Improvements To Engines, Structure Foreseen

What is Boeing's plan to combat the suddenly two-fisted threat posed by Airbus's recently announced, revamped A350 family? As Aero-News reported earlier this week, Airbus intends the new A350 to compete not only with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, but also the older but still VERY popular 777.

So far, Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Alan Mulally says... the company intends to meet the challenge with a series of continuous improvements to the older plane... similar to Boeing's strategy over the past 40 years on the smaller 737. And while Boeing now looks towards replacing that venerable narrowbody with an all-new design -- based on composite technology developed for the Dreamliner -- Mullally says a full redesign is not in the cards for the larger 777 widebody.

That's not to say the 777 won't see some Dreamliner-spec improvements, though, to its manufacturing processes, engines or even parts of its structure... especially if those improvements help to improve the Triple-7s efficiency.

Already, Mulally says, the Everett, WA plant that makes the 777 is switching to a moving production line to speed construction... but the overall message from Boeing, for now, is that it will take its time in improving its most popular aircraft... making sure the changes make sense before jumping in.

FMI: www.boeing.com