ Comments 13 ]Welcome to 2010. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the year than with some spectacular air-to-air photos of the continuing flight testing of the 787 Dreamliner since last month’s first flight. ZA001 bathed in sunset light...
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December 2009
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Sleigh ride
[ Comments 7 ]It may not have involved a one-horse open sleigh, but 2009 was certainly quite a ride. The ups and downs for Commercial Airplanes and our industry this past year are well-publicized. For me, personally, I’ve traveled through the hills and... -
Three's company, four's a quad
[ Comments 1 ]This falls into the category of “Just had to share this.” I hope you enjoy the photos. We just delivered 4 Next-Generation 737-900ERs to Lion Air. A unique opportunity presented itself to photograph 3 of the 4 airplanes as they... -
In your eyes
[ Comments 4 ]If you want to get a feel for the global impact of the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner you only have to take a look at some of the comments we’ve been getting to the Journal. From Johannesburg,... -
Subsidies and the "horse race"
[ Comments 10 ]It’s been some time since I’ve weighed in on the issue of European government support to Airbus, but Boeing’s position remains the same: We consider “launch aid” to be a particularly egregious subsidy that’s unique to Airbus - and one... -
Flying high again
[ Comments 6 ]At 9:09 Tuesday morning, Seattle time, a beautiful sight rose into the clouds above Paine Field. ZA002, our second flight test Dreamliner, flew for the first time. The second flight test 787 leaves the ground. ZA002 in flight, bearing the... -
Boeing Charleston grows
[ Comments 2 ]A busy year is coming to a close in characteristic fashion. Certainly lots of news this week. Boeing Acquires Alenia North America’s Interest in Global Aeronautica... -
Journey
[ Comments 19 ]I’ve had the privilege of being around for a number of first flights of new airplanes. Back in the 1980s I got to see the 757 and 767 fly for the very first time. And then we had the 777... -
Volare
[ Comments 16 ]A number of you have asked to see a photo of the Dreamliner in flight with the gear up. Here’s a great one. In addition, take a look at the highlights video (below) we’ve put together of the 787’s... -
Fly me away
[ Comments 31 ]Three hours in the air = aviation history. ZA001 flew over the east end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. 787 Chief Pilot Mike Carriker and Captain Randy Neville took the 787 to 15,000 feet (4,572 meters) and an... -
Up!
[ Comments 16 ]The 787 Dreamliner is in the air! Follow the progress of first flight live online at the 787 Dreamliner First Flight Web site. We’ll post up some more photos later today.... -
This is it
[ Comments 8 ]We’ve launched our Web site dedicated to providing news and updates about the 787 first flight. Click on the banner above to go to the 787 Dreamliner First Flight site. Check the site frequently for updates on timing and for... -
Let's go
[ Comments 12 ]Successful taxi tests this weekend have cleared the way for us to establish a takeoff time for the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner. Weather permitting, ZA001 will take to the air at 10 a.m. Seattle time on December 15.... -
Static and gauntlet complete
[ Comments 14 ]I wanted to quickly update you on the completion of two milestones as we approach first flight of the 787 Dreamliner. We’ve just announced completion of the final functional testing, also known as final gauntlet. We’ve also completed our review... -
Power of four
[ Comments 12 ]We’ve reached another milestone on the 747-8 program - successful completion of the first engine runs. A good view of two of the four GEnx-2B engines powering the 747-8. During the engine run test, the engines are started and operated... -
Since u been gauntlet
[ Comments 17 ]Gauntlet testing of ZA001, the first 787, has started in Everett. You may remember that earlier this year, I explained that these tests simulate flying conditions and put the systems through their most robust integration testing before flight – essentially... -
United selects Dreamliner
[ Comments 10 ]First thing this morning United Airlines announced its selection for twin-aisle aircraft. Obviously it’s great news. We’ve posted this statement: Boeing Statement on United Airlines Selection of 787 Dreamliner SEATTLE, Dec. 8, 2009 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] is delighted that... -
KAL goes Intercontinental
[ Comments 13 ]I have to make a confession. I’m a little biased toward the 747-8. So it’s a bit hard to contain myself in light of the newest order for the 747-8 Intercontinental. Looking great in Korean Air livery. Korean Air, one... -
Ahead of plan
[ Comments 17 ]December promises to be another month of milestones here at Boeing. This week we reached 90% design for the 747-8 Intercontinental. The program releases the detailed designs in order to begin building parts, assemblies and tools for the 747-8I, the...
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November 2009
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Static test complete
[ Comments 11 ]Looks to be the start of another busy week already. We’ve just completed the static test on the 787 Dreamliner. This was the test we needed to conduct to validate the side-of-body modifications we recently completed on the first two... -
Highlights from Charleston
[ Comments 4 ]Back in Seattle now, getting caught up on business after visits to Thailand and Vietnam last week. I wanted to let you know we’ve just posted some video highlights of a historic day for Boeing earlier in November. Click above... -
Let it roll
[ Comments 11 ]BANGKOK - I’m in Thailand, headed to Hanoi next, and getting set to wrap up a long couple of weeks, which included visits to Dubai and Singapore, along with media briefings here in Southeast Asia. Speaking of Dubai, a very... -
Groundbreaking
[ Comments 6 ]Boeing Breaks Ground on Second 787 Assembly Line Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, addresses employees at the groundbreaking ceremony at Boeing Charleston. An artist rendering of the second assembly line for the 787 program in North... -
Hot, hot, hot
[ Comments 7 ]DUBAI – Our days at the air show started out warm, and just got hotter in the significant heat and sunshine of the flight line. With little of the breeze we felt during the first day, the last few days... -
Dressed to the eights
[ Comments 26 ]DUBAI - The 747-8 left the paint hangar last night back home in Everett, and there’s no mistaking the name of this airplane. Check out the super-sized “8” on the tail. We’re calling this a “light” livery, and it’s special... -
Dubai 2009
[ Comments 2 ]DUBAI – After a full day at the air show I can say that this is a very different experience than Dubai 2007. Two years ago here we were at the peak of the cycle. Clearly that’s not the case... -
Body building
[ Comments 7 ]DUBAI – As things get into full swing here at the air show, we have another great update to share on progress back home at the Everett factory. Over the weekend, the 787 team completed installing the side-of-body section reinforcements... -
Qatar 777 at the show
[ Comments 1 ]DUBAI - The arrival of Qatar Airways’ brand new 777-200LR Worldliner kicked off the air show here this weekend. Qatar is “showing off” its new 777-200LR at Dubai. The airplane, just delivered last week, will be on static display and... -
Night moves
[ Comments 8 ]The first 747-8 Freighter has emerged from the factory. A “night move” to the flight line. I’m headed to the Dubai Air Show, but I just had to share the incredible photos from Thursday evening - an exciting time for... -
Takin' care of business
[ Comments 10 ]We’ve taken a big step toward first flight of the 787 Dreamliner. The 787 team finished installing the side-of-body reinforcements on Airplane 1 on Wednesday. The first 787 Dreamliner - in a paint hangar in Everett. Completion of the installation... -
VFR
[ Comments 7 ]Every once in a while, I come across a story on the Web that really “gets it” – that captures what our industry is all about. Click above to go to the Vero Venia blog. I want to share one... -
Magic carpet ride
[ Comments 16 ]We often talk about environmental progress in aviation in terms of improving fuel efficiency and developing sustainable biofuels. But there are many other initiatives going on, including one that is literally under our feet. It involves carpet tiles for airplane...
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October 2009
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Second line
[ Comments 45 ]On Wednesday Boeing approved the choice of North Charleston, South Carolina for a second final assembly line for the 787 Dreamliner. Boeing Charleston will serve as a final assembly location, as well as supporting the testing and delivery of the... -
Slow recovery, long-term growth
[ Comments 7 ]SYDNEY - I’ve been on the “road” again in Asia and the Pacific region. I’m in Australia at the moment, where we’ve had an opportunity to talk about Boeing’s outlook for the region we call Oceania - Australia, New Zealand,... -
Results and progress
[ Comments 4 ]Any time you’re reporting a net loss for the quarter, you’re having a tough time. Clearly the bottom line about Boeing’s 3rd quarter was that our bottom line wasn’t good. You can read the full earnings news release on our... -
Rumours
[ Comments 30 ]You’ve probably seen or heard some reports over the past couple of days implying that we’ve had to get “back to the drawing board” on the 787 modifications. Don’t believe it. As 787 vice president and general manager Scott Fancher... -
Testing 1, 2, 3
[ Comments 12 ]Imagine this. Two new high profile airplanes in flight test at the same time. 9 or 10 airplanes involved. Yes, that would be a sight to see. Actually you don’t have to imagine it. We did see something similar when... -
Going Dutch
[ Comments 6 ]KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is celebrating its 90th anniversary this week. It occurs to me that Boeing and KLM got their starts at nearly the same time – and although we haven’t worked together for quite all of those 90... -
It don't come easy
[ Comments 25 ]On Tuesday Boeing announced a revised schedule for the 747-8 Freighter. At the same time we announced a $1 billion pre-tax charge resulting from production and market challenges facing the program. Unfortunately, the 747-8 has required more significant rework than...
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September 2009
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From Russia with love
[ Comments 14 ]I had the opportunity to spend a week in Russia last month, just before and during MAKS 2009, or the Moscow Air Show. This bi-annual show featured a number of what I’d call weird and wonderful aircraft. It was a... -
787 "mod" underway
[ Comments 20 ]Based on the comments and. questions posted to recent entries here in the Journal, it seems our side-of-body modifications to the 787 are certainly capturing your interest. So to answer one of the big questions, when will the “mod” begin,... -
KC-7A7
[ Comments 12 ]Earlier this week Boeing detailed some of the features of our offering in the U.S. Air Force tanker competition. The KC-7A7 family of tankers. As you can see in the image above, the Boeing tanker could be be 767-based or... -
East by southeast
[ Comments 8 ]MANILA – I’m still on the road in Asia where I’ve had the opportunity to present media briefings on the commercial airplanes market outlook for the Asia Pacific region - first at Asian Aerospace 2009 in Hong Kong, then in... -
Undercover airplane
[ Comments 18 ]As I mentioned the other day, we’re moving 787s into position as we get ready to start the “side-of-body” modifications. Well, now ZA002 has made its move. ZA002, the second flight-test airplane - in the livery of launch customer ANA... -
Mod squad
[ Comments 11 ]HONG KONG - I’m just wrapping up a visit here at Asian Aerospace 2009. But I also wanted to get you caught up on what’s happening in Everett. ZA004 moving out of the 40-26 building at the Everett factory last... -
Hang on
[ Comments 11 ]Four beautiful GEnx-2B engines now grace the very first 747-8 Freighter. Mechanics completed the job of hanging the engines on the new 747’s wings last Friday. With this milestone, the 747-8 is approximately 90% assembled. Most of the remaining work... -
Leadership change
[ Comments 11 ]Scott Carson is all the good things people have always said about him. He’s hard-working, he’s driven, he’s passionate about our business. He has a great sense of the history of Boeing – his father worked here before him. He...
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August 2009
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787: Where we stand
[ Comments 19 ]This morning Boeing outlined our revised schedule for the 787 Dreamliner. Given the progress over the summer addressing the “side-of-body” issue, we now expect a 787 first flight by the end of this year, with first deliveries starting in the... -
I get around
[ Comments 7 ]I’m back in Seattle after wrapping up an event-filled week attending MAKS 2009, better known as the Moscow Air Show. But I wanted to take a moment to reflect on an exciting week in Everett while I was away. The... -
Big time
[ Comments 13 ]The first 747-8 Freighter is now in final assembly - more than 80% assembled in fact. Looking impressive in final assembly - we can now get a complete view of the first 747-8. Last Friday we marked a big time... -
787 / Alenia
[ Comments 21 ]We’ve gotten a number of questions and seen numerous media reports about a “stop-work” order involving one of our major 787 partners. So I wanted to clarify a few things about what you might be reading or hearing. The reports... -
Commitment to air safety
[ Comments 8 ]Although I’ve rarely written about air safety, it’s a topic that’s always at the forefront of everyone’s minds here at Boeing. Recent high-profile airplane incidents have led to some questioning about the safety of our air transportation system. I was... -
Largest 777 operator
[ Comments 6 ]With the delivery of a new 777-300ER last week, Emirates became the world’s largest operator of 777s. The delivery at Paine Field in Everett (top photo) marks Emirates’ 78th 777 overall, and the airline’s 45th -300ER. The Dubai-based carrier also...
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July 2009
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Ribbon in the sky
[ Comments 2 ]We’ve talked here before about Boeing’s progress in meeting environmental challenges. Some of the exciting developments have been around the ASPIRE or “perfect” flights, as well as “tailored arrivals” testing going on over the past year or so. Now we... -
Boeing Charleston
[ Comments 5 ]Boeing has completed the acquisition of the business and operations conducted by Vought in South Carolina, as part of the agreement announced earlier this month. Boeing Completes Acquisition of Vought Operations in South Carolina... -
FBJ - the movie
[ Comments 8 ]Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about 747-8 final body join - now in a handy 2-minute movie. Well, maybe not everything, but it’s a great video. Take a look. The first 747-8 Freighter is looking like a complete airplane... -
White and blue
[ Comments 12 ]A couple of things to reflect upon today. First, we’ve unveiled the special new livery for some of our 787 flight test airplanes. Second, I have some thoughts about yesterday’s Boeing earnings report. The 5th flight test Dreamliner, ZA005, features... -
2Q 2009 results
[ Comments 1 ]Boeing Reports Second-Quarter Financial Results... -
All together now
[ Comments 13 ]We’re getting our first real look at the size and scope of the 747-8 Freighter - “all together” now that we’ve reached the milestone of “final body join.” This is a big moment for the program, and the culmination of... -
Fly me to the moon
[ Comments 7 ]It’s a bit hard to believe, but Monday marks 40 years (40 years!) since we first walked on the moon. “The Eagle has landed.” That was July 20, 1969. Apollo 11 is a bit off the Commercial Airplanes topic, however... -
Three wings
[ Comments 4 ]The wings for all three 747-8 Freighter flight test airplanes are now in the final assembly bay in Everett. A unique view from the 747 factory. In the foreground is the wing and center section for the first flight test... -
Right down the line
[ Comments 27 ]Those of you who have children know what a proud moment it is when your toddler takes those first steps. That’s kind of what it was like for us Tuesday morning when the 787 Dreamliner took its first “steps” under... -
Acquiring Vought in South Carolina
[ Comments 7 ]We’ve been getting a lot of inquiries today - understandably - about our announcement this morning that Boeing is going to acquire the Vought operations in South Carolina. This is the facility where fabrication and assembly of structures, as well... -
Final gauntlet completed
[ Comments 4 ]Just before the start of the long holiday weekend here in the U.S., the 787 team completed the ‘round-the-clock final gauntlet testing on ZA001. On the evening of July 2, we wrapped up 18 hours of simulated flying on our... -
Feels like the first time
[ Comments 8 ]We’ve mentioned that testing and production is continuing on the flight test Dreamliners and other airplanes in assembly. Wednesday, on the flight line in Everett we saw (and heard) evidence of that as we completed engine runs for ZA002, the...
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June 2009
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Le sourire de la Joconde
[ Comments 12 ]It’s been a challenging couple of weeks, as you can imagine. But I wanted to make sure - before we get too far removed from Le Bourget - to share some final sights, sounds and thoughts from the Paris Air... -
Come together
[ Comments 6 ]We’ve joined the wing to the fuselage for the first 747-8 Freighter. In the final assembly bay in Everett, our team has attached the 40-foot (12 meter) center fuselage section to the wing. This first 747-8 is now more than... -
First flight - postponed
[ Comments 39 ]By now, you’ve seen the news about the postponement of the 787 first flight due to the need to reinforce a limited area of the airplane’s structure. I can tell you that here in Renton where I work, as well... -
Crystal blue persuasion
[ Comments 12 ]LE BOURGET, FRANCE - As is the case when any new concept or innovation is introduced, getting the world on board the notion of sustainable biofuels for aviation could require some further “green” persuasion. I totally get that. But we... -
Magnificent seven
[ Comments 8 ]LE BOURGET, FRANCE - Hectic activity here at the Paris Air Show continued unabated on Wednesday. My daily calendar was filled with a variety of customer, analyst and media meetings, including an interview on Argentina television, and German and French... -
Paths to first flight
[ Comments 7 ]LE BOURGET, FRANCE - We heard from Pat Shanahan on Tuesday at the Paris Air Show. Pat is the vice president of Airplane Programs for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He had a lot to share, including updates for the 787 Dreamliner... -
Paris: A rainy day
[ Comments 5 ]LE BOURGET, FRANCE - The first day of the Paris Air Show started very early in the morning with a downpour. And it never really completely let up. So, most of us spent our time under shelter and indoors on... -
Sous le ciel de Paris
[ Comments 3 ]LE BOURGET, FRANCE - The Air France 777 Freighter arrived here Sunday night. The airplane will be on static display just outside the Boeing chalet this week. I have to say, the landing of the 777 Freighter was a beautiful... -
Back to the future - Part II
[ Comments 10 ]LONDON - It’s hard to believe, but the movie of the above title is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. So I think it’s kind of appropriate to have a little fun with it as we get set to take... -
Going though gauntlet
[ Comments 8 ]I know there’s been great interest in all the steps leading up to the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner. So to help satisfy the craving for the latest news and images, we’ve made available a few new short videos... -
Learning to fly
[ Comments 9 ]We’ve just completed the intermediate round of gauntlet testing on the 787. It seems like we only just started and now it’s complete. This is the challenging - but also exciting – aspect of keeping up with the pace of... -
Simply the best
[ Comments 12 ]Premium passengers, executive travelers, elite mileage club members, the people who really rack up the miles – they know what they like and what they don’t like about the air travel experience. So it’s particularly gratifying that for the second...
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May 2009
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The gauntlet begins
[ Comments 10 ]The 787 team in Everett has begun what we call the “intermediate gauntlet” on Dreamliner #1 - and testing is now underway. This means that over the next week or so, the team will really put ZA001 through its paces,... -
New York minute
[ Comments 2 ]A few weeks back I had the opportunity to sit down for a discussion and podcast with Aviation Week business editor, Madhu Unnikrishnan. Talking airplane financing with Av Week’s Madhu Unnikrishnan. Madhu and I chatted during the recent New York... -
Born to run
[ Comments 13 ]We’ve run the engines. Today marked the completion of the first engine runs on the first flight test 787 Dreamliner. Engines running: You can see waves of heat coming off the back of the engines in these photos. In the... -
Forward motion
[ Comments 9 ]The 747-8 team has finished assembly on the forward fuselage for the first -8 Freighter. In the photos we just got from the factory this week, you can see the iconic upper deck as it flies through the 40-22 bay... -
Slow ride
[ Comments 17 ]Under brilliant sunshine and blue skies, the 787 Dreamliner took a short, slow, and significant trip Saturday afternoon. The Dreamliner makes its way out of the fuel dock Saturday - in reverse! Airplane #1, or ZA001, has completed initial fueling... -
Efficiency for long-haul
[ Comments 3 ]We’ve just posted online our latest issue of AERO Magazine. The featured story really gets into the details behind our newest airplane, the 777 Freighter - its heritage, capabilities, range and capacity, design, and its ability to fit into existing... -
Aviation night in Canada
[ Comments 5 ]WINNIPEG – This city of about 700,000 people at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers in the central plains of Canada is noted for many things. Winnie the Pooh for one. A departed, but sorely missed NHL hockey... -
Dream on
[ Comments 22 ]Dreamliner #1, the flight test airplane we call ZA001, is on the flight line in Everett. It’s a big step for the 787 on the road toward first flight. ZA001 moving from paint hangar to flight line - first stop,... -
In the paint
[ Comments 3 ]Some views of the 787 (Airplane #1) in the paint hangar in Everett from earlier in the week when about 25 reporters and photographers got a look at the first flight test Dreamliner....
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April 2009
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BSI: Seattle
[ Comments 19 ]Imagine stepping onto a jetliner and knowing instantly that you’re on a Boeing airplane. I suppose a big flashing neon “BOEING” sign would accomplish that. But we prefer a more appealing sensory approach where you actually see and “feel” the... -
Poseidon takes flight
[ Comments 3 ]The P-8A Poseidon, a military derivative of the Next-Generation 737-800, completed a three-and-a-half hour first flight over the weekend. I wanted to share a couple of the shots of this great looking airplane in the air. The P-8A Poseidon takes... -
Intercontinental at 25%
[ Comments 9 ]25% design release announced today for the 747-8 Intercontinental. This means a quarter of the information needed to build parts and tools for assembly has been completed. Read the full story here: 747-8 Intercontinental Passes 25 Percent Design Milestone The... -
1Q 2009 results
[ Comments 7 ]We’ve just been through another tough quarter, not only for Boeing but for our industry. So, understandably our results are somewhat parallel to what’s happening in the global economy and its deep effects on the commercial airplane market. Boeing’s first-quarter... -
Heard it through the grapevine
[ Comments 19 ]As we get closer to the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner, clearly there’s going to be more and more focus on day-to-day, if not minute-to-minute progress. It’s the first new airplane program where we’ve seen the full effects of... -
Flight to the future
[ Comments 6 ]I had the opportunity to be in Chicago earlier in the week. And I didn’t have to go any farther than the airport to take part in a significant event not only for Boeing but for our long-time partner, American... -
Production decisions
[ Comments 5 ]We announced adjustments today that will affect production plans on some of our programs. You can read the release here: Boeing to Adjust 2010 Twin-Aisle Airplane Production Plan... -
Middle East journey
[ Comments 4 ]In my job, I’m fortunate to be able to visit far-flung regions and to meet with people from all over the world. But I’d hardly say I’ve been everywhere, and recently I had the chance to visit two key cities... -
Facing realities
[ Comments 13 ]I had the opportunity recently to spend a couple of days at the Boeing Leadership Center in St. Louis last month, taking part as an instructor in a training program for Boeing executives called BEP - Boeing Executive Program. The...
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March 2009
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E-Enabled
[ Comments 4 ]Boeing makes available technical information about our airplanes that many people aren’t aware is out there. One example we’ve talked about before is the excellent publication we call AERO. This is a quarterly that goes out to the operators of... -
Six-pack
[ Comments 11 ]I wanted to give you a brief update and share a couple of new photos from the 787 factory. They’re images of the Dreamliner that will be the 6th and final flight test airplane, designated ZA006. A couple of first... -
Hot wings
[ Comments 13 ]Winglets on a 767. I think you just have to see that to appreciate it. American Airlines just conducted the first revenue flight of a 767-300ER with Blended Winglets on March 8 – from Dallas/Fort Worth to London Heathrow. I’ve... -
Counterparts
[ Comments 3 ]Over the past couple of months, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and get to know my new “counterpart”- Airbus head of marketing, Andy Shankland. We first met at the Airfinance conference in Dublin and then again at the Geneva... -
Tragedy at Schiphol
[ Comments 5 ]GENEVA - I happened to be in Europe this past week, participating in the Geneva Forum. So the tragedy outside Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport hit that much closer to home for me, as it has, of course, for the greater Boeing...
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February 2009
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Le 777 cargo
[ Comments 9 ]I’m reminded that I was present at the birth, so to speak, of the 777 Freighter program. It happened in May of 2005, in Shanghai. This was the occasion of the signing of the first Air France 777F contract as... -
Chow mein, clocks, and "hmm"
[ Comments 18 ]Pop quiz. Which is the fastest-selling new commercial airplane program in history – the A350 or the 787 Dreamliner? Recently we’ve heard claims that the A350 has taken the crown. But I’m just scratching my head about that because, in... -
First flight +40
[ Comments 15 ]February 9, 1969 was cold, cloudy, and windy. In other words, a typical winter’s day in this neck of the woods. But it was also a day that changed everything. A little before lunchtime on that date, the first 747... -
Over the hump, and other 747 news
[ Comments 12 ]As became clear last week, we’ve had our share of challenges on the 747-8 program, but it’s moving ahead and things are taking shape in the factory right now. So, I thought that rather than just talking about the progress...
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January 2009
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Take five
[ Comments 6 ]End of a busy week, and a good opportunity to take some time out for a brief update on where we stand in the 787 factory. We’ve now returned to what you might call a steady level of production with... -
Challenging year behind us, ahead of us
[ Comments 6 ]Clearly, today’s Boeing earnings report for the year-end and 4th quarter 2008 reflects the consequences of not achieving our objectives at Commercial Airplanes. While Boeing posted a profit - $2.7 billion - for the year as a whole, we’ve also... -
$3.5 trillion economic impact
[ Comments 4 ]It’s not very far into 2009 and I’m already being asked what our outlook is for the year ahead. That’s a tough one to predict in any year, and this year is going to be tougher than most. It’s hard... -
Tough decision
[ Comments 16 ]In my last blog entry I talked about the challenges that we all face in 2009. Now comes word that the U.S. is in the middle of the worst loss of jobs in more than 60 years - and as... -
The difference a year makes
[ Comments 9 ]As we all get back into the swing and we start 2009 business in earnest, I couldn’t help but go take a look in the archives to see what we posted last year at this time. Last January we were...
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December 2008
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The flight before Christmas
[ Comments 10 ]If you’re like me, you’ve got a zillion things to get done before the holidays. So here is where I take care of all the items that have been piling up in my blog stocking – waiting to be “wrapped.”... -
Rhapsody in blue
[ Comments 12 ]I wanted to follow up on a previous discussion, and talk a bit about a successful third ASPIRE flight we had in mid-November. This time it was a United Airlines 747-400, making United the first U.S. carrier to demonstrate how... -
The path ahead
[ Comments 12 ]There’s not much more you can say in terms of just how frustrating it is to announce yet another delay. And it is deeply frustrating, once again, for the team, our partners, our suppliers, our customers, for the Boeing family.... -
At the crossroads of continents
[ Comments 4 ]I was recently in Europe to present Boeing’s 20-year forecast to a very diverse range of media - the newswire services in Paris, business journalists in Frankfurt and a large group of Turkish media in Istanbul. The thing that surprised... -
Ground game
[ Comments 7 ]There’s a great television program recently produced and airing in re-broadcasts from time to time that you might want to check out. It focuses on the amazing skill of a group of Boeing employees known as the Airplane On Ground... -
New contract
[ Comments 4 ]You’ve most likely heard the positive news today. We have a new four-year contract with SPEEA-represented professional and technical employees. They ratified the contracts and announced the results last night. The agreement covers about 21,000 employees. As was the case...
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November 2008
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Bountiful harvest
[ Comments 7 ]As we here in the U.S. get set to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, the Next-Generation 737 family is celebrating two recent milestones - the 15th anniversary of the program’s launch and the 5,000th Next-Generation 737 order. Either of those two... -
Take this broken wing
[ Comments 7 ]I wanted to briefly talk the successful destructive testing over the weekend of a 787 Dreamliner composite wing box, and point you to a fascinating video of the milestone. The test is part of the certification process – but doesn’t... -
747-8 challenges
[ Comments 10 ]The audiences I speak to around the globe, as well as readers of this blog are familiar with something we’ve said many times. Big commercial airplanes are challenging, complicated work, especially new (or major derivative) airplane programs. We’ve gotten another... -
ASPIRE to perfection
[ Comments 9 ]Last month I promised to return to talking a bit more about my recent trip to Asia, Australia and New Zealand. During those visits, something that always seemed to come up was the environment, and questions about what the aviation... -
President-elect
[ Comments 8 ]This was the first U.S. presidential election since we started blogging. So as we mark Tuesday night’s election results which will usher in a new administration in January, I wanted to share with you a couple of items to whet... -
Future of freight
[ Comments 6 ]KUALA LUMPUR – In Malaysia at the moment, attending the 24th International Air Cargo Forum and Exhibition, where we’ve just released Boeing’s World Air Cargo Forecast for 2008/2009. I think you’ll find it of interest in light of the current... -
Back to work
[ Comments 6 ]Over the weekend Boeing machinists ratified a new four-year contract. They started coming back to work last night, and will continue to return to factories and other facilities over the next week. As Scott Carson said after the vote, “we’re...
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October 2008
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Tentative agreement
[ Comments 13 ]We got the word last night that we’ve reached a tentative agreement with the IAM. It’s a hopeful sign that we may soon get back to the work of delivering on the more than 3,700 airplanes in our backlog, and... -
Tough quarter
[ Comments 6 ]In my most recent weeks of travel and meeting with reporters and with customers, the questions I most often heard had to do with the impacts of both the ongoing machinists strike at Boeing and the current economic situation. Our... -
Down Under in Australia and New Zealand
[ Comments 3 ]I mentioned earlier that I was headed to Australia and New Zealand to brief airline customers, news media, banks, industry and financial analysts and government agencies on Boeing’s commercial market outlook for both the near-term and 20 years out. Those... -
The Next-Generation
[ Comments 8 ]In the midst of everything else that’s going on, I didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to show you some photos from a great event a few weeks ago with a great Boeing customer. Alaska Airlines has completed a... -
One down, two to go
[ Comments 5 ]The 787 program reached a milestone last Saturday, successfully completing the high-blow test on the 787 static test vehicle in our Everett factory. This test is one of three static tests on a full airframe that must be cleared prior...
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September 2008
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Details, details
[ Comments 7 ]As I head off on my annual trip to Australia and New Zealand (with stops in Japan and Korea, too), I wanted to steer you toward some great new industry info that’s just available. Many of you know that we... -
Can you hear me now?
[ Comments 20 ]A little over a year ago I asked a simple question: How quiet do you want it to be on the airplane the next time you fly? Spending some “quiet” time visiting the A380 flight deck at Farnborough in July.... -
Who wins?
[ Comments 26 ]What comes to mind right now is what my predecessor wrote in this blog three years ago. At times like this, we greatly disappoint our customers. Boeing’s Everett factory - one of the facilities affected by the work stoppage. While... -
No agreement reached
[ Comments 8 ]The mediated talks with the IAM have ended without reaching agreement. Boeing has issued this statement: “Over the past two days, Boeing, the union and the federal mediator worked hard in pursuing good-faith explorations of options that could lead to... -
Mediation
[ Comments 6 ]Boeing has issued a statement today from Doug Kight, vice president of Human Resources, about Wednesday’s contract vote with the IAM. We offered employees the best package of pay and benefits in the aerospace industry. We are disappointed with the...
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August 2008
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BAFO
[ Comments 15 ]This morning Boeing submitted our Best and Final Offer (BAFO) to the IAM. The new offer includes an increased pay package, an industry-leading retirement plan, and improved health care and insurance plans. As I mentioned in the previous post, you... -
2nd offer
[ Comments 13 ]I’m sure many of you are watching with great interest the negotiations going on this week between Boeing and the IAM union. We have a 2008 labor negotiations site where you can keep up with the latest. This afternoon Boeing... -
Newairplane, new focus
[ Comments 2 ]Last week I mentioned being away enjoying some time off, so I thought I’d share a couple of photos. The first one is yours truly jumping in for a swim - my personal version of “wheels up, wheels down.” I... -
Wheels up, wheels down
[ Comments 5 ]While I was lakeside in Montana last week, the 787 program really got “geared up.” In the final assembly facility in Everett they began the process of testing the landing gear on Airplane #1. These gear swing tests replicate the... -
Big new jet airliner
[ Comments 26 ]Late last month, I had the pleasure of visiting Japan on my last business trip of the summer season. In Tokyo, I briefed a packed room of more than 20 journalists. We discussed the future of big airplanes in Asia,... -
(pod) Casting for new leaders
[ Comments 13 ]It’s not often you get a personal insight into what it means to be a leader inside Boeing. So I want to share with you a podcast hosted earlier this year by my Commercial Airplanes colleague Sandy Postel, on behalf...
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July 2008
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First half
[ Comments 9 ]As you’ve probably heard or read today, Boeing announced its second-quarter 2008 financial results today. Clearly we had some challenges last quarter, and that’s reflected in our results. On the defense side we had the previously announced charge for the... -
Lucky man
[ Comments 5 ]FARNBOROUGH – Well, despite the lyrics to the song I alluded to earlier in the week, I guess the show does eventually have to end, and we’re at the end of a very eventful week here at this biennial event.... -
Lean and green
[ Comments 5 ]FARNBOROUGH – Some people are saying that the show has seemed leaner this year – as in, smaller crowds, less excitement. Well, I don’t know what show they’re at, because there’s lots going on, and I’ve been running nonstop since... -
A busy day on two shores
[ Comments 5 ]FARNBOROUGH - Just a quick note from the air show to point you to a highlight or two from our first day here. And back in Seattle, a milestone flight for the 777 Freighter. The 777 Freighter lands at Paine... -
Welcome back my friends
[ Comments 3 ]FARNBOROUGH - Here we are again. Can’t believe it’s already been more than a year since my first major air show as marketing V.P., last year in Paris. I found that experience to be exhilarating, exciting, and exhausting beyond all... -
Traffic and whether
[ Comments 7 ]LONDON – Call it an understatement, or call it an overstatement, but we do seem to be in unprecedented times right now. The airlines are under pressure as we’re facing a weakening worldwide economy, surging oil prices, and slowing traffic...
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June 2008
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To market
[ Comments 15 ]We’re heading into July – and that means it won’t be long before Farnborough Air Show time. That also means my marketing colleagues and I are busy formulating Boeing’s 2008 Current Market Outlook (CMO). For us at Commercial Airplanes, the... -
The power of 1
[ Comments 7 ]As promised, we’ve launched a dedicated Web site that we think captures just what 787 Power On is all about. You’ll get to see the actual tests, as well as interviews with experts, and executive commentary. This is an interactive... -
Hour of power
[ Comments 8 ]Just last week we reported that we’d taken the first steps toward “power on” for the first 787 Dreamliner. Today I can tell you that we’ve successfully completed this very significant milestone – a major accomplishment for the entire 787... -
Tanker protest upheld
[ Comments 17 ]We just found out that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found in Boeing’s favor on a number of issues related to our protest of the U.S. Air Force’s award of the $35 billion aerial refueling tanker contract. In response... -
"Power on" begins
[ Comments 12 ]Yesterday, we got word that we’ve taken the first steps towards providing power to the first 787 Dreamliner in the Everett factory. “Power On” is a milestone accomplished on all new airplanes. But this one is especially important because the... -
Three of four
[ Comments 7 ]We’ve had another first flight. This time it was a brand new Dreamlifter, the third of four planned Dreamlifters. The new airplane received FAA certification about a week ago after a successful flight in Taiwan. Dreamlifter 3 – taking off... -
Challenging times
[ Comments 7 ]I’m back at the blogging desk after a brief absence. Family and civic responsibilities have been keeping me busy. This past week I was serving on jury duty. Never did get to serve on an actual trial, though. But my...
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May 2008
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Sights and sounds
[ Comments 13 ]We opened up the 787 factory to the world’s media on Monday. It was a great event, and I wanted to share a couple of photos we took during the factory tour. The 787 factory in Everett, in full swing... -
One year, one million
[ Comments 13 ]I know it’s a cliché, but man did this past year go fast. Last year this time I was just moving into a new office, learning some new ropes, and also blogging for the first time. But a year -... -
The conversation
[ Comments 7 ]In the past, some people might have seen labor negotiations as a difficult, but necessary task to get through. But in 2008 we’re taking the view that the conversation getting underway today represents a tremendous opportunity. As Boeing begins negotiating... -
Single aisle redux
[ Comments 11 ]HONG KONG - I’ve been on the road again this week, first in Thailand, and now in Hong Kong for a speech at the Royal Aeronautical Society and to meet with some reporters. Typically, in my travels, one of the... -
ZA003
[ Comments 9 ]This week we loaded the newest 787 Dreamliner into position in the Everett factory, and I wanted to share a couple of pretty amazing photos with you. The newest Dreamliner – designated ZA003 – in first position in the 787...
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April 2008
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Poseidon adventure
[ Comments 6 ]The start of final assembly is always a significant milestone. But in this case it’s a historic adventure as well. Boeing Renton employees received the first fuselage from Spirit AeroSystems earlier this month, and final assembly is underway on the... -
Growth and guidance
[ Comments 6 ]The Boeing Company shared some strong financial results today, and projected some solid growth to come. You can read through a lot of the details in our first quarter earnings release. But I wanted to briefly touch upon some of... -
Joining forces
[ Comments 4 ]Reducing the impact of aviation on the environment isn’t just a Boeing or an Airbus “thing.” It’s of importance to the entire world. So a working-together initiative just signed by both companies in Geneva is a great step in increasing... -
Siga o Mestre
[ Comments 8 ]I mentioned a couple of weeks back how I had the opportunity to appear on the Brazilian television channel TV Ideal. Click on the image to watch the video clip. Since I had to endure the makeup process for this... -
Program update
[ Comments 18 ]We’ve updated our plans for the 787 Dreamliner’s first flight and deliveries. Here’s the news release: Boeing Revises 787 First Flight and Delivery Plans. Obviously there’s been a lot of anticipation in the aviation and financial communities surrounding this announcement.... -
Inside the 787
[ Comments 21 ]Now that I’m back from a great trip to South America, I wanted to share with you a short (1:30) video clip that I used in my presentations at the FIDAE air show and earlier during my visit to Brazil.... -
Fuel cell flight
[ Comments 4 ]Have you had a chance to check out this story today about the first-ever flight of a manned airplane powered by hydrogen fuel cells? You can also read more about it here, and view a video of the flight. This...
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March 2008
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Southern latitudes
[ Comments 6 ]SANTIAGO – I’m in Chile this week for the FIDAE air show. It’s been a few years since my last visit here, so it’s great to be back and meeting with some old friends. A spectacular view of Santiago. Over... -
Best aircraft types
[ Comments 11 ]As you may know, the 747 was the focus of my previous role here at Boeing. So I know it’s a pretty special airplane. And now the readers of Global Traveler have cast their votes in favor of the Queen... -
787 process
[ Comments 13 ]I attended the JPMorgan Aviation and Transportation Conference in New York over the past couple of days. You can watch the Webcasts of some of the presentations, including mine, at the J.P. Morgan conference site. And as many of you... -
Tanker blog
[ Comments 6 ]My colleagues at Boeing’s Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) have launched a new blog, and I think it might be worth your while to check it out. A depiction of the Boeing aerial refueling tanker in action. Tanker Facts is a... -
Growth and consolidation
[ Comments 8 ]With all the continued talk of mergers both in Europe and in the United States, the average observer might think a dramatic consolidation is taking place in our industry. In fact at the recent Geneva Forum on Aircraft Finance and... -
Protest filed
[ Comments 18 ]Just a brief note to update you - with today’s release: Boeing Protests U.S. Air Force Tanker Contract Award... -
Tanker decision
[ Comments 18 ]This evening Boeing announced it has decided to file a formal protest of the Air Force aerial refueling tankers contract award. Boeing chairman, president, and chief executive officer Jim McNerney said today, the team has taken a very close look... -
Take it to the limit
[ Comments 14 ]We’ve had an overwhelming response and a good conversation going on in the comments to the Tanker posts, and we will be following that issue as we go forward. But I wanted to take a moment catch up on some... -
Tanker debrief
[ Comments 48 ]Over the past several days, the Air Force tanker announcement has generated more commenting here than any subject since I started blogging. A lot of well thought-out and spirited comments. One of the reasons I enjoy my job is that...
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February 2008
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Tanker announcement
[ Comments 87 ]We found out this afternoon that Boeing’s KC-767 Advanced Tanker proposal was not selected by the U.S. Air Force. Here’s the Boeing Company statement: Obviously we are very disappointed with this outcome. We believe that we offered the Air Force... -
"First flight"
[ Comments 11 ]Our 787 chief pilot Mike Carriker, and our 787 systems director Mike Sinnett had an awesome experience earlier this month. They “flew” the Dreamliner with the “Blockpoint 8” software for the first time - in a successful test of the... -
Extra, extra
[ Comments 27 ]SINGAPORE — I’m here for the big air show this week, and I know there’s going to be a lot on people’s minds not only here at Singapore, but as I travel throughout the year. No doubt one of the... -
Airplane 4, position 1
[ Comments 15 ]I wanted to share with you a new photo from the 787 factory, as final assembly gets underway on the Dreamliner that will be our second flight test airplane. Our team in Everett is joining together the fuselage sections and... -
Level field
[ Comments 43 ]This is a crucial year for our industry in many ways. For one thing, there’s a head-to-head competition going between Boeing and EADS/Airbus to provide the U.S. Air Force with its next generation of aerial tankers. Much has been said... -
Chinese Lunar New Year greetings
[ Comments 2 ]The Year of the Rat (or Mouse) is upon us. We’ve put together a brief video to help celebrate along with people around the world. Click on the image to go to the video. And when you’re on the video... -
Apples and oranges
[ Comments 17 ]Last month I talked a bit about the industry-record 1,413 net orders for Boeing Commercial Airplanes in 2007. And you may have noticed that Boeing reported our 2007 results in net orders (while also indicating gross). That’s key because net...
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January 2008
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Earnings
[ Comments 5 ]Boeing posted record earnings, revenues, and backlog in 2007. You can check out the results for 4Q and full-year 2007 in our news release (PDF).... -
Northern exposure
[ Comments 7 ]STOCKHOLM - I’m in the middle of a two-week tour of European cities, and just wrapped up a visit to Sweden. Enjoyed some beautiful sunshine, although this time of year the sun barely gets above the horizon all day! Blue... -
Getting it right
[ Comments 9 ]I haven’t blogged specifically on the subject of aviation safety – and neither had the “other” Randy. That probably says as much as anything about the high level of safety in our global air transportation system. But there is definitely... -
Dreamliners over Bahrain
[ Comments 4 ]Over the weekend Boeing finalized an order with Bahrain’s national carrier for up to 24 787 Dreamliners. Not only is the order great news, but Boeing released a cool new image to go along with it. A new Gulf Air... -
Orders and commitments
[ Comments 6 ]Clearly there were two big stories in aviation today, the announcement of Airbus’ 2007 results, and Boeing’s announcement of 787 delays. About the 2007 orders story, as you’ve probably read by now, Airbus had 1,341 net orders last year, compared... -
Amazing race
[ Comments 4 ]This is one of those events that falls under the category of “don’t try this at home.” Check out the story.... -
Great year, new year
[ Comments 20 ]Happy 2008! It’s great to be back in the office. And I’m looking forward to a very busy year. We’ve compiled our BCA year-end orders for 2007, and as expected it was a record-breaker in many ways. With 1,413 net...
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December 2007
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Stocking stuffers
[ Comments 7 ]As we enter the Boeing year-end break, I won’t be posting again to the blog until after the holidays. We’ll have a lot to talk about then, including how we did in commercial airplanes sales and deliveries in 2007. It’s... -
New Year's resolution
[ Comments 7 ]This is the time of year when many of us resolve to improve ourselves in some way in the future — lose weight, kick a habit, maybe establish a more fuel efficient fleet, etc. Well, that last resolution is more... -
Record setting
[ Comments 17 ]We’ve just updated our orders and deliveries Web page. I know we’ve said this before, but at the beginning of the year, no one could have predicted the sustained strength of this airplane orders cycle. Boeing’s commercial airplanes orders are... -
First of many
[ Comments 8 ]A few days ago I was talking about the remarkable 777 which, with well over 1,000 orders, is the best-selling twin-engine widebody in the world. I neglected to mention a couple of other significant points. With 125 orders in 2007...
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November 2007
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3 for 3
[ Comments 21 ]As many of us here in the U.S. got ready for the Thanksgiving holiday last week, it was rather remarkable to watch as Boeing’s updated orders and deliveries Website rolled past the 1,000 orders mark for the third time in... -
Planes, trains, automobiles
[ Comments 3 ]Can’t speak to train and automobile travel too much, but I did come across a great resource that’s especially timely as a lot of people across the U.S. get ready to board airplanes for holiday travel this week and for... -
Alaska wings it
[ Comments 7 ]You hear so much about the environment and the things we all can do to conserve energy and resources, but sometimes you forget that you can do big things in a lot of little ways. That’s why I want to... -
Midday at the oasis
[ Comments 12 ]DUBAI - It’s been a big and busy week here at the air show. I delivered Boeing’s market outlook for the Middle East region – 1,160 new airplanes, more than half of which will be widebodies – and I got... -
Travel, in a "flash"
[ Comments 21 ]One of the points I like to make in my presentations is about the value of direct flights. As I travel to different regions, for each of my presentations I’ve developed a nifty little animation piece that helps bring home...
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October 2007
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New China pattern
[ Comments 6 ]A few weeks back I started a discussion about the hot airplanes market in China. I wanted to return to the subject again, because there’s so much more to the story than just the market forecast. When I first started... -
3Q 2007
[ Comments 4 ]The Boeing Company released our results for the third quarter today. On a number of levels it was an outstanding quarter. And I think that our well-publicized challenges ought to be viewed in the context of the big overall picture.... -
"Launch aid"
[ Comments 12 ]The notion of government subsides for the major airplane manufacturers is at the heart of a debate that’s now before the World Trade Organization (WTO). When it comes to “launch aid,” does everyone do it? No, everyone does not do... -
Big delivery
[ Comments 12 ]SEOUL – I’m in Korea for the Seoul Air Show. But at the moment a lot of eyes are watching the developments elsewhere – the delivery of the first A380 to Singapore Airlines. No doubt, the first delivery for a... -
A change of flight plan
[ Comments 14 ]AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - Clearly, as our company’s top executives expressed this week, the 787 schedule change is disappointing for all of us at Boeing. The 787 rightly has generated so much excitement inside and outside Boeing that even a... -
Final frontier
[ Comments 3 ]SYDNEY - Space may be the final frontier. But in this case I’m talking about space inside an airplane cabin. What traveler hasn’t wished that economy seating could incorporate more of the space and comfort features of business and first... -
Bringing techie back
[ Comments 7 ]I started my career with Boeing on the technical side, and I guess when that’s in your blood, you never quite lose that interest in the nuts and bolts of our business. So it’s a good thing that we brought... -
Flying high .. on the hog
[ Comments 7 ]I’m not one to typically “ham” it up, but I didn’t want the summer to go by without at least mentioning something neat that’s been going on in Seattle for the past several months. This little piggy went to market,...
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September 2007
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FAQ on BBJ & VIP
[ Comments 6 ]A big conference going on in Atlanta this week focuses on a more glamorous, but at the same time lesser known, area of our industry. That’s the VIP or business jet category. In my last job I was able to... -
Forecast: Hot
[ Comments 6 ]BEIJING – Since my last trip to China, some things have changed, and some haven’t. The Sichuan dishes are just as spicy – and as good - as I remember them. No change there. But the Beijing skyline is boasting... -
Testing, testing
[ Comments 9 ]The 787 Dreamliner program has completed the third of three large-scale structural tests - to determine whether the actual airframe performs in a simulated “crash landing” condition the same way as software modeling predicts. Much of the results are in... -
Delta dawns
[ Comments 2 ]Doing a blog is challenging – all the more so in the consumer-focused world of the airline industry. So my hat is off to Delta Air Lines. They just started a blog called Under the Wing. Delta launched the blog... -
Wake up call
[ Comments 10 ]Like many of you, I woke up a bit earlier than usual yesterday. It was a big day at the house - the first day of the school year. So my normal routine got a bit changed - I managed...
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August 2007
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7/8/07
[ Comments 2 ]No doubt a lot of people enjoyed the excitement of the Dreamliner Premiere and the great coincidence of the date 7/8/07, for the July 8 rollout of the first airplane. But did you know there was another milestone marked by... -
Top of its game
[ Comments 11 ]A lot of the attention in the widebody market has been on the record-setting pace of orders for the 787 Dreamliner. That’s to be expected. But quietly, the 777 has just reached its own record milestone – achieving 1,000 orders... -
It's a wrap
[ Comments 4 ]Talk about “building” momentum. Korean Air has taken the Dreamliner Premiere to new heights. They’ve wrapped their entire headquarters building in Seoul with a giant image of a 787 taking off – in Korean Air blue – along with the... -
100 days
[ Comments 10 ]It’s been a little over a hundred days now since I’ve been the “Randy” in Randy’s Journal. And borrowing a page from American political tradition, I thought it would be “prudent” (with apologies to Dana Carvey) to look at where... -
Life begins @ 40
[ Comments 4 ]The thing about airplane manufacturing is, it’s constantly evolving and improving with technology. Clearly, the revolutionary 787 Dreamliner, and the evolutionary 747-8 are already carrying on the story into the 21st Century. But as we look ahead, I also want... -
Sound of silence
[ Comments 38 ]How quiet do you want it to be on the airplane next time you fly? Sounds like a rhetorical question, but it’s not as simple as it seems. When we develop an airplane like the 787 – or any airplane... -
7,000
[ Comments 7 ]It’s a nice round number, and looks pretty darn good from overhead, especially when several hundred Boeing employees are actually forming the numerals. We just reached an amazing milestone – the 7,000th Boeing 737 order. And to mark the occasion... -
State of the industry
[ Comments 3 ]One of the questions that came up on the Boeing Company earnings teleconference with investors and reporters last week had to do with where we are in terms of the “cycle.” I think my predecessor, Randy Baseler, did a good...
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July 2007
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Halfway mark
[ Comments 9 ]Boeing has announced its second quarter 2007 performance results. And the report shows continued strong growth. For Commercial Airplanes, our backlog grew to a record $208 billion in Q2. We received 360 gross orders and delivered 114 airplanes in the... -
Wildest dreams
[ Comments 5 ]It’s been a blur of activity beginning about six weeks ago with the run-up to Paris, and continuing through some travel in Asia, and of course the Dreamliner Premiere weekend. But while it’s still all fresh in the mind I... -
"Rock star"
[ Comments 16 ] -
In the wings
[ Comments 11 ]The first 787 Dreamliner is now ready, and waiting in the wings, just hours away from its Premiere on the world stage. I have to say it’s hard to believe we are finally at this moment. Hundreds of media from... -
On a "roll"
[ Comments 3 ]We’re just a couple of days away from what promises to be one of the biggest corporate rollout events anyone has ever seen. I’ll be there in Everett on Sunday when the 787 Dreamliner makes its Premiere. And I hope...
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June 2007
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Seven heaven
[ Comments 17 ]This coming week is going to be exceptional for more than just the obvious reason. As part of the 787 “rollout” on July 8, starting today we’re releasing one video a day, leading up to the big event. It’s something... -
Dream event
[ Comments 3 ]The July 8 rollout - or “Premiere” - of the new 787 Dreamliner is a little over a week away. And it has generated such worldwide interest, that Boeing is going to make the event available to viewers around the... -
Airshow!
[ Comments 8 ]LE BOURGET - Air shows are a blur of nonstop activity. Seems I’ve tackled questions on everything from, “What’s the wake vortex on a 747?” to “How do you fly an elephant from Anchorage to Tampa?” It’s to the point... -
If it's Wednesday ..
[ Comments 7 ]LE BOURGET – You ought to know that the people who manage my schedule have kept me pretty busy this week. Some might say, “If it’s Wednesday, I must be in Paris.” But at this point I say, if this... -
Lundi, Lundi
[ Comments 3 ]LE BOURGET – A guy by the name of Charles Lindbergh landed here 80 years ago after the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic. It’s truly a place of aviation history. Paris has hosted air shows virtually since the... -
The long run
[ Comments 4 ]PARIS - Although I’m not a big fan of the group, I do remember that the Eagles had a hit single and album called “The Long Run.” And that’s the kind of phrase that comes to mind at air show... -
Back to the future
[ Comments 5 ]LONDON – I just wrapped up a meeting with a group of journalists here in the U.K., as well as conducting an international media teleconference. It’s part of activity around the release of the new Boeing commercial airplanes market outlook.... -
The heat is on
[ Comments 4 ]It’s been a busy June already, and it’s only just begun. This time of year - air show time - is always a little frantic. As I continue to get up to speed on the new job, I’m also preparing...
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May 2007
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Conference call
[ Comments 5 ]I was in Chicago last week for an opportunity to talk with a vital audience about how Boeing views the commercial aviation market over the next 20 years - and about how we’re addressing that market. Close to 200 representatives... -
Arrivals
[ Comments 13 ]The 787 factory is officially open for business. And it’s time to start assembling the first 787 Dreamliners. I have to say there’s no experience quite like watching a new airplane come together. I’ve been with Boeing for more than... -
KC-767
[ Comments 11 ]Last month Boeing submitted to the U.S. Air Force our proposal for the KC-767 Advanced Tanker. It’s a big milestone, and a big step in a process that has gotten a lot of attention. Our entry in this competition is... -
The replacements
[ Comments 15 ]Something I talked a lot about in my previous role as Customers Leader for the 747-8 program was the replacement cycle for passenger airplanes in the 400-500 seat category. And since earlier here in the blog we talked about the... -
Hello, hello
[ Comments 24 ]I think Randy Baseler had it exactly right. Magical Mystery Tour it is. In so many ways. As I find myself stepping into some big shoes, this tour is just beginning for me. And it’s certainly an odd thing to...
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