Aircraft

SEATTLE, Sept. 27 Boeing and Air China today announced an order for four 777-300ERs (Extended Range), which have a total average list price value of $1.1 billion at current list prices.

“This is a great day in the history of our long and enduring partnership with Air China,” said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales & Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Today’s order of 777s also underscores Air China’s confidence in the world’s most successful twin-engine, long-haul airplane.”

Air China, the flag carrier of the People’s Republic of China, will use the airplanes to expand its international routes.

“The 777-300ER will be the backbone of our long-haul international fleet,” said Fan Cheng, vice president of Air China. “The airplane’s high efficiency and performance features will enable Air China to launch more direct long-haul routes to meet the increasing demand of our passengers.”

The Boeing 777 is the world’s most successful twin-engine, long-haul airplane. The 777-300ER extends the 777 family’s span of capabilities, bringing twin-engine efficiency and reliability to the long-range market. The airplane carries 365 passengers up to 7,930 nautical miles (14,685 km).

Boeing incorporated several performance enhancements for the 777-300ER, extending its range and payload capabilities. Excellent performance during flight-testing, combined with engine efficiency improvements and design changes that reduce drag and airplane weight, contributed to the increased capability.

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 27, 2010 — The Bell Boeing V-22 Program, a strategic alliance between Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Bell Helicopter, has delivered the sixth and final MV-22 Osprey Containerized Flight Training Device (CFTD) to the U.S. Marines. In the past year, the team has delivered five CFTDs to the Marines, as well as upgrades to two trainers delivered previously.

The CFTD trains aircrew on basic aircraft familiarization and handling qualities. Additional training capabilities include systems/subsystems operation, communication, malfunctions, day and night flying, use of night-vision goggles, formation flying, aerial refueling and landing on ships. The device is intended to train crews for any task that might be performed in the aircraft, while limiting the monetary and environmental costs and safety risks of in-flight training.

The sixth device was delivered to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, N.C., on Aug. 16, six weeks early. MCAS New River has six devices, including the first CFTD — delivered in 2007 — plus three full-flight, motion-based simulators and one non-motion-based flight training device. MCAS Miramar, Calif., has four CFTDs. An upgrade delivered to Miramar this month brought all CFTDs to full concurrency with the Osprey aircraft.

"The V-22 Integrated Product Team has made all of these early deliveries possible,” said Mark McGraw, vice president, Boeing Training Systems & Services. “They delivered three devices on this contract early, and all of them for the lowest per-unit cost our customer has seen."

All CFTDs can be locally networked to allow for more robust training capabilities. The CFTDs at MCAS New River also are able to network with AV-8 Harriers at MCAS Cherry Point, N.C.

The V-22 Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft manufactured by Boeing and Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. [NYSE: TXT] company. Bell and Boeing are teamed in a Strategic Alliance Agreement for the design, production and sustainment of the V-22.

Bell Helicopter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell’s global work force serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries. More information is available at www.bellhelicopter.com.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.

EVERETT, Wash., Sept. 27, 2010 — The Boeing Company today announced that the state of Washington will benefit from an estimated 11,000 total jobs and generate an estimated $693 million in annual economic impact if the Boeing NewGen Tanker is selected as the U.S. Air Force’s next aerial refueling aircraft.

Boeing submitted its proposal July 9 to replace 179 of the Air Force’s 400 Eisenhower-era KC-135 aircraft. The Air Force is expected to award a contract later this year.

"The Boeing team in Washington state has an outstanding track record meeting the needs of U.S. warfighters by delivering the finest military derivatives of commercial aircraft in the world," said Dennis Muilenburg, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "I am confident that the thousands of men and women at Boeing and our suppliers working on the NewGen Tanker will carry on that same tradition of excellence for many years to come."

"One of the great strengths of Boeing is our unique ability to form teams made up of both commercial and defense personnel to find innovative and best-value solutions for our customers," said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Nowhere is this more apparent than here in Puget Sound, where we have been supporting both commercial and military customers for nearly 100 years."

Currently, Boeing has 72,000 employees in Washington and works with more than 2,700 suppliers/vendors, delivering a total $3.3 billion in annual economic impact.

The NewGen Tanker is a widebody, multi-mission aircraft based on the proven Boeing 767 commercial airplane and updated with the latest and most advanced technology. Capable of fulfilling the Air Force’s needs for transport of fuel, cargo, passengers and patients, the combat-ready NewGen Tanker will meet or exceed the 372 mandatory requirements described in the service’s final KC-X Request for Proposal released Feb. 24.

The NewGen Tanker will be made with a low-risk approach to manufacturing that relies on existing Boeing facilities in Washington state and Kansas as well as U.S. suppliers throughout the nation, with decades of experience delivering dependable military tanker and derivative aircraft. Nationwide, the NewGen Tanker program will support approximately 50,000 total U.S. jobs with Boeing and more than 800 suppliers in more than 40 states.

The Boeing NewGen Tanker also will be more cost-effective to own and operate than a larger, heavier tanker. It will save American taxpayers more than $10 billion in fuel costs over its 40-year service life because it burns 24 percent less fuel than the competitor’s airplane.

Boeing has been designing, building, modifying and supporting tankers for decades. These include the KC-135 that will be replaced in the KC-X competition, and the KC-10 fleet. The company also has delivered four KC-767Js to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and is on contract to deliver four KC-767As to the Italian Air Force.

The Boeing Aerial Refueling Technology demonstrator (BART) will be on display at Westlake Park (401 Pine St.) in Seattle on Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. BART’s tour schedule is available at www.UnitedStatesTanker.com/TankerTrek. More information on Boeing’s NewGen Tanker, including video clips and an interactive tour of the aircraft, is available at www.UnitedStatesTanker.com. For more information on joining the company’s efforts, visit www.RealAmericanTankers.com.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Sept. 22, 2010 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today received the Governor’s Business Expansion Award from Enterprise Florida at the Governor’s 2010 Business Diversification Awards ceremony in Tallahassee. The Boeing operation at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Fla., won the award after the site received the consolidated U.S. Navy F/A-18 work and the U.S. Air Force QF-16 contract. The consolidation and contract win will add approximately 75 jobs to the Cecil Field facility.

“This expansion to our work scope will allow us to be even more responsive to our customers by colocating related programs in one spot,” said Gary Phillips, Cecil Field site executive for Boeing. “We’re honored that the governor’s office has recognized our expansion as a significant contribution to the community of Jacksonville and the Duval County area.”
“Florida’s entrepreneurs and business leaders are major contributors to the state’s economic growth,” said Enterprise Florida President and CEO John Adams Jr. “Today, we recognized some of their exemplary accomplishments in creating marketable products and services, which are increasing Florida’s competitiveness and building a future economy that will serve all segments of our population very well.”
With the addition of the F/A-18 Structural Repair Facility, Cecil Field’s capabilities now include avionics repairs and upgrades; aircraft modification and maintenance; structural and composite component repair; and full nondestructive inspection. The Boeing team at Cecil Field draws on a decade of experience to support Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18A-F aircraft service, repair and modification programs. The facility, located at Cecil Commerce Center, includes 479,000 square feet of maintenance, manufacturing, warehousing and office space.
“Boeing is proud to be part of the Jacksonville community,” Phillips said. “With our growth now and in the future, we look forward to making a positive impact here for many years to come.”
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

More than 700 airplanes, worth $80 billion, needed in region over 20 years

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Sept. 21 — Boeing forecasts that air carriers in Africa will experience steady growth over the next 20 years as air travel in Africa continues to grow with the economy.

The African economy is projected to grow 4.8 percent in 2010 following 2.9 percent growth in 2009. This strong growth results from worldwide recovery stimulating demand for African exports as well as imports into the continent. West Africa shows the strongest growth with foreign interest in petroleum development.

“As the demand for African commodities grows and foreign development and tourism increase, African carriers will require a modernized fleet in order to compete on routes historically dominated by foreign carriers,” said Mike Warner, senior market analyst for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, today at a media briefing in Cape Town.

“Africa’s current fleet is nearly 20 years old on average in a market that demands newer, more fuel-efficient airplanes to help offset the rising cost of fuel.”

Boeing’s forecast calls for the delivery of more than 700 airplanes with a value of approximately $80 billion for the African airplane market over the next 20 years.

Growth in the airline market, along with the demand to replace older, less fuel-efficient single-aisle airplanes and regional jets with new-generation, more fuel-efficient models, will drive new airplane deliveries.

Strong demand exists to support increased non-stop routes between Africa and Europe, the United States, the Middle East, India, and China. Twin-aisle fleets will evolve in the region as airlines continue to expand international services. Boeing forecasts that twin-aisle airplanes will account for 32 percent of new airplanes delivered to African carriers over the next 20 years compared to 23 percent worldwide. Single-aisle airplanes will represent 60 percent of the African new-airplane market, compared to 69 percent worldwide.

Newer airplane types such as the Next-Generation 737 and 787 Dreamliner offer significant advantages in environmental performance as well as improved capabilities, fuel efficiency and maintenance costs.
Today’s market update was part of a series of briefings that highlight Boeing’s airplane capabilities and advantages as well as discuss the African aviation market for the next 20 years. Boeing kicked off the effort at last month’s Aviation & Allied Business Leaders conference in Gaborone, Botswana. Later this year, Boeing will participate in the Airlines Association of South Africa Annual General Meeting in Manzini, Swaziland, in October and the African Airlines Association General Assembly and conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November.