Boeing Launches 737 New Engine Family with Commitments for 496 Airplanes from Five Airlines
- Will deliver improved fuel efficiency and lowest operating costs in single-aisle market
- Customers expressing overwhelming acceptance for new airplane
- Feldmann to lead new program; Teal named chief project engineer
SEATTLE, Aug. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boeing (NYSE: BA) Company's board of directors has approved the launch of the new engine variant of the market-leading 737, based on order commitments for 496 airplanes from five airlines and a strong business case.
"The re-engined 737 will allow Boeing to continue to deliver the most fuel efficient, most capable airplane with the lowest operating costs in the single-aisle market," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh. "This, coupled with industry leading reliability and maintainability, is what customers have told us they want. As a result, we are seeing overwhelming demand for this new and improved version of the 737. We are working with our customers to finalize these and other agreements in the weeks and months ahead."
The new 737 family will be powered by CFM International LEAP-1B engines optimized for the 737. It will have the lowest operating costs in the single-aisle segment with a 7 percent advantage over the competition. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2017.
"Customers tell us they want to improve profitability and fuel efficiency while reducing their environmental footprint," said Albaugh. "This solution meets all three of those needs."
When compared to a fleet of 100 of today's most fuel-efficient airplanes, this new model will emit 277,000 fewer tons of CO2 and save nearly 175 million pounds of fuel per year, which translates into $85 million in cost savings. The airplane's fuel burn is expected to be 16 percent lower than our competitor's current offering and 4 percent lower than their future offering.
Boeing has named Bob Feldmann vice president and general manager of the new engine 737 family. With 35 years of aerospace experience, Feldmann most recently led the Surveillance and Engagement division within Boeing Military Aircraft, a unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security that includes several commercial derivative programs based on the 737 platform. He has been instrumental in leading the successful development of complex programs such as the EA-18G Growler and the P-8A Poseidon.
Michael Teal has been named vice president, chief project engineer and deputy program manager. Teal's most recent role was vice president and chief project engineer on the 747-8 program, where he was instrumental in managing the airplane's configuration and integration, performance, safety, test and certification.
The Boeing 737 is the world's most popular and reliable commercial jet transport. The 737 family has won orders for more than 9,000 airplanes.
The Next-Generation 737 program has continuously improved the products, features and services that provide increasing value to customers. Today's Next-Generation 737s are up to 7 percent more fuel-efficient than the first airplanes delivered in 1998. Boeing forecasts global demand for more than 23,000 airplanes in the 737's market segment over the next 20 years at a value of nearly $2 trillion.
Certain statements in this release may be "forward-looking" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "will," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," "targets," "anticipates," and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions, which may not prove to be accurate. These statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in these forward-looking statements. As a result, these statements speak to events only as of the date they are made and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as required by federal securities laws. Specific factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the effect of economic conditions in the United States and globally, and general industry conditions as they may impact us or our customers, as well as the other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1907
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DATE:30/08/11
SOURCE:Flight International
More details emerge on configuration of re-engined 737
By Jon Ostrower
More details have emerged on the likely configuration of the powerplant for the re-engined version of Boeing's 737, ahead of expected board approval for the programme.
As well as a 167cm (66in) fan on the CFM International Leap-X engine - increased from 157cm on the CFM56-7B, which powers the 737NG - the updated jet is also expected to feature external nacelle chevrons for noise reduction, similar to those featured on the 787 and 747-8.
A fan of the proposed size would remove the need to modify the design of the landing gear, although Boeing declined official comment on the deliberations on fan size.
Detailed assessments are under way to incorporate a revised tail cone, natural laminar flow nacelle and a hybrid laminar flow vertical stabiliser for additional drag and fuel burn reduction.
The airframer's board of directors was due to meet at the end of August to vote on giving a green light to the project.
Boeing is seeking to strike a balance with its design, delivering a 10-12% fuel burn improvement from the updated engine without changing the 737 too significantly and breaking commonality with its current models.
This potentially allows a way in for Airbus to offer its A320neo.
While Boeing's 167cm fan will have a lower bypass ratio and higher specific fuel consumption (SFC) than the 198cm Leap-X and 205cm Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine options for the A320neo, the smaller engine will weigh less and create less drag on the 737's airframe.
According to one industry assessment of the engine's performance, the SFC improvement of a 167cm fan would offer around 13-14% over the 155cm CFM56-7B engine that powers the 737 today. Once integrated on to the aircraft it would deliver a fuel burn benefit of 10-12%.
A design shelved earlier this year, designated the 737RE, featured a 177cm fan, which required a 20cm nose gear extension to meet the required 43cm engine nacelle ground clearance, to avoid hitting taxiway lighting.
The 737 can accommodate up to a 170cm fan before requiring any changes to its landing gear.
According to that now-defunct plan, the longer nose landing gear would have prompted a redesign in the lower lobe of the forward 41 section, requiring Boeing to modify the electrical equipment bay to find new routes for wiring and equipment racks.
The changes would have also likely necessitated widespread modifications to the aircraft's empennage and fuselage.
Boeing is seeking to avoid repeating the trouble it encountered when developing the 747-8 freighter and Intercontinental, which began its design life as a "simple" re-engine with General Electric GEnx-2B powerplants.
The mounting of the 747's engines and stretching of the fuselage prompted significant changes to the aircraft's wing and flight control systems, which subsequently caused a ripple effect across the jumbo's design.
In turn, this drove up the extent and cost of the change required to deliver on the jet's performance targets.
Once Boeing receives the go-ahead to offer the 737-7, -8 and -9 to customers - as it harmonises the range in line with the 747 and 787 - it will be able to begin taking orders for the updated narrowbody, including firming a commitment for 100 of the type from American Airlines, announced on 20 July.
http://www.flightglobal.com/article...merge-on-configuration-of-re-engined-737.html
- Will deliver improved fuel efficiency and lowest operating costs in single-aisle market
- Customers expressing overwhelming acceptance for new airplane
- Feldmann to lead new program; Teal named chief project engineer
SEATTLE, Aug. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boeing (NYSE: BA) Company's board of directors has approved the launch of the new engine variant of the market-leading 737, based on order commitments for 496 airplanes from five airlines and a strong business case.
"The re-engined 737 will allow Boeing to continue to deliver the most fuel efficient, most capable airplane with the lowest operating costs in the single-aisle market," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh. "This, coupled with industry leading reliability and maintainability, is what customers have told us they want. As a result, we are seeing overwhelming demand for this new and improved version of the 737. We are working with our customers to finalize these and other agreements in the weeks and months ahead."
The new 737 family will be powered by CFM International LEAP-1B engines optimized for the 737. It will have the lowest operating costs in the single-aisle segment with a 7 percent advantage over the competition. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2017.
"Customers tell us they want to improve profitability and fuel efficiency while reducing their environmental footprint," said Albaugh. "This solution meets all three of those needs."
When compared to a fleet of 100 of today's most fuel-efficient airplanes, this new model will emit 277,000 fewer tons of CO2 and save nearly 175 million pounds of fuel per year, which translates into $85 million in cost savings. The airplane's fuel burn is expected to be 16 percent lower than our competitor's current offering and 4 percent lower than their future offering.
Boeing has named Bob Feldmann vice president and general manager of the new engine 737 family. With 35 years of aerospace experience, Feldmann most recently led the Surveillance and Engagement division within Boeing Military Aircraft, a unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security that includes several commercial derivative programs based on the 737 platform. He has been instrumental in leading the successful development of complex programs such as the EA-18G Growler and the P-8A Poseidon.
Michael Teal has been named vice president, chief project engineer and deputy program manager. Teal's most recent role was vice president and chief project engineer on the 747-8 program, where he was instrumental in managing the airplane's configuration and integration, performance, safety, test and certification.
The Boeing 737 is the world's most popular and reliable commercial jet transport. The 737 family has won orders for more than 9,000 airplanes.
The Next-Generation 737 program has continuously improved the products, features and services that provide increasing value to customers. Today's Next-Generation 737s are up to 7 percent more fuel-efficient than the first airplanes delivered in 1998. Boeing forecasts global demand for more than 23,000 airplanes in the 737's market segment over the next 20 years at a value of nearly $2 trillion.
Certain statements in this release may be "forward-looking" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "will," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," "targets," "anticipates," and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions, which may not prove to be accurate. These statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in these forward-looking statements. As a result, these statements speak to events only as of the date they are made and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as required by federal securities laws. Specific factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the effect of economic conditions in the United States and globally, and general industry conditions as they may impact us or our customers, as well as the other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1907
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DATE:30/08/11
SOURCE:Flight International
More details emerge on configuration of re-engined 737
By Jon Ostrower
More details have emerged on the likely configuration of the powerplant for the re-engined version of Boeing's 737, ahead of expected board approval for the programme.
As well as a 167cm (66in) fan on the CFM International Leap-X engine - increased from 157cm on the CFM56-7B, which powers the 737NG - the updated jet is also expected to feature external nacelle chevrons for noise reduction, similar to those featured on the 787 and 747-8.
A fan of the proposed size would remove the need to modify the design of the landing gear, although Boeing declined official comment on the deliberations on fan size.
Detailed assessments are under way to incorporate a revised tail cone, natural laminar flow nacelle and a hybrid laminar flow vertical stabiliser for additional drag and fuel burn reduction.
The airframer's board of directors was due to meet at the end of August to vote on giving a green light to the project.
Boeing is seeking to strike a balance with its design, delivering a 10-12% fuel burn improvement from the updated engine without changing the 737 too significantly and breaking commonality with its current models.
This potentially allows a way in for Airbus to offer its A320neo.
While Boeing's 167cm fan will have a lower bypass ratio and higher specific fuel consumption (SFC) than the 198cm Leap-X and 205cm Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine options for the A320neo, the smaller engine will weigh less and create less drag on the 737's airframe.
According to one industry assessment of the engine's performance, the SFC improvement of a 167cm fan would offer around 13-14% over the 155cm CFM56-7B engine that powers the 737 today. Once integrated on to the aircraft it would deliver a fuel burn benefit of 10-12%.
A design shelved earlier this year, designated the 737RE, featured a 177cm fan, which required a 20cm nose gear extension to meet the required 43cm engine nacelle ground clearance, to avoid hitting taxiway lighting.
The 737 can accommodate up to a 170cm fan before requiring any changes to its landing gear.
According to that now-defunct plan, the longer nose landing gear would have prompted a redesign in the lower lobe of the forward 41 section, requiring Boeing to modify the electrical equipment bay to find new routes for wiring and equipment racks.
The changes would have also likely necessitated widespread modifications to the aircraft's empennage and fuselage.
Boeing is seeking to avoid repeating the trouble it encountered when developing the 747-8 freighter and Intercontinental, which began its design life as a "simple" re-engine with General Electric GEnx-2B powerplants.
The mounting of the 747's engines and stretching of the fuselage prompted significant changes to the aircraft's wing and flight control systems, which subsequently caused a ripple effect across the jumbo's design.
In turn, this drove up the extent and cost of the change required to deliver on the jet's performance targets.
Once Boeing receives the go-ahead to offer the 737-7, -8 and -9 to customers - as it harmonises the range in line with the 747 and 787 - it will be able to begin taking orders for the updated narrowbody, including firming a commitment for 100 of the type from American Airlines, announced on 20 July.
http://www.flightglobal.com/article...merge-on-configuration-of-re-engined-737.html
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