Boeing and Airbus are two of the world’s foremost aerospace firms, but recent incidents involving Boeing’s 737 Max plane have shown the importance of diversifying product offerings from both companies.
They understand this, which is why they continue to develop innovative technologies like the Ascent seat, which brings luxury automotive seating standards into commercial aircraft, providing passengers with more comfortable travel times and reduced journey times.
1. The Boeing 737 Max
The Boeing 737 is the best-selling airliner worldwide and one of its variants can be seen flying nearly all flights at any given time. Boeing’s Max series was introduced for production back in 2017 as a rival to Airbus’s A320neo family of aircraft.
Prior to two deadly crashes, airlines were poised to purchase additional Boeing planes en masse, taking its market share beyond 50 percent. Now that its reputation has been marred, however, building back trust will take years while Boeing and its suppliers work towards making sure it can fly again safely.
Boeing’s engineering team spent months drawing out plans for its 737 MAX, an airplane with slightly larger dimensions and updated engines than earlier versions. But at the same time, it had to figure out how this new design could fit into a factory that already produced 42 of these aircraft per month without disrupting production and disrupting productivity.
Boeing managed a remarkable transformation when they brought in MAX production into an existing factory and now produce about 24 MAXs monthly, according to Leverkuhn. At its peak, around 1,400 people worked on this program; as engineering winds down, this number gradually decreases while production becomes the priority and Boeing hired workers to staff a third assembly line specifically for MAX aircraft production.
2. The Boeing 787
Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner airplane has revolutionized air travel by opening up routes and giving airlines new opportunities to transport passengers in comfort. A pioneer in its industry due to innovative technology, quieter cabin, and larger windows that allow passengers to view the landscape on flights, this revolutionary aircraft has transformed passenger experience and airline profit alike.
The Dreamliner utilizes composite materials in its construction and employs more sophisticated aerodynamics and engines, leading to a 20% decrease in fuel consumption compared with similar planes in its class. Furthermore, being lighter than previous wide-body jets allows it to provide better fuel efficiency as well as higher passenger capacity.
In addition to its flight deck commonality with the 777, the 787 offers airlines several value-added standard features that give them greater customization of their aircraft. These features include generous baseline takeoff weight allowance, pre-engineered options catalog and ability to add seats or galleys – providing airlines with an easily managed aircraft that remains affordable over its lifecycle.
Airbus responded to the success of Boeing’s 787 with the A350 as a countermeasure, yet this proved only temporary; failing to address its superior efficiency. Boeing’s 787 has proven itself as an efficient business jet and appears destined to remain at the top of its segment of the market – reflecting their risk-taking mentality which has helped grow into one of global aerospace powerhouses.
3. The Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is its premier wide-body airliner and a modern commercial jetliner model. Offering both passenger and freighter variants, this aircraft can be found across over 60 airlines with Emirates having the most.
Airliner popularity is driven by their comfort and efficiency. Their spacious cabin allows airlines to create innovative seating arrangements to allow passengers and crew members to relax during flights, including double beds for first class passengers to ensure an ideal sleep during long flights.
Boeing has long been at the forefront of innovation since it was founded by timber merchant William E. Boeing in 1916. During World War II, they produced pursuit planes, observation craft and torpedo planes for military use; after the war though they turned their focus more towards commercial aircraft production, taking a risk with producing their 707 airplane – offering shorter flight times and more comfortable rides than any prior designs they produced!
As the 707 became more popular, Boeing recognized it would need to develop a larger aircraft to meet airline demand. They consulted with airlines and developed plans for a Boeing 767-X design that sought to increase passenger capacity, flight range and fuel efficiency – yet this wasn’t enough to compete against Airbus’s A330 and A340 models which offered greater space, more advanced flying features, lower operating costs and easier maintenance requirements.
4. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Boeing was among the pioneering companies that took a different path following World War II, shifting their emphasis from military aircraft manufacturing to developing and producing commercial airliners. This was in stark contrast to many of their competitors at that time who focused on propeller-driven aircraft instead. Boeing’s decision would prove beneficial as they secured themselves as market leaders.
Boeing needed to innovate and develop technology that gave them a competitive advantage to remain at the top of their market, which they did through open innovation with Airbus. One such resulted in creating the 787 Dreamliner jet airliner designed with enhanced efficiency.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a wide-body jet airliner designed for maximum passenger comfort. To accomplish this goal, composite materials were utilized extensively throughout its structure – this reduced weight significantly and improved fuel efficiency; as well as featuring self-monitoring systems which alert crew members if there are any problems with the aircraft itself.
The inaugural Boeing 787 Dreamliner was unveiled for public consumption in Everett, Washington in 2007. Originally it was set to make its first test flight by August 2007 and begin deliveries by May 2008. Unfortunately, engineers discovered structural flaws in its wing box joint which caused its flight to be postponed until redesign work could be completed and stress tests conducted to ensure its safety before it took flight again.
5. The Boeing 777X
The Boeing 777X is the newest member of its large wide-body jet family. Larger than current 777 models, this aircraft will boast a maximum range of 13,500 nautical miles and significantly reduced operating costs than competitors due to improved aerodynamics and fuel-efficient engines.
The 777X will come in two variants, passenger 777-8 and freighter 777-9. Both models will feature lengthened fuselages, new engines developed for the 787, as well as technology created specifically for this aircraft. Furthermore, its revolutionary folding wings will allow it to fit onto smaller airport runways more easily.
Boeing Account Representatives are working diligently around the globe signing airline customers up for this revolutionary plane – an integral step in certifying and producing it – so as to guarantee all required safety standards are met by its production.
As Boeing prepares to enter production of the Boeing 777X, they may expand their portfolio of aerospace products further. Beyond their commercial airplanes, Boeing has also been working on satellites for both civilian and military uses; participating in developing its private space rocket, Space Launch System; as well as investing in various space companies like Teledesic.
6. The Boeing 787-10
The Boeing 787-10 was unveiled as part of its Dreamliner project in 2008 and serves as a wide-body twinjet airliner that competes with aircraft such as Airbus A330neo. Due to its large size and use of advanced materials, this aircraft is very quiet compared with aircraft such as A330neo; Boeing estimates it burns 20% less fuel per passenger allowing airlines to fly longer routes with smaller fleets. As its namesake indicates, this variant features distinctive design elements such as raked wingtips and four window cockpits powered by Rolls Royce Trent 1000 high-bypass turbofan engines.
Boeing, as an aerospace giant with world-class reputation, must take calculated risks in order to innovate and remain ahead of competition. While some risks pay off more often than not, Boeing never shys away from taking risks even when the stakes are high.
Boeing initially gambled that their 787 program would prove profitable when production ramped up from two aircraft per month to ten per month at Everett and Charleston assembly lines, and profit surpassed projections. Unfortunately, problems with lithium-ion batteries caused production slowdown and eventually cessation. To break even at $32 billion spent, 1,300 planes must be sold. Luckily though, Cirium Fleets estimates 114 planes with first flight dates remaining in Boeing inventory (plus one 787-10 MSN which rolled out but hasn’t flown yet).
