Are you kidding? That's an ALPA grand slam with a stagering 6% buffer! ;)

Speaking of DC-9s:

That sort of makes sense. I still think the MD90 is WIN. Its cheap and relatively efficient right now, and when we eventually do start to retire the older 88's, the more 90's we have makes the fleet that much more efficient (or that much less inefficient?) Anyway being able to pay cash for a cheap, reliable plane with a common fleet to what we already have in inventory is smart now and its smart later.

Boeing hasn't just dropped the ball WRT their fairy tail 797, they've been staring at it til the whistle almost blew, the other team walked up and asked them if they wanted it, they looked down on it with indifference and said "meh" so the other team casually picked it up and started skipping into the endzone.

Boeing could care less about the narrowbody market. They want foreign widebody revenue and self printing defense slush money. Anything else is beneath them. Sure they will eventually build and sell a 73 replacement, but they will be creamed by Airbus's refreshed 30 year old design and ambitious efforts from every corner of the world and Boeing won't really care.

ooooh, good call.

Maybe Boeing ought to get in on the C-series, Boeing-it-up a bit and then have most of it built in Canada and the remainder in Renton? There was talk a while ago about Airbus trying to get Embraer and ATR to combine efforts on a large turboprop under an Airbus umbrella.

It would suprise me if they weren't already involved. Sell some design and logistics expertise as they become the outsource provider and let other companies sell the scoter trash while they focus on that sweet, sweet pentagon and Arab/Asia market widebody.

I think Boeing is involved in the Russian RJ, and probably several others as well.

It's all fun and games until Airbus wins the tanker award, then maybe Boeing builds a NB?

I think they will win the tanker award but we'll see. In any case, who cares about scooter trash single isle airliners when every time we nationbuild some tin pot dictator they make more slush money from the taxpayer in replaced munitions inventory not to mention future new defense contracts and of course subsidized foreign widebodies.

They will build one eventually regardless. But they will drag their heels on it and even when its ready for market, according to Boeing themselves, it will be lucky to match the 320 NEO's fuel numbers and almost certainlly not price and absolutely without significant cockpit commonality. Oh, and bonus, new fleet type versus Airbus's seamless transition for most carriers.

Same effieciency, same or greater price, years later to market, significantly less commonality and all the hassles of ramping up a version 1.0 dash 100 A model airplane. Plus it wouldn't suprise me if they dumbed it down trying to bait the hook for SWA anyway.

Maybe it will have the forever pressure hull though, but the advantages of that won't be seen for decades (read: no current CEO/CFO will care) and in any case that won't nearly cancel out its inherent disadvantages anyway for most operators. Unless they pull a rabit out of their hat with some phenominal lifting body cold fusion zero carbon footprint masterpiece, they will be a minor player going forward in the narrowbody market, which IMO is fine with them.

I think Boeing had some consulting on the E170/190.

Like the A400?

http://www.armybase.us/wp-content/up...den-flight.jpg

Boeing already won the tanker award, announced about 2 weeks ago.