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Sunday, August 2, 2015

Boeing's Official: Seat-Range-Type Chart

Boeing has had many changes to its aircraft and especially what customer may configure each type. A "mean" has been established with Boeing on its family of aircraft. For many years they have used the same set of numbers for its family of aircraft. Since the 737 Max is being brought forward and the 787 family will reach completion in three years. Boeing is also bringing up-to-date its 777X family of aircraft for both the 777-8X and 777-9X. The data is a thumb nail of the real world of travel and what its customers really expect before purchasing a Boeing product in the listed typical configurations (2015 Assumptions).

Boeing Data
A general reduction in distance for each aircraft type is noted over its old scale of which Boeing used for many years. The updated or new data is the effective seat-range relationship it has for all its commercial aircraft. Use this for guidance when considering Boeing's family of aircraft.

Source: Flight Global

Boeing revises "obsolete" performance assumptions

WASHINGTON DC
Source: 
in 3 hour 

Its The passenger Size "Stupid"

The long discussed topic about airline seats has missed the over-arching point. It’s the passenger size stupid. Going to the demographic chart will quickly make the point. It also makes the point for purchasing which airplane makes the best sense. The average Canadian woman: Example 

1.                 153 pounds
2.    Canada: The average Canadian woman's weight is 153 pounds (69.4 kg) and height is 5' 3.4" (161 cm). Her male counterpart weighs 182 pounds (82.7 kg), and is 5' 8.5" (174 cm) tall.Dec 4, 2006.



USA Today:

USA Women


                 


                 
                USA Men




http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/ipr/grey.gif

Data
Weight
Height
Weight
Height
http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/ipr/grey.gif

1988 - 1994
152 lb
69 kg
5' 3.7"
162 cm

180
82
5' 9.1"
176 cm
http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/ipr/grey.gif

1999 - 2000
163 lb
74 kg
5' 3.8"
163 cm

190
86
5' 9.3"
176 cm
http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/ipr/grey.gif


http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/ipr/grey.gif

Canadian Women

Canadian Men
http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/ipr/grey.gif

Data
Weight
Height
Weight
Height
http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/ipr/grey.gif

2005
153 lb
69 kg
5' 3.4"
161 cm

182
83
5' 8.5"
174 cm





Wiki
By region
Region
Adult population (millions)
Average weight
Asia
2,815
57.7 kg (127.2 lb)
Europe
606
70.8 kg (156.1 lb)
Latin America and the Caribbean
386
67.9 kg (149.7 lb)
North America
263
80.7 kg (177.9 lb)


The XWB body A-350-9 looses it talking point by the time it lands in Japan. The best option becomes the 787-9 for all operations in the Orient. The human weight and dimension factors are considered for each market. Then comes the configuration metric for the airplane. The majority of the world is not North America. Boeing has long designed its 787 towards the majority in spite of the of the Airbus XWB moniker. Efficiency blended with passenger amenity is what Boeing sought for its original design. Airbus may have opted going five inches wider more for its own manufacturing convenience than passenger sentiment.


Saturday, August 1, 2015

Dog Days of Summer and Marx Brothers Plague KC-46

Scott Fancher is on board with the KC-46 probably before the summer started and the recent news has mentioned his appearance. Now that July is over we learn of bad fueling welds, miss labeled chemicals flushed through the KC-Tanker fuel tanks and lines. 

The rats are scurrying from the KC-46 shop. Its as if the Marx Brothers were in charge of the project before Fancher showed-up. Cost is a four letter word in Boeing's vernacular. 

Fancher probably has already said these words, "Cost-you, you're out-a-here". "Why don't you just Cost-off and ride the horse you rode into town with", as Francer wrung his hands. "You Mother-coster and so forth", I think you get the corporate sentiment brought to the factory floor. 

Fancher probably said to the fuel line sub contracting welders, don't let the hanger bay door hit you in the Bum on the way out. To the chemical label makers, he shouted "Graucho, Gummo,  Zeppo and Harpo, I have a job for you in Toulouse France!"

Not you are getting the sense, the Dog days of summer, comes with the AC turned way down. Have you ever seen a suit explode? It's not pretty, because they can explode your career, your family life style, and the boat to boot. If you let another sticky note "soap label" go on a sulfuric acid bottle, well it will dearly Cost You! Things are changing for Boeing in August. Starting today, a new sheriff is in Boeing town. The Pegasus project is pummeled into shape starting today. August 1, 2015.


Scott Fancher is On Mission possible, Pegasus
Image result for Punching the side of an airplane

Friday, July 31, 2015

Boeing Progress Report July 31, 2015


The below reports are  not final, as of July 31, which has not closed. However, it is an accurate thumbnail sketch of  the first month of Quarter III. My own Boeing expectations for the 787 segment, builds on the various loose ends remaining before the end of 2015, while filling the 787 program again. Expectations are set for a Qantas 787 confirmation placement before year's end. There remains multiple possibilities for add-on 787 orders since customer's initial orders have been delivered and have been in operation for some years. Creating an expectation of 787-10 orders and additional 787-9 orders before year's end. This report demonstrates  Boeing's capability for both Order Book status and delivery consistency, inferring a guidance on Boeing's ability for more 787 Orders remaining in 2015 making these numbers conventional expectations. 

Chart: 7-2015-1
* YTD numbers

The above chart 1 indicates an order opportunity for those who are prime for fleet enhancements (only 25 net orders). Such as Qantas who have indicated it is waiting for its "ship to come in" during 2015, then it will fill out commitments for 50 787-9's as confirmed. There remains some opportunity for 787-10's this year. The second half of 2015 will be robust for the 787 as Winging It, has long since believed, 2015 will become a separation point from its competitor in sales and delivery. 2015, will be a strong 787 order year with a reduction of backlog at the same time. 


Chart 7-2015-2:


The order book status remains higher than what it was during its first production year in 2011 even after 304 787's are delivered. 

Chart: 7-2015-3



Production Management is extremely pleased with a steady 90 day delivery pace of about 12, 787's each month. It indicates Boeing is serious with its goals of 12 787's a month, in-spite of any road blocks. It is achieving a difficult pace, which a competitor will find hard to duplicate in any circumstance. 

Chart: 7-2015-4

The 90 day moving average is a long term measure which adjusts the production flow over three months into one number. All road bumps during ninety days are smoothed into this number in Chart 4.

A 90 day moving average 11.667 units a month, says what will happen over time as Boeing delivers almost 12-787's a month pace, every month. Customers are loving this particular talking point. Any Customer sensitivity towards financial uncertainty, disrupts its own operations. It needs to know when its  aircraft will become ready for delivery, so it is ready to complete the 200 million dollar purchase with its operations, finances, and with its own flying customer's. The moving average of about 12 units a month has become the norm, and a customer will need to arrange with the bank for its next delivery at a specified time. Any customer now knows that it has to have a plan in place by having all its own moving parts from logistics to crew training at least planned one year ahead of a certain delivery date. However, this can frustrate Boeing also, when a customer meets its own bump in the road before delivery, as often is the case. The customer can gum up the Boeing production line with its own problems of not being ready or having financial goals met.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

KC-46 Will Not Be Your Father's F-22 Procurement Debacle

Boeing is making serious moves in its demonstration for the DOD, why they choose Boeing wisely. What's at stake is not the KC-46 Pegasus program, but a genuine effort in preparation for the next Boeing bid. Part of that preparation is company integrity, leadership and delivery of mission accomplished. Boeing is stepping ahead of any avalanche coming down from on top of them during the KC-46 project.

Normally, writing about the KC-46 is a summer past time, but this is really an important change in corporate responsibility coming from Boeing. They really can't stand Airbus and its A-330 offering for a tanker. Scott Fancher, the company's head of development programs at Commercial Airplanes, is standing in the middle of the KC-46 program for one purpose, and one purpose only. Deliver the program on time exceeding all military expectations for this tanker.


This is the corporate specialist on board, and will be taking names and overseeing the program. Nobody is on the hot seat, yet! He is Boeing's point man for mission accomplished. Something important is going on in Boeing's scheme of military thing's and the KC-46 is the stepping stone to that import goal. Perhaps a sizable drone contract has an unannounced RFP in the formation, and Boeing wants to add a due diligence criteria coming from completing its KC-46 Pegasus mission, as on time and meeting all expectations.


Boeing Shuffles Leadership for Struggling KC-46 Program


By Aaron Mehta6:21 p.m. EDT July 30, 2015  Defense News

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Make Flying Fun and Passengers Will Come.

An Airline Like Scoot has captured an inspired theme with its Yellow Gold livery. It has to compete with the Big Boys and Girls of the sky. By 2019 it will have Twenty 787 of both types supplanting its former fleet dichotomy.

Image result for Scoot 787-9

Fly Scoot.Com starts the fun theme. Tech savvy customers see the nuance in the .com painted on the airline. The 375 seat 787-9 has a party theme of everybody is here for the party. The 335 passenger 787-8 seating theme, is about: "shush, don't tell anybody else, we're good". The party is started when the bright Yellow/Gold lands. Everyone not flying on Scoot notices the illuminated incursion on the flight line.
787-9 375 Seats


This isn't the first time Winging It has featured a Scoot photo or aircraft and it won't be the last time. I also had a hankering for Ethiopian's 787's, when it took off. What caught my eye is its livery that just looks like fun "E" ticket ride. Scoot is considering going west as far as London. It was or is, a small airline on the grand scheme of things. It's rubbing shoulders with the China barrage of options in the region. Qantas is also looking over its shoulders whether to order up 787-9's.

787-8 335 Seats


However, Scoot is making it possible for its plan now, with its handful of 787 in Scoot Livery. It looks fun flying Scoot. It turned my head in an airport full of Blue hued aircraft liveries sitting idol while waiting for passengers. I just wanted to fly on the Yellow-Gold Bird. I wanted to change my ticket to the yellow livery, and have a little fun. I'm an impulsive traveler. with a penchant for loyalty with what works. Yellow-Gold really works on my brain.

Over-stressing On 787 Occurances

From time to time something happens to the 787. For that matter from time something happens to every other Airplane model in existence. It may be metal fatigue or an anomaly found on its fight systems such as the A-330 found in a dicey situation flying over the Atlantic when it was lost coming out of Brazil to Paris. You may know it as Air France flight #442. Either way it was a disaster. Somehow every time a 787 gets a nick in the bonnet, it headlines and the doom and gloom come out to play with the 787.

Recently it was a hail storm on a 787: From Daily Mail

American Airlines' new Dreamliner jet was pummeled by hail, 'dropped hundreds of feet' and was forced to return to Beijing
·       Texas-bound Flight 88 carrying 209 passengers and a crew of 13 on board returned to Beijing after sustaining hail damage 44 minutes into the trip
·       American has seven Dreamliners, which carry a list price of $224.6million each 
·       Plane's fuselage and wings are made from carbon-fiber composite material instead of aluminum to reduce weight
·       Delta Air Lines Flight 159 from Detroit to Seoul, South Korea, had its nose badly battered by hail while flying over China in June 

Word Play headlines from “Forbes” conjures up this image:

American Airlines' 787 Dreamliner Nightmare

"American Airlines probably thought it was making the right move when it bought seven Boeing 787 Dreamliners. After all, as I noted in my book, You Can’t Order Change, the $166 million 250 to 330 seat aircraft was known for using 20% less fuel — thus the profits from filling them up would be higher.

But that was before American Airlines Flight 88 flew through a hailstorm outside of Beijing on July 27. The result was a punched-in nose that will keep the aircraft on the ground for now.

However, I think the Forbes opinion piece is hogwash over the nose cone. It can be replaced, it can be fixed, and it just happens as all in aircraft flights. The plastic model expects hail, sleet and Ice. It also plans on having bumps on the ground. So when that happens the news flow over to the doom and gloom committee for a thorough vetting. Wall Street is not grabbing its umbrella and jumping off the nearest bridge. Read the Forbes article if it even added anything of value before you leap to an untimely conclusion about the plastic airplane."

The maturation process of the 787 is a work in progress of its all new technology. It will fly under all conceivable conditions. It can be repaired with all conceivable damage. Note the Ethiopian 787 crown fire was a first time unknown on how to repair.  It flies on just the same. The American Airlines hail incident is a 787 bloody nose during a hail storm and not a night mare as dared click on the headline, where the reader expects doom and gloom.


Monday, July 27, 2015

EX-IM: The X's and Ohhh's Team Meeting

Boeing is the unwanted guest as the congressional table for funding the EX-IM; Vision: Give equal opportunity for world competitor's through gaining financial access to American trade good's, otherwise fair competition would not exist with the world's market place.

EX-IM Mission summary: Ex-Im Bank, an independent, self-sustaining federal agency, helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in export financing and strengthening U.S. export competitiveness. The Bank provides a variety of financing products, including working capital guarantees to help small and medium-sized U.S. businesses, export-credit insurance to protect against nonpayment by foreign buyers, and loan guarantees and direct loans to assist foreign buyers of U.S. goods and services.

Sounds reasonable, what's not to like? This was at the small business level featuring a discussion of how small business can grow from third world regions accessing US markets.

The EXIM vision Seminar  you must read it to discuss it. Otherwise forgetaboutit!!

The Congress has politicized this notion in a Frank Sinatra way by "Doing It My Way", lyrical rebuke, while not extending the EXIM in 2015. Boeing says, "these are our customers your talking about" "Kapeesh?" A liberal likes it and that's good enough for a conservative to say no! So Conservatives checked the vote for and against list twice and voted no more EXIM funding, just because, thinking is so hard when you are in congress.

Somewhere In The paper Work Is The 300th 787 Delivered

Boeing now has delivered the 300th 787 but today also marks the 302nd 787 delivered when just this early morning they showed only 297's on books, out of this afternoon's adjusted total of 302 units in customers hands. Yesterday the stock price  went up on the "corporate writing pens commodity", as the auto pen machine handled initials all over a ream of Boeing paper-work. Four 787's were delivered today, of which one of its number became the distinguished 300th 787 delivered.

July 26th:

Customer Name, Type,    delivery #

Air Canada      787-   9-         298

July 27th:
         
Etihad              787-  9-          ?
Vietnam           787-  9-          ?
ANA                787-  9-          ?
United              787-  9-          ?

Saturday, July 25, 2015

THE USN DDG Fleet

Going old school isn't a bad thing. But not out pacing an adversary is a bad thing! China not technically an adversary nor is Russia, as both are gaining some high sea advantage as they try imposing dominance over the US Navy. China is building Islands and ships for the South China Sea, and Russia is finding its Mojo again with a submarine Navy. The USN finds itself in the maelstrom of international intent once again. The DDG class Arleigh-Burke is the USN sword. Its Ohio class Nuclear Subs is the boot on any adversarial nation's neck.

Since the DDG Zumwalt withdrawal, by stopping at three of its stealthy types, the retrofitted Arleigh-Burke bears the load of primary naval surface defense and offense. Aircraft Carriers are floating airports and DDG (destroyers) are a fighting Blue water surface vessel, or a misbehaving littoral combat incursion. Its very significance for our Navy cannot be overlooked. Nor can the Navy under appreciate its importance by letting it rust until a scheduled retirement. The older generation DDG framework is being built fresh today for renewing the fleet. First one up: 

May 2, 2015 The John Finn Is Christened 



Here are 10 things to know about the future USS John Finn and her namesake:

John William Finn
John William Finn
1. The future USS John Finn is the 63rd Arleigh Burke class destroyer, and the first of the DDG 51 Flight IIA restart ships.
2. The destroyer was named in honor of Lt. John William Finn, who as a Chief Petty Officer served at Naval Air Station Kanoehe Bay, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941 during the Japanese air raid that struck that facility and others on Oahu.
3.  While under heavy machine gun fire, chief aviation ordnanceman Finn manned a .50-caliber machinegun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp.  Painfully wounded multiple times, he had to be convinced to leave his post.  After receiving first aid treatment, he overcame the severe pain of his injuries and returned to the squadron area to supervise the rearming of returning planes. 
4. DDG 113 will be capable of engaging in air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and will contain a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare including Integrated Air and Missile Defense capabilities.
5. DDG 113 will be equipped with the Navy’s Aegis Combat System, the world’s foremost integrated naval weapons system.
6. At age 100, Finn was the oldest surviving recipient of the nation’s highest medal for valor and the only recipient still alive among those who received the medal for actions during the attack of Dec. 7, 1941.
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Dec. 12, 2007)  Medal of Honor recipient Lt. John Finn (Ret.) pays his respects to the Sailors and Marines killed aboard USS Arizona during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Dec. 12, 2007) Medal of Honor recipient Lt. John Finn (Ret.) pays his respects to the Sailors and Marines killed aboard USS Arizona during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
 7. In June 1942, Finn was temporarily commissioned as an Ensign, rising in rank to Lieutenant two years later.
8.  USS John Finn will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection.
9. John William Finn passed away on May 27, 2010.
10. As part of the DDG 51 Flight IIA ships, Finn will provide increased capabilities over previous flights of Arleigh Burke destroyers, including advances in anti-submarine warfare, command and control, and anti-surface warfare.
John Finn DDG 113 590 px

By starting with DDG 51 and going consecutively through #119, consider each subsequent build an improvement over the prior number. The US Navy is on version #119. Version #51 is retrofitted on a decade to decade progression until its retirement.


Flight IIA: Restart
John FinnDDG-113Ingalls Shipbuilding28 March 2015[67]Launched
Ralph JohnsonDDG-114Ingalls ShipbuildingKeel laid[68]
Rafael PeraltaDDG-115Bath Iron WorksKeel laid[69]
Flight IIA: Technology Insertion
Thomas HudnerDDG-116Bath Iron WorksKeel Laid
Paul IgnatiusDDG-117Ingalls ShipbuildingKeel Laid[70]
Daniel InouyeDDG-118Bath Iron WorksKeel Laid[71]
Delbert D. BlackDDG-119Ingalls ShipbuildingKeel Laid[72]
DDG-120Bath Iron WorksContract awarded (MYP)
DDG-121Ingalls ShipbuildingContract awarded (MYP)
DDG-122Bath Iron WorksContract awarded (MYP)
DDG-123Ingalls ShipbuildingContract awarded (MYP)
Flight III
DDG-124Bath Iron WorksContract awarded (MYP)
DDG-125Ingalls ShipbuildingContract awarded (MYP)
DDG-126Bath Iron WorksContract awarded (MYP
Wikipedia Chart


At left, the hull of the second ship in the class, the Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), is coming together. At right is the Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), first of the latest batch of Arleigh Burke DDG 51-class destroyers under construction at Bath. Similar ships are built in Mississippi at Ingalls Shipbuilding.

At left, the hull of the Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), second ship in the class, is coming together. At right is the Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), first of the latest batch of Arleigh Burke DDG 51-class destroyers under construction at Bath. Similar ships are built in Mississippi at Ingalls Shipbuilding.


The DDG51 Realm of Battle is "pretty" (nasty)
Aegis-class destroyer USS Hopper (DDG-70) launches a standard missile (SM) 3 Blk IA during a 2009 exercise. US Navy Photo
Aegis-class destroyer USS Hopper (DDG-70) launches a standard missile (SM) 3 Blk IA during a 2009 exercise. US Navy Photo

So, DDG119 should be something special! However, the DDG 1000 is something featured on Winging It, because it’s so advanced like the 787, it can't bear comparison with  "another" Navy, because even comparing a status quo DDG family member is even incomparable with the DDG1000. The stuff DDG1000 has, won't exist on the newest DDG119. 

In fact some other temperamental Navy's across the oceanic broad expanse, may attempt to keep up with the US Navy's Delbert D. Black DDG119 just laid keel. The pivot to the Orient is in a ship yard near you.



Its DDG 119 Keel Laying Day, about July 21, 2015 
Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) Start Fab

Below: DDG 115 Artists Rendering
ArdleighBurke2

What was said About the DDG115, at its Ceremonial  Start: "“While this keel-laying marks an important step in our construction process, we are focused today in welcoming the Peralta as the newest members of our Bath Iron Works family. Mrs. Peralta, Karen and Icela, we are honored to have you here, and stand in deep appreciation of your son and brother’s ultimate service to our nation,” Kenyon said. “Over the coming months, we will continue to build the Rafael Peralta with knowledge and expertise honed over the decades. She will be a true and steady vessel and will reflect the spirit of her namesake.”



The DDG 119 will advance the "Peralta, DDG115" by tweaking lessons learned during Peralta's build process, and as it installs the newest proven advances in military systems since earlier DDG51. The DDG119 will rule for another 20 years. It's a "concurrency only within its step progression" coming from prior builds, and developed by time for its systems. It's not a concurrency testing model sitting confused during an ongoing ship build. Its pure deep Blue water, even while the Navy's builder's floats another stop loss program. Such as the DDG1000 series, failed attempt from its own continuous upgrading and military do-overs imposed. Its continuous money flow for spending has now stopped on with this new DDG ship series at three ships.


Note: the DDG1000 series is a long term 4.6 Billion dollar build scope with a stop loss impounding it. It then becomes a true Taxpayer money pit not serving the nation well at this time! The Zumwalt Cookie cutter productions are just another ten years away for the DDG1000 family, at which time the Arleigh-Burke, becomes more of a needed spear handle than the Spear Point, in its assigned warfare battle scope, The Zumwalt class, also becomes the next "Pretty (nasty)".

Always improving model is admirable, and should be "always part of the plan", from a ship's dock cradle to the scrap-metal program. However, "the always tinkering model" is also madness in the shop. A war starts at 3:00 AM, and not the three years down the road of tinkering, as allowed under "always tinkering" program of concurrency, or after its sea trial completion with a, "it's still unreliable underneath its tinkering rating”. War is today and yesterday, not when a DDG model could be readied for combat during the next eighteen months of war? The DDG51's is ready at this time and its still very good, and it's comfortably the best today, and ready for Yesterday around the world!

This is why the Navy wisely steps back into the Arleigh -Burke era with the newest proven systems. Where 99% of the world's nations can't match it. It's keeping smartly ahead of all potential adversarial Navies. The current DDG has some lethal secrets yet deployed.  

Here is what the Navy Hints at on the next 14 DDG51's, #113-#123. While going further with its Flight III block point build found in #124-#126, as currently funded. 


"The Navy plans to introduce the first DDG 51 Flight III on the second ship in FY 2016. Once Flight III requirements are approved, the new baseline will be implemented as an engineering change proposal. It is anticipated that the Flight III design will replace 


  • the Aegis AN/SPY-1D radar with the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR),
  • and provide for more electrical power and cooling capacity, 
  • providing the next generation of integrated air and missile defense 
  • and joint battle space awareness."



After Shock Section:


Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer (DDG-51) under construction. HII Photo











"Ingalls Shipbuilding launched the first destroyer in four years at its yard in Pascagoula, Miss., on Saturday, marking the return of the ship class after being stopped and then restarted.
John Finn (DDG-113) is the 63rd Arleigh Burke-class (DDG-51) destroyer and the first of the Flight IIA restart ships being built by Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW).
“This is the first DDG-51 class ship to launch in almost four years, and we’re both proud and excited with the progress the program is making,” DDG-51 program manager Capt. Mark Vandroff said in a Navy statement.
“I look forward to John Finn joining the fleet and the other ships of her class to continue in the legacy of success that is the Arleigh Burke destroyer.”
"The Navy decided in July 2008 to restart the DDG-51 production line and limit the newer DDG-1000 ship class to only three ships. As a Flight IIA destroyer, the ship will be outfitted with the Aegis Combat System and engage in air, undersea and surface warfare and ballistic missile defense. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2016, the Navy will upgrade the ships to a Flight III configuration, which will include the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR).
The Navy needs this ship, even if it is in order to pull one DDG51, into an off duty status for upgrading it, making it advanced just like this new John Finn will soon sail with the newest advanced installations.