-10 Has A Launch Customer For The Paris Air Show

Many may say, having an order for 30 for the  787-10 30, coming in from SIA, is a grand thing for a launch customer. However, if you are going the Paris dance, it's like taking your 1st cousin to that dance, since SIA also asked Airbus along too, tagging along with 30 more A350-9's. So with a bucket of cold water on hand, Boeing receives a shot, by not having an exclusive order with SIA, but instead a split order. They must share the glamor and ceremony with Airbus when announcing the 787-10 launch customer. Maybe SIA is not the official 787-10 launch customer? Even though Boeing stockholders like the order news. John Leahy's voice could be heard as the premier airplane heckler is sticking on Boeing like a cheap suit that was once used in a B movie from the 1940's.  To further add on to this comparison insult, it is noted that the A 350-9 will be used on SIA's long stretch routes and the 787-10 will be used on medium-range routes for SIA.  We know the 787-8,-9 are premium candidates for long routes and -10 is particularly designed for under 6,500-mile journeys.  Is it an insult to any aviation sense, if comparing the 787-10 with the Airbus A350-9 in SIA's case, a valid comparison, or any other press report for that matter! Not if you are waiting for the Princess of the dance to arrive.  The "Queen of The Skies" proudly looks on to her own Princess, the 777-X.

The 787-9 Specification Chart:

Travel Range -
8,500.00 Nautical Miles
15,742 Kilometer

Seating Chart
/ Seats -

1-Class 290, 2-Class- 250

Price: Current cost $ 243.6 million USA *

Engine - 2 X Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 Power - 70,000.00 lbf Avionics - Rockwell Collins next generation avionics Maximum Cruising Speed - 944.66 km per hr      587.00 mph Service Ceiling - 13,106.40 metres      43,000.00 feets Rate of Climb - N/A      N/A Numbers Ordered/Sold - 208		Cabin Height - 2.50 metres      8.20 feets Cabin Width - 5.49 metres      18.01 feets Cabin Length - 56.00 metres      183.72 feets Exterior Length - 63.00 metres      206.69 feets Wingspan / Rotor Diameter - 63.00 metres      206.69 feets Fuselage Diameter - 5.75 metres      18.86 feets Baggage Volume - 152.90 cubic metre      5,399.62 cubic feet
Maximum Take Off Weight - 244,944.00 kgs      540,000.00 lbs Maximum Payload - 63,957.60 kgs      141,000.00 lbs Fuel Tank Capacity - 36,693.00 gallon      138,897.68 litres Fuel Economy - 0.10 km per litre 0.23 NM per gallon Minimum Take Off Distance - 1,519.73 metres 4,986.00 feets Minimum Landing Distance - 911.96 metres 2,992.00 feets

Buying the Airbus A350 for long stretch routes instead of the Boeing 787-9 Charts as follows

Travel Range -
15,000.00 Kilometer
8,100 Nautical Miles

Seating

1 class 366, 2 classes 314

Current Cost: Current price US $ 287.7 million *

Maximum Take Off Weight - 265,004.46 kgs      584,225.00 lbs Maximum Payload - 43,499.79 kgs      95,899.00 lbs Fuel Tank Capacity - 39,630.00 gallon      150,000.00 litres Fuel Economy - 0.10 km per litre 0.24 NM per gallon Minimum Take Off Distance - 2,438.40 metres 8,000.00 feets Minimum Landing Distance - 1,219.20 metres 4,000.00 feets Engine - 2 X Rolls Royce Trent XWB Power - 87,000.00 lbf Avionics - Thales Avionics Suite Maximum Cruising Speed - 903.00 km per hr      561.12 mph Service Ceiling - 13,106.40 metres      43,000.00 feets Rate of Climb - 914.40 mpm      3,000.00 fpm Numbers Ordered/Sold - 181		Cabin Height - 2.20 metres      7.22 feets Cabin Width - 5.40 metres      17.72 feets Cabin Length - 52.00 metres      170.60 feets Exterior Length - 66.90 metres      219.49 feets Wingspan / Rotor Diameter - 64.00 metres      209.97 feets Fuselage Diameter - 5.64 metres      18.50 feets Baggage Volume - 147.20 cubic metre      5,198.32 cubic feet
What's all the fuss with 777X can be seen easily with the A350 numbers, which will be exceeded by both the 777-8X and -9X. They will exceed the A350 completely and compliment the 787-9 and -10 allowing customer to explore markets and evolve without having excessive capacities go unused for those types of customer markets.  SIA recognizes this specifically, with its medium range markets. If they added a 787-9 order for long range routes it would not fully utilize route capacity that the A350-9 would. Plus the waiting list is long on the 787-9 as well as the A350-9, but an Airbus order now solves the lack of not having a defined 777-9X even announced, so they opted for the Airbus A350-9 that is frozen in design and being built. SIA knows it will take time to deliver the A-350-9’s, as it has not even flown yet. But the 777-X on the drawing boards would not be that far behind.  Boeing is chomping at the bit to launch this year. When that happens, then the customer puzzle will have solutions, for customer consideration in 2014 sales cycle, otherwise SIA could have made an all Airbus order at this time. This split order signals an additional waiting period for Boeing to introduce the 777X, with specs and ranges and customer configurations. 2014 may validate SIA’s strategy for Boeing’s line of aircraft. They (SIA) may have actually held back on this current order, leaving room for the future. SIA is still talking with Boeing and that is not necessarily "787 talk". This time opportunity, given Boeing, allows for its 777X unannounced program more progression towards maturity, even though SIA committed $17 billion USD today. The A-350’s order will fill an immediate equipment inventory pacing for future SIA's near term market strategy, This window of time requires the A350 testing to go as planned for Airbus during this critical development stage, does not allow for risks evolving during A350 next step. However, Boeing shadows these types of orders with the 777X. The 777-300ER 2004 Specifications (Not the 777-X, Which Promises More enhanced advantages which would neutralize Airbus A350 marketing in-roads into Boeing, and keep it centered on its most loyal Airbus customers in the future orders). Travel Range - 14,685.00 Kilometer 7,930 Nautical Miles Seating Chart / Seats - 1 class -550, 2 class -451, 3 class-365  Price: Current Cost $ 315 million USA *  Engine - 2 X General Electric GE90-115B Power - 115,000.00 lbf Avionics - Honeywell Avionics Maximum Cruising Speed - 944.66 km per hr      587.00 mph Service Ceiling - 13,136.88 metres      43,100.00 feets Rate of Climb - 914.40 mpm      3,000.00 fpm Numbers Ordered/Sold - 479 Cabin Height - 2.20 metres      7.22 feets Cabin Width - 5.86 metres      19.23 feets Cabin Length - 59.24 metres      194.35 feets Exterior Length - 73.90 metres      242.45 feets Wingspan / Rotor Diameter - 64.80 metres      212.60 feets Fuselage Diameter - 6.19 metres      20.31 feets Baggage Volume - 200.00 cubic metre      7,062.94 cubic feet Maximum Take Off Weight - 351,540.00 kgs      775,000.00 lbs Maximum Payload - 66,770.00 kgs      147,201.14 lbs Fuel Tank Capacity - 47,890.00 gallon      181,282.81 litres Fuel Economy - 0.07 km per litre 0.16 NM per gallon Minimum Take Off Distance - 3,200.40 metres 10,500.00 feets Minimum Landing Distance - 2,133.60 metres 7,000.00 feets The Princess and her court will announce soon.

Boeing Completes Plug And Play on Its 787 Battery

The  battery debacle is now in the rearview mirror for the Boeing 787.  This milestone of regroup and deploy is over for the customer aircraft already parked around the world. Mission accomplished on time and maybe a little ahead of the first schedule announced earlier this year.  When predictions of how long it will take is asked by all at the press conference held earlier this year, Boeing confidently expressed its sentiments on the issue without know if anymore mishaps would occur.

Here is the scorecard posted by Komo News:

Boeing: All 787s now retrofitted with new battery systems

"SEATTLE - The Boeing Co. has now finished installing the new 787 battery system in all 50 of the delivered airplanes that required a retrofit, company officials said.

Randy Tinseth, vice president, marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said six of the eight airlines with 787s in their fleets have now returned the jetliners to passenger service. The others are expected to follow in a matter of a few days."

Full Press Points From Komo:

• Ethiopian Airlines was the first to return its 787 aircraft to the skies. Air India and Qatar Airways restarted flights soon after.

• United Airlines, the only U.S. company with the 787 in its fleet, put its planes back in air on May 20. The airline, based in Chicago, said it will use 787s on shorter domestic flights before resuming international flying June 10 with new Denver-to-Tokyo service as well as temporary Houston-to-London flights. It's adding flights to Tokyo, Shanghai, and Lagos, Nigeria, in August.

• Poland's LOT Airlines plans to return its 787s back into service on Saturday.

• Smoldering batteries on two 787s owned by Japan-based airlines prompted authorities to ground the planes in January. The failure of Boeing's newest, flashiest and most important plane embarrassed the company and its customers.

• The two battery incidents in January included an emergency landing of one plane, and a fire on another. Federal authorities lifted the grounding order on April 19 but it has taken Boeing and the airlines a few more weeks to fix most of them.

• The incidents never caused any serious injuries. But the January grounding embarrassed Boeing and disrupted schedules at the eight airlines that were flying the planes. The company had delivered 50 of the planes worldwide.

• The 787 uses more electricity than any other jet. And it makes more use of lithium-ion batteries than other jets to provide power for things like flight controls and a backup generator when its engines are shut down. Each 787 has two of the batteries.

• Boeing Co. never did figure out the root cause of the battery incidents. Instead, it redesigned the battery and its charger. The idea was to eliminate all of the possible causes, 787 chief engineer Mike Sinnett said.

• The changes include more heat insulation between each cell and charging the battery to a lower maximum voltage.

• Boeing never stopped making 787s, but deliveries were halted. They resumed in mid-May, and Boeing has since delivered two planes, both with the new battery system.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The view from the rear view mirror has Boeing issuing directives for its battery and electrical systems suppliers to work on root cause solutions. By identify actual data that prove a source for thermal runaway. If lowering electrical spike tolerances from its generator through having limiting controls with its electrical flow to the battery, then Boeing may have indirectly found a contributing cause if no instances of thermal runaway shows on the battery.  This type of spiking may damage vulnerable cells from its battery maker. A vulnerable cell may have some weakness created during manufacturing which would leave it open to surges and shorting in the the cell.  Over time the battery degrades with a constant  electrical workload with a less capable battery, which will accelerate the battery's lack of functionality in an ever increasing failure rate, until it reaches the thermal runaway point. To put it simply, the battery is "now" protected by a narrower voltage range, so no electrical surge will short circuit cell structures. Which surging and shorting leads to an ever increasing weaken battery and then eventually thermal runaway.  

The manufacturer must redouble its effort in quality control to give assurances on Battery cell structure promising that it does not have working vulnerabilities in its battery, which could lead to causal failures through in-cell electrical shorts under extreme loads. Those shorts Takes it further below the battery's ability to receive inputs from the generator and continue its distribution of battery power to its systems while on the ground. 

Boeing has position itself by doing what it can control regarding the Lithium-ion battery from the back end of this technology progression. Through a role of: Boeing is basically the Fire Marshal, for this enterprise. It doesn't hold solutions over root cause, but it can assure its customers they get home safely. Hence, the stainless steel fire box, expunging of toxic fumes, and denial of oxygen to any potential fire or heat source. They can fly this aircraft anywhere in the world without the battery that falls into distress and failure. The FAA knows this, that is why they let it back in the air without documenting the Root Cause, or not issuing a particular fix to that unknown cause.  However, Boeing and partners have narrowed it down to several ways a battery has thermal runaway (fails). Resulting with heat, fire, and smoke, during operations on the ground or in the air.  They have put the battery in a safe place for its passengers, no matter what an incident cause could be! 

Will thermal runaway ever occur again?  That is the multi billion dollar question. Boeing believes they have addressed all contingent possibilities of any Battery root cause failures, even to the point of a total failure battery during flight. They can safely fly and land this aircraft during any battery event. Just as if it were sound and normal for its passengers. No one will come running out of the cockpit to check systems and problems, but the captain will  remain calm and in control while shifting to secondary systems seamlessly.  I really believe that thermal runaway will not occur on the 787 again. I also believe since they have evidence of what a failure looks likes, they will be able to isolate what the real root cause is, and make the advanced batteries and electrical solutions. Then it will put this issue into the history books. In the meantime, a thermal runaway will only occur in the future, if a new conditions unknown to anyone arises. That condition would be different than the possibilities that were recently identified, and addressed on this recent battery and systems modifications.

The Boeing 787 is a Joy to fly, fly-on and fly over your community.

Speculating Through Blogger Spectacles On Paris, 787-10 and 777X

Some Aviation writer specialist types are thinking, rightly so, the Boeing will address the 777X at a big blowout in Dubais' airshow this fall.

Analyst: Boeing could launch 787-10X at Paris Air Show, but ... They start with "But".... I'll start with... However, Boeing has two trump cards to play at the Paris Air Show. The 787-10 and 777-X.  The launch customer gets to decide.   Boeing could do the Paris Air Show for the 777 X, but would stand back on the announce per request of the Arab launch customers.  A  Tightly held secret by both Boeing and "Customer (s). Airbus has ran its offering to the playground fence and is chiding Boeing about bringing a bigger playground ball to the Park and Fly held in Paris.  So I contemplated if I were some Big Time Boeing Exec , CEO Like, what would I do in this gamesmanship of airplanes held at the biggest stage or at the Biggest customer's stage in announcing what will go down at Paris. My two hole cards are in play. I want to win the hand and I don't want to double down with both the -10 or X cards at the same time. I want to use the the X Card after Airbus plays its -9 Bus at Paris and trump it later with some high paying jackpot. Boeing has sloughed and bluffed for the Paris Card Table with the X.  After thinking about the above article link, it is logical to think that a 2020 timeline airplane can wait to play its trump card for the Launch Customer (s) in Dubais. Here is what Boeing will throw into the pot at Dubai's these extra Chips. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dubai Chip Pot for Boeing: Launch Customers...  Customer Configurations of what is needed and wanted. More advance engineering points locked down on the 777-X A duopoly of launch Customers, one for the 8X and One for 9X Innovation, range, and efficiency milestones not yet firmed for Paris will show up for Dubai. An earlier prediction made by LiftnDrag was the 777-x went underground and won't  emerge until Airbus A350 is all in so its off to Dubai. Airbus will be "all in" with the pot at Paris, Boeing Takes the Pot at Dubai. Now for the 787-10 at Paris If I were CEO for the week: I would reread Aspires Article if April 24, 2013 for a warm-up: Boeing Dreamliner Is A Dream Come True, Again "As the modification work began on 10 fleet and 9 production aircraft, which will be completed on the bulk of the fleet by mid-May, Boeing could finally put behind and look beyond the latest fiasco, get the focus right on the production ramp-up to 10 aircraft per month by the end of this year, introducing the stretched and significantly improved 787-9 variant in early 2014, as well as launching the highly sought-after 323-seat double-stretched 787-10X variant, where a latent demand is awaiting to be unleashed to replace the 777-200ER, Airbus A330-200s and -300s in one fell swoop. Provided that Boeing execute well on these challenging but not insurmountable tasks, a big ‘if’ after earning a serious black eye in its perennial delivery delays and the latest battery grounding episode, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner could well be a dream come true for the Chicago-based airframer again."

Is the power point working, Okay, good.

First slide:

Faux Quotes from CEO LiftnDrag

"Let me just say our competitors can't cover all the bases at the same time because they don't know what we know. They are still presuming the A350 series and A330 plus customer loyalty will rule the week. Let's go down the bullet points on powerpoint!"  (light laughter).....

First up on the list is...

• The 787-10 Launch Customer announcement for Paris.

Fly on the wall note by LnD: "I have know idea who that may be. In fact I haven't found a sniff of a clue.  But if they are going to announce at Paris they have one bagged by now, and are awaiting the big stage. Here are the usual suspects lined up in profile in the bright spot light lineup room for the witnesses.

ANA

Qantas

New Zealand

Lan

Arab Nations

And BA.

The CEO has someone whisper into his ear at this time and all you get is a smile.

Next slide

• Boeing brings a band to Paris as the CEO quips, "is the music arranged as well as the  Balloons".

Next slide: 

Announces new orders for the Max is on tap and should establish parity with the competitor.

• The 737 Max and NG have an additional 100 orders, ...

"who will run that presentation?"

Now onto the 777X, we are going to be very careful on this presentation. This is this years game changer.

Next slides:

• The 777X will have 300 orders by the end of the year but no announcement on the launch customer until Dubai.
• The 777-X presentation includes all "A350 beater" stats. Sales has the presentation.
• 777-X innovations presentations, is the teaser for the Dubai show.

China Figures Out The 787 Is Ready, Is No Coincidence

Finally China Southern, Hainan and The Aviation branch, are extremely positioned for receiving the 787.  Boeing company has another linchpin fall into place to remove its backlog. Is this all coincidence or something more expedient for all players.  I believe the Chinese did a very wise thing in waiting for everything to play out, before validating and accepting the 787 airline rather than pushing for an earlier delivery date.

China Issues Type Certification for Boeing 787

I am far from the first, about posting this news. but I enjoyed thinking what's in play for both partners, with the here and now. Here are few of those thoughts. Now is the time to post thoughts about China, Southern and Hainan.

• China has had extensive time to examine this model and note how it can be done.
• Boeing lets no secrets out and uses advance aeronautical expertise flow through the 787.
• China has extra money "time banked" and fluffed for spending.
• Boeing delivers its most complete and fixed version after the great 787 fire is out.
• China is smart to have waited for all pieces to come to them, and now they need to hand out those pieces.
• Boeing is in a good position now to move a lot of 787 product.
• China needs a lot of product while it certified the 787- because its JIT (Just In Time).

Chinese aviation is getting off the pot and cutting bait on its certification, they had already completed its extensive review, but held Boeing at bay until they could maximize the moment.  Boeing understands this kind of decision making and it has prepared a way for these airlines to really seek out big numbers in sales over the next decade. It will take Boeing the next few years to work through the order-book with standing orders. The next rush of orders from its committed following, will come when financial numbers start trickling in from airline customers using this product. When that happens you may see others currently not committed, hurry in for its first time orders before they get pushed back the end of the Boeing Order Queue. Spring of 2014 will test Boeing's production strategy. If at the end of 2013 they deliver 75 787 during 2013, this will tear down resistance from having an uncertain new aircraft, and emphasizes the importance of "getting on board the order train", sooner rather than later.

China Southern and Hainan make two of those customers seeing 787's market value intersecting with its ordering queue regarding the 787. They can take on another 100 orders each, once crunching some early operational numbers. It would be perfect for them to get into that order queue, as the balance of its own first group is delivered in 2014.

So here comes some numbers, Order Queue currently at about 800, 787-8-9's

• At the end of 2013 Order Queue will be about 725 with the current 787 order book
• At the end of 2014 Order Queue of about 630 with the current order book, and  then the order demand will increase the second half of 2014 because there is a push to get in line.

In 2015 Boeing will have 500 or less aircraft unfilled on Boeing's current book,  if no other aircraft are ordered until then, but I would think (dangerous thing), that the 787 Boeing order book log jam will break-up, and then gain some hefty sales numbers on both the -8.-9. Maybe throw in a launch customers for the " -10"(Singapore orders 30, -10 update Paris 7//13)! However, Boeing should add to the order book another 300, putting Boeing back to a number of  about 800 by 2015. Boeing will work hard to keep a 7-8 year backlog on the 787 from that point forward, and it can be done with the 787-10. 

Maybe XWB Isn't All That XWB Next To The 777X, Ray Connor Explains

The Seattle Times has come out with a solid report on the 777X revealing Ray Connors PR assessment of comparing the A350 with the 777x in a  discussion format. I will attempt a brief reply to each of these talking points for your own consideration.

Using Seattle Times: Conner sees Boeing as top dog in wide body market.

"Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief Ray Conner declared Wednesday that the 787 has “turned the corner,” with the fix for its recent battery problem all but completely implemented and production on track to rise to 10 jets a month by year end.

At Boeing’s annual investor conference, Conner confidently predicted that the 787 and the forthcoming 777X will dominate the widebody jet market against competition from Airbus.

“We’re set to take off here in the next couple of years,” he said."

Conner indicated that both the proposed 777X and 787-10 are close to official launch.

LiftnDrag Observations: (Blue font)

The finally factor has hit the turbo fan, as stated before,  this Blog has all flight plans leading to Paris. Connor is ramping up the anticipation for a big show on schedule with this brief. Keep this brief for your notes so you may compare after the Show is over.

“Momentum on the development programs continues to intensify,” he told the audience of Wall Street analysts at the conference. “We are in a lot more detailed discussions than you guys realize with our customers.”

Conner displayed a product line chart that for the first time publicly confirmed the seating capacity of the proposed 777-8X and 777-9X variants. While the 350-seat 777 -8X will go head -to-head with Airbus’s much-touted A350-1000, the 777-9X — carrying more than 400 passengers — “will be kind of sitting there by itself” with no competitive offering from Airbus, he said."

Airbus has already been alerted to these facts long ago and is spinning its report consistently in grand fashion for its first flight worthy A-350 rendering. The hype needle moves higher for both parties. Customers alike are not hearing the rhetoric, as some kind of follow-on mantra, but are keeping its data sheets churning in computer programs.  Ray Connor is leaking lubricated sentiments about the 7778X and 7779x with a steady precision, pounding the point not in vitriolic cadence of a competitor, but of a self assured gambler with a winning hand. The momentum of 777X and 787-10 programs parallel the PR message. As the statements increase so does the progress towards the tipping point nears. The tipping point is full on details followed by sales commitments from its customers.

"It is widely expected that Boeing will launch the 787-10 — the final and largest member of the Dreamliner jet family — at the Paris Air Show next month and the 777X later in the year.

Conner said the 787-10 likely would have been launched already if not for the three-month grounding of the fleet due to the battery overheating incidents in January.

But he suggested that embarrassing interlude, while “a significant challenge,” is almost over.

“Our team responded in a way that was really phenomenal,” Conner said.

He said retrofitting the new battery systems to the worldwide fleet of 50 jets “is over 90 percent done and we should be completed by next week.”

He said airlines will finally resume their planned 787 scheduled services early next month and Boeing is sticking to its plan to deliver more than 60 Dreamliners by year end.

Speaking at a resort on Kiawah Island, outside Charleston, S.C., Conner said the two 787 fuselage fabrication plants in North Charleston are “starting to really hum,” rolling out mid-body and aft-body Dreamliner sections for the final assembly lines in Washington and South Carolina at the new 7 per month rate.

Earlier this month, the first Dreamliner rolled off the assembly line in Everett at that new production rate, putting in sight the goal of 10 per month by year end.

“The 787 is moving in the right direction,” Conner said. “We’ve had some pretty tough years. We have turned the corner.”

Okay, I can say game on and "let's get ready to rumble" (Las Vegas Boxing Ring Announcer). The 787-10' is good as launched, without saying so. Boeing has an appointment in Paris to say so. That is why I am so excited for the Paris Airshow this year.  Boeing has lined up some impressive declarations for the show. They have worked years to upstage Airbus for this moment. All the pumping up and then holding off at the last is a grand moment for the debutants, 787-10, 777X-8, and 777X-9. The Airbus A-350 is going to fly with as much verboseness as possible from John Leahy, et al. John, enjoy the moment, but your talking to number crunchers, and bean counters trying to squeeze a dime out of a nickel (cadmium battery).  The Euro Billions are at stake in June. A lot of face saving comments will flood the microphone with catchy background music. The public will say with a collective, "wow" or "cool", as it looks at airplane pictures and see the collections of  A350, 777X and 787-10 renderings.

To go beyond 10 a month, the company and its suppliers would all have to make a capital investment in new plant and equipment, said Conner. Boeing is studying that option, but won’t make any decision until it achieves the 10 per month rate, he said.

On 777X, Conner said the larger -9X variant, the one without an Airbus rival, will debut first.

And he said he’s confident the 777-8X will compete well with the A350-1000.

Conner said the -8X will fly further with 20 percent better fuel economy and 15 percent better per-seat operating costs than the current star of Boeing’s widebody line-up, the 777-300ER.

Airbus touts an even bigger efficiency jump for its equivalent sized A350-1000, saying it’s going to be 25 percent more fuel efficient than the 777-300ER.

But Conner disputed that, saying that the 777-8X “operating costs are at least on a par with what we think (Airbus) can do.”

In the question and answer session, Conner offered an unusual glimpse of how political fixing can influence the commercial airliner business.

He cited a couple of previously undisclosed factors that in March helped Airbus win a massive 234-jet narrowbody order from Lion Air of Indonesia, previously an all-Boeing customer.

Conner said that while the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration had balked at giving an operating ticket to Lion Air for a new jet maintenance facility, “it looks like they are going to get a ticket from Europe.”

In addition, he said, a ban on Lion Air flying its jets into European airports, imposed because of a poor safety record for Indonesian aviation generally, has been lifted.

Despite that Airbus win, Conner said the 737 MAX will eventually regain market share in the smaller narrowbody jet market against the A320neo jet family.

Clearly though, Boeing foresees no parity in the widebody jet market, only dominance.

“We’ve got them boxed in on A350 at the top,” Conner said."

Dominic Gates: (206) 464-2963 or dgates@seattletimes.com

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Its a wrap, let's parse through the words. In the Do-over Round:

• The 777X-9 will debut first
• The 777X-8 will compete with the A350-10 
• The 777X-8 will have a 20% fuel improvement over the 777-300-ER
• The A-350-10 will have a 25% fuel improvement over the 777-300-ER
• 777-8X “operating costs are at least on a par with what we think (Airbus) can do.”
• Lion Air Caved In on the A320 over the Boeing offering. Maintenance and new perceptions in play by Europe. Euro Government and Airbus Are getting along.

The rose colored glasses are on in Paris and the Air battles from Airbus's new perceptions and Boeings winning package (hand) will dominate the Paris Airshow kiosks throughout. Airbus needs the A-350 to land safely at the show and Boeing needs to pull its hole cards out to win the hand.