A brand-new 747-830 slated for Lufthansa lands after a test flight at Paine Field in January 2014. Photo: Andre Nordheim – OPShots Contributor
The 747-8 has given Boeing more than one reason for concern. But a renewed sales push and technical upgrades are intended to ensure production rates can slowly increase again.
Boeing is “very close” to reaching deals in sales campaigns for the 747-8 that would fill some empty production slots in 2016. “We want to be back at rate 1.75,” says 747 Vice President and General Manager Eric Lindblad. He declines to disclose the exact split between freighters and passenger aircraft but adds that “there are a lot of Intercontinentals in the conversations that we are having.”
According to industry sources, Boeing is talking to up to four airlines in Asia and Europe about a potential order for the type. By contrast, Lindblad concedes that demand for the freighter version is still weak: “The freight market has to become better before we see a ton of activity.” Boeing is currently at a rate of 1.5 aircraft per month. “We expect the market to be in parity [equal sales of passenger and freighter aircraft] by 2016. That’s when we expect freighter sales to pick back up,” Lindblad says.
via Boeing Aims To Build 747-8s Faster | Commercial Aviation content from Aviation Week.
