Archives

Click here for Randy Baseler archives

Below is a listing of all entries posted to Randy Tinseth's Journal, with excerpts.

  • February 2012

    • Taking a breather

      As we head toward the weekend, I’m catching my breath before what promises to be a very busy stretch going into the Singapore Airshow. First of all, I wanted to step back and say a huge thanks to Aer Lingus...

    • White room with a view

      There’s something very elegant about an airplane painted in simple white. And when that airplane just happens to be the first 747-8 Intercontinental scheduled for delivery, it’s even more beautiful. The Intercontinental being readied for delivery conducted its first flight...

  • January 2012

    • Already legendary

      I’m just back from Dublin, Ireland where the 787 Dream Tour made another impressive stop. Hello from Ireland! I’ve used many adjectives over the years to describe the 787. Now there’s a new one to add to the list -...

    • No looking back

      The way we ended 2011 with such strong orders, it’s really no surprise to see just how well the company did in the fourth-quarter. The numbers released today show that earnings per share rose to $1.84 on revenue of $19.6...

    • Build A Bike

      As a former engineer, I still miss the hands on part of bringing an airplane to life. But recently, I had the chance to work on a production line using the “lean” manufacturing techniques we talk about all the time....

    • Start me up

      There’s no doubt 2011 was a more challenging market than our customers anticipated. So what’s in store as we get deeper into 2012? For airlines, the name of the game is profitability—and it’s good to see that IATA is forecasting...

    • Smooth sailing

      The 787’s smooth entry into service will hit an incredible milestone this weekend when ANA welcomes their 100,000th Dreamliner passenger. Since ANA launched two domestic routes with the 787 on November 1, there have been very few empty seats. The...

    • 35 reasons to celebrate

      35 seems to be the magic number in Renton today. Employees at the 737 factory celebrated as the program officially reached the rate of 35 airplanes per month. The first airplane at the new rate was delivered today to AWAS...

    • Back to business

      First off, let me wish all of you a belated Happy New Year. 2012 is starting out with more good news— thanks in large part to 2011. We just tallied our orders and deliveries from last year and there’s reason...

  • December 2011

    • The long and winding road

      I’m often asked how many miles I travel in a year. When you’re on the road as much as I am, you keep track. So here are the final statistics of my travels in 2011. 277,710 miles 122 flights 31...

    • Spirit of the Season

      We deliver hundreds of airplanes every year (426 so far as of December 1). But many of you may not know that some of those deliveries carry very special cargo. I’m very proud that Boeing regularly teams up with our...

    • 7000 and counting

      Even though it’s the world’s most popular airplane, you still have to be amazed that we’ve just delivered the 7000th 737. I know our friends at flydubai are proud to be the ones flying it—especially since it comes with a...

    • Wild, Wild Week

      Just when you thought our late flurry of orders may have come to an end with the Southwest deal, our friends at FedEx Express kept the momentum going with today’s order for 27 of our 767 Freighters and two 777...

    • Sending our LUV to Southwest

      Just a few days ago on this blog, I hinted that our first firm order for the 737 MAX was coming soon. How fitting that our longtime partner Southwest made the order and became the launch customer for the MAX....

    • Thank you China!

      As the 787 Dream Tour moves on to Africa, I’m heading back home after an incredible journey across China. A water salute and rainbow greet the Dreamliner as it arrives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the African leg of the...

    • 100 days of MAX

      I can still remember standing in the room as we introduced the 737 MAX to the media for the very first time. 100 days later, the excitement around this airplane has reached a fever pitch. The unveiling of the 737...

    • Around the world... in 42 hours

      As the 787 continues to cause quite a buzz on the first stop of the Dream Tour here in China, another Dreamliner was flying its way into the record books. On Tuesday, Capt. Rod Skaar led a team of pilots,...

    • Ticket to Ride

      What a great experience for our customers and the media as we took them up for some short demonstration flights on the 787 during our Dream Tour stop in China. We’ve given a lot of tours of the airplane over...

    • Welcome aboard

      We’ve said goodbye to Beijing and hello to Guangzhou as the 787 Dream Tour continues through China. The Dreamliner arrives in Guangzhou for the second stop of the tour. Boeing pilots pose by the airplane after landing in Guangzhou. Before...

    • Feels like the first time

      There’s nothing like getting up at 3:30am on a cold, frosty morning to catch a flight. But when that flight happens to be my very first time flying on the 787 Dreamliner, I didn’t need to hit the snooze button....

    • MAXimum Commitment

      In the past couple of days since we announced our intention to build the 737 MAX in Renton, pending union contract approval, some people have questioned our commitment to the MAX. Let me be clear—we are 100 percent committed. Period....

  • November 2011

    • Working together

      When people sit down to work things out, it’s amazing what can be accomplished. Nine months before Boeing and the machinists faced a deadline for a new contract, today’s tentative agreement is a breath of fresh air. That deal, which...

    • Goodbye to You

      With the Dubai Airshow, all of our recent order announcements and the Thanksgiving holiday, I’ve been too busy to say a proper goodbye to the A340. So let me take the time right now. The A340 had a long— but...

    • Dream Tour

      After giving her a beautiful new paint job and gorgeous interior, we’re ready to unveil the big plans for ZA003—the third 787 Dreamliner. We’re hitting the proverbial road and taking the airplane on a 787 Dream Tour. The six month...

    • A Week to Remember

      How many times can you make history in one week? At Boeing, it seems the answer is three. A record order from Emirates for our 777s A record year for 777 orders A record commitment from Lion Air for 737s...

    • Signing off from Dubai

      Even though the Dubai Airshow is winding down, I have to admit that I’m still all wound up. When I look back over the past few days, which some have described as a bit of a circus, I can’t help...

    • 777th Heaven

      Talk about one for the record books. Emirates’ order for 50 of our 777s is still all the buzz here at the Dubai Airshow. We woke up this morning to headlines such as 777th Heaven: Emirates Breaks Record with Boeing...

    • Dubai Debut

      DUBAI — Hello from the Middle East, where the Dreamliner made its debut in this region today. ZA003, the third 787, showed off its new paint job as it landed for the big Dubai Airshow. The airplane had the logos...

    • Big Ol' Jet Airliner

      The secret is finally out. To celebrate the accomplishments of the 747 program, more than 7000 employees were treated to a surprise concert by the Steve Miller Band today at the Everett factory. And even though the concert was delayed...

    • 1000 reasons to love the 777

      The 777 team is celebrating two milestones this week that mark the program’s incredible history and its bright future. On Monday, the 50th 777 Freighter produced by the program was delivered to FedEx. This is FedEx’s 16th 777 Freighter, making...

    • I've Been Everywhere

      Three months after the 747-8 Freighter wrapped up its certification flight testing by drawing a giant 747 across a map of the U.S., the 747-8 Intercontinental has pulled off a feat of its own. Last week, the crew flew an...

    • The Sweet Spot

      Hello 68. That’s the magic number everyone has been waiting for since the day we introduced the 737 MAX back in August. Today, we announced that we’re going with a 68-inch fan for the engine on this new variant of...

    • Greetings from Asia

      HONG KONG - I’ve spent the past few days in Hong Kong and Taipei talking about how Southeast Asian airlines are ordering new airplanes at a rapid rate. Changes in regulations have really opened up air travel here. For example,...

  • October 2011

    • Back from Barbados

      Just eight months after its first flight, the 747-8 Intercontinental wrapped up its certification test flights today with a Function & Reliability flight back from Barbados. This marks the second certification flight test program the 747 team has completed this...

    • A toast to the future

      They may not be a 787 customer yet. But we’re already toasting our friends at RwandAir with their very own beer—RwandAle. The Pike Brewing Company of Seattle created a special private label for RwandAir. When the airline’s CEO John Mirenge...

    • Saluting the Belle

      It’s not often that I get to talk about the defense side of Boeing. But I definitely wanted to share a special moment from this past weekend that honored a Boeing legend. The new memorial in Memphis. Boeing and FedEx...

    • The Third Quarter

      It’s very fitting that the day Boeing got great financial news on third-quarter earnings, the very first revenue flight of ANA’s 787 Dreamliner landed in Hong Kong. I wish I could have been on the flight myself, but as 787...

    • Two milestones with one delivery

      It’s only fitting that our best-selling 777, the 777-300ER, helped mark two recent milestones. We just delivered our 300th 777-300ER to Biman Bangladesh Airlines. It was also the airline’s first 777-300ER. The first 777-300ER for Biman Bangladesh. This delivery continues...

    • Seoul Man

      After spending the first half of this week in South Korea where the 787 Dreamliner made its Korean debut at the Seoul Air Show, I’m now in Tokyo where all the buzz is about the 787’s first revenue flight. The...

    • First at 35

      On any other day, a wing spar load in our Renton factory would be considered routine. But that simple action today was a huge step forward in our Next-Generation 737 program. This morning, we began work on the first airplane...

    • Twice as nice

      Here’s a cool fact for the Boeing history books. Today, the second airplanes from each of our new programs were contractually delivered to our customers. Cargolux flew their second 747-8 Freighter directly to Luxembourg a short time afterward, while ANA...

    • Delivery day for Cargolux

      UPDATE - Now that the airplane has flown away, I wanted to add a few photos from the big day. The 747-8 Freighter leaves Everett this morning. Safe travels to Luxembourg! The crew says goodbye with a wing wag. The...

    • Spirit of Seattle

      I stopped off in Washington, D.C. last week for a quick visit after wrapping up my market outlook presentations in Canada. And look what was waiting to carry me back to Seattle! My ride back to Seattle from DC. It’s...

    • Musings from Montreal

      MONTREAL - Bonjour from Canada where I’ve spent the past few days unveiling our 2011 Current Market Outlook for North America. The ties between Boeing and Canada go all the way back to 1919 when Bill Boeing and pilot Eddie...

    • Present tense

      Over the past few weeks, I’ve fielded a lot of questions about Boeing’s future plans for the 777 program. But for me, the real news is what’s happening with the 777 here and now. With last week’s order for 6...

  • September 2011

    • Coming home

      Now that ANA’s very first 787 is on the ground in Japan, I wanted to share some final thoughts on the events of the past few days. As a crowd gathered outside Paine Field yesterday morning to watch the flyaway,...

    • Dream Delivered

      I’ve never seen so many smiling faces in the pouring rain as I did in Everett today. The weather did nothing to dampen the energy and excitement as we delivered the first 787 Dreamliner to ANA. I could actually feel...

    • The buzz in Barcelona

      I’m just back from Barcelona, Spain where I attended the ISTAT Europe conference (International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading). ISTAT attracts a mix of traders, airlines, leasing companies, media, financiers, and manufacturers—and there was clearly a lot of interest with...

    • The Lion's Share

      It’s easy to see why our employees are so connected to the airplanes they build. And in some cases, they also have a strong connection to the home country of a customer. One such story involves Wenarto, a manager with...

    • 747-8F first delivery update

      Just yesterday, I was telling you about all the excitement leading up to first delivery of the 747-8 Freighter—including a surprise musical guest who’d be performing for employees. It turns out, that party will have to wait. We still need...

    • Guess who's coming to Everett?

      While final preps are underway for Monday’s first delivery of the 747-8 Freighter to our launch customer Cargolux, there’s a bit of a party atmosphere around the Everett factory right now. Monday will be packed with a lot of pomp...

    • A picture perfect "thank you"

      The certification of the 787 and the 747-8 Freighter involved the hard work of thousands of Boeing employees. But two of those employees know better than anyone how those airplanes handle in the sky. It’s not often that you see...

    • Give me wings

      I wanted to share another way our team in Renton is ramping up for our next 737 rate increase. In January, we’ll deliver the first airplane built at our new rate of 35 airplanes a month, an increase from 31.5....

    • Opportunity knocks in China

      BEIJING - Hello from China where I’ve just unveiled some pretty impressive numbers about this booming country. Over the next 20 years, our Current Market Outlook shows that China will need 5,000 new airplanes worth $600 billion. That’s 15 percent...

    • Dancing in September

      To say we’re going to be busy around here in September is an understatement. We knew first delivery dates for the 747-8 Freighter and the 787 Dreamliner were going to be very close to each other. Today, we know exactly...

    • All in a day's work

      While our 737 has always been the workhorse of the Boeing fleet, some new numbers show the 777 is also putting in a pretty good day’s work. The more than 60 operators flying the 777 have increased the average number...

  • August 2011

    • Meet the MAX

      It may have been one of the best kept secrets in Boeing history. I’m still amazed we managed to keep the name 737 MAX under wraps until our official unveiling at today’s press conference. The members of our new family...

    • The Dream is Certified

      Well, 787 fans and friends, today was one for the history books. I wouldn’t have missed what turned out to be a beautiful sunny day in Everett. With government officials to my left and company leaders to my right, customers...

    • From Montana to Moscow

      I guess you could really call this post “How I spent my Summer Vacation.” As you know, there’s been a flurry of activity here at Boeing this summer. So while there’s a brief lull in the action, I wanted to...

    • Countdown to Cargolux

      Talk about a great way to end the week. The 747-8 Freighter continues the race toward first delivery with today’s news that it’s now certified for entry into service by both the FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency. After logging...

    • Over and Done!

      MOSCOW — Hello from Russia where good news travels fast. I’ve spent the past few days at the Moscow Air Show where the first 787 Dreamliner has been on display. As that airplane continues to turn heads, we received word...

    • The WOW Factor

      Our 777 team is about to become even busier than they already are. Cathay Pacific just ordered eight 777 Freighters and four 777-300ERs. Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines agreed to order eight 777-300ERs (we look forward to finalizing the details of that...

    • Working for the weekend

      It was a very busy weekend at Boeing as we got to show off some of our new airplanes. The very first Dreamliner that will enter service rolled out of the paint hangar in Everett on Saturday— sporting a special...

    • Take the long way home

      At first glance, it looks like something a young aviation buff might have created with Etch A Sketch (for those of us who actually remember Etch A Sketch). Using perhaps the most creative flight plan ever drawn up, the 747-8...

    • Topping out on ETOPS

      One final set of testing down—one to go. The 787 team is celebrating another major accomplishment. This past Sunday during the flight of ZA102 (the ninth 787 to be built), the program completed its extended operations (ETOPS) flight demonstrations. Just...

  • July 2011

    • Open arms in Oshkosh

      We knew there was a lot of buzz over the 787 Dreamliner’s visit to Oshkosh, Wisconsin today. But we had no idea just how many fans would show up to see her. Check out this great video of the landing....

    • Beating expectations... again

      After posting strong first-quarter earnings, Boeing has once again beaten Wall Street expectations in the second quarter of 2011. A lot of that success was driven by Commercial Airplanes where we’re living through one of the most exciting and historic...

    • Up close and personal

      If you’ve never had the good fortune of standing beside a Next-Generation 737, we have a fix. Thanks to some pretty cool technology, you can now get down to “rivet level” of the airplane without leaving your computer. A digital...

    • The Next-Generation.. and beyond

      It’s not often you see Boeing and Airbus executives sharing the same stage. But it’s fitting for what is indeed an historic day in aviation. For all of you who’ve been wondering which direction we’d take on the 737 program,...

    • Harbour Town

      SYDNEY - Hello from “down under” where I’m spending a few days discussing the airplane market for Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. With beautiful places like Sydney Harbour and the Opera House, it’s no wonder that more than...

    • Paint job

      With a fresh coat of paint and the sun shining through the doors to light it up, a brand new Southwest Airlines 737 looked gorgeous today as we officially opened a newly renovated paint hangar next to our Renton factory....

    • Human touch

      For the past week, the second 787 Dreamliner known as ZA002 has been welcomed by thousands of fans across Japan. On Sunday, the airplane finally got to meet some of its makers. Lucky employees from our partners such as Mitsubishi...

    • Baby I love your way

      Unless you see it in person, it’s hard to describe the genuine outpouring of emotion and excitement surrounding the 787 Dreamliner’s first visit to Japan. The Dreamliner touches down in Osaka. As it made its way from Tokyo to Osaka...

    • The Dream arrives in Japan

      In what was a picture perfect moment, a rainbow made an appearance as the 787 Dreamliner decked out in ANA livery touched down in Japan for the first time. More than 1,000 people— almost all armed with a camera— turned...

  • June 2011

    • Fill it up again

      Last week, the 747-8 Freighter made history by making the first transatlantic crossing on biofuel. Now, a 737-800 owned by KLM wrote its own history. This week, KLM became the first airline to operate a scheduled commercial flight on bio-kerosene....

    • European Vacation

      When two of the stars of the Paris Air Show left Le Bourget last week, they still had some stops to make in Europe. And let me tell you, they got the rock star treatment. When the 787 landed in...

    • That's a wrap!

      It’s time to put the wraps on another great air show here in Paris. All week long, we had the chance to showcase our new airplanes and innovative technologies to some incredibly receptive crowds. I put together a video showing...

    • Under Paris Skies

      Not even today’s downpour at the Paris Air Show could stop the excitement surrounding the 787 Dreamliner. A steady stream of customers, suppliers and media climbed aboard the airplane today—so many that I didn’t even have a chance to get...

    • Eyes on the sky

      You can always count on the 787 Dreamliner to get your blood pumping—and it did just that during Tuesday’s session of the Paris Air Show. The airplane landed during a media reception and immediately turned heads. Even though the Dreamliner...

    • Feels like home

      LE BOURGET, FRANCE - Greetings from the Paris Air Show, where Mother Nature is putting on a show of her own. We were treated to a little bit of everything today—rain, wind, cold, heat and humidity. I grew up in...

    • The big reveal

      It’s not easy trying to predict 20 years into the future. But here at Boeing, we have an excellent track record forecasting what’s ahead for the aviation market. For the past five decades, we’ve produced our Current Market Outlook (CMO)...

    • It's almost show time!

      The Paris Air Show is always a spectacle and promises to be filled with fireworks this year. Boeing will have an unprecedented number of airplanes at the show providing a feast for the eyes. It really will be a great...

    • A glass half full

      Next week, I’ll be in Paris to unveil our new Current Market Outlook. The CMO is a comprehensive report Boeing has put out since 1964 forecasting where we believe the aviation industry is headed over the next 20 years. But...

    • Number one crew

      We recently accomplished another meaningful milestone in the lead up to 787 first delivery. The first pilots from launch customer ANA have completed training at the Seattle Flight Services campus. Thumbs up from part of the ANA team before departure...

    • Big things are coming to Paris

      Guess who’s coming to Paris? We just revealed which airplanes will be flying over for the big air show later this month. In all, five airplanes will be making an appearance in Paris including the 747-8 Intercontinental in its Sunrise...

    • New coat of paint

      Things seem to be changing by the day over at our 737 factory. A refurbished paint hangar at Renton Field is coming online in just a few weeks. This past Friday, a Solaseed Air 737-800 that had already been painted...

  • May 2011

    • Do you believe in magic?

      The Boeing Sky Interior (BSI) has landed on yet another continent. GOL Airlines in Brazil just took delivery of a Next-Generation 737-800 with BSI, becoming the first South American carrier to fly with the new interior. You may remember that...

    • Big in Japan

      We’re gearing up for another exciting milestone on the 787 program. In about six weeks, we’ll fly the 787 flight test airplane ZA002 to Japan to conduct a service readiness validation (SROV) with our launch customer ANA. During the event,...

    • Boeing's own rock star

      It’s not often that a man who just turned 90 is asked to pose for photos like a rock star. But that’s exactly what happened when Joe Sutter, the father of the 747 and legendary Boeing engineer, recently stopped by...

    • Continuing the tradition

      As some of Boeing’s baby boomer workforce approaches retirement, we’re doing everything we can to ensure their wealth of knowledge is passed along to new Boeing employees currently on the job. We’re also looking at where the next generation of...

    • 777 goes to 7

      In addition to delivering on our 747-8 and 787 development programs, one of the most important things we’ll be doing this year is moving forward on our production rate increases. In fact, we’re raising production rates across all product lines...

    • All around the world

      If I ever need a reminder about the demand for our Next-Generation 737, all I have to do is take a walk through the Renton factory. You’ll always find a wide variety of customer logos as you walk the floor....

    • Speed of flight

      What if somebody came up with a way to save airlines up to 200 pounds of jet fuel each flight and more than 40,000 minutes of flight time on a fleet-wide basis per year? You’d think that would represent a...

    • The "ultimate" test

      Back when I first started at Boeing as a flight test engineer, I gave my brother a framed photo of the 747-200 going through one of the most challenging (and nothing short of spectacular) certification tests you can imagine. That...

    • Everything's gone green

      We thought the new Sunrise livery for the 747-8 Intercontinental was a head turner. But when it comes to liveries, S7 Airlines in Russia may have one of the most eye catching you’ll ever see. Their new Next-Generation 737-800 was...

    • For all you foodies

      DATELINE: Buenos Aires Greetings from Argentina where I’m wrapping up some market updates for Latin America. As many of you know, I’m a foodie by heart. My recent business travel across Latin America, Europe and Asia allowed me to sample...

  • April 2011

    • Beating expectations

      It’s always good to wake up to the news that Boeing’s first-quarter earnings exceeded Wall Street’s expectations. There’s a lot to be proud of, but also a lot of work to accomplish by year’s end. On the commercial side, we...

    • Given to fly

      A great flight with no jet lag. That’s the way one of our pilots described the experience of flying a 787 Dreamliner full-flight simulator. Now, our customers have begun to experience this for themselves. This week Boeing Flight Services welcomed...

    • The Flight

      For anyone who loves airplanes, the passion usually begins at a young age. That’s why I was so impressed to learn that the 9 year old daugther of a Qatar Airways executive had written a short journal. In it, Sofia...

    • Picture perfect

      If you didn’t know better, you’d probably think the picture below was digitally altered. But this spectacular image is very real. This past Saturday, flight test photographer Leo Dejillas caught the 747-8 Intercontinental (RC001) and the 787 Dreamliner (ZA001) test...

    • Carolina in my mind

      In true journal style, I wanted to share my recent trip to South Carolina a couple of weeks ago.. including the first publicly released photos from inside our new 787 Dreamliner production facility. Tuesday I started the day by swinging...

    • Room at the top

      By the middle of this year, we may be answering the questions a lot of you are asking. Will Boeing offer a new engine for the 737? Will Boeing build an entirely new airplane? Regardless of the answer, one fact...

    • Turning two

      I feel a special attachment to our 777 Freighter, which recently marked its second year in service. That’s because I had a small part in bringing it to the market. Beginning back in late 2001, I was part of a...

    • Our commitment to excellence

      Here’s a statistic that is truly incredible. Every few seconds of every day, two Boeing 737s take off or land somewhere in the world. It speaks not only to the popularity of the airplane, but also to the safety and...

    • Creative marketing

      Some of our customers have once again come up with some classic April Fools’ Day news releases. In the spirit of the day, I wanted to share some with you. WestJet: Talk about a creative way to save fuel. Their...

  • March 2011

    • Behind the scenes story on naming the Dreamliner

      A lot of you remember the contest Boeing held back in 2003 to name what was then dubbed the 7E7 airplane. Of course, the name “Dreamliner” came out on top and will forever be attached to what is now the...

    • Here comes the sun

      Here comes the sun and there goes our new beauty. You couldn’t have asked for a better day than Sunday for the first flight of the 747-8 Intercontinental. The plane’s Sunrise livery sparkled in the morning sun as she left...

    • To our friends in Japan

      During my travels across Asia the past two weeks, I’ve had the chance to catch up with many people who are not only business colleagues— but close friends. That’s why the recent events in Japan and the people living through...

    • Travelin' Man

      BANGKOK - Hello from Thailand where I’m now providing market updates after spending the past week at the Asian Aerospace Expo in Hong Kong. And what a week it was for Boeing. The expo’s grand opening featured some celebratory lions...

    • An anomaly

      HONG KONG - Hello from the Asian Aerospace International Expo, where our new Intercontinental made news this week after Air China announced it would become the first Chinese customer for the plane. When we started work on the 747-8, some...

    • The games people play

      AMSTERDAM - Greetings from the Amsterdam Hilton (where the Ballad of John and Yoko comes to mind). As I sit here, it gives me the chance to write about something that’s been bugging me for weeks. Over the holiday break,...

    • 300 and counting

      If you’ve ever taken a tour of our 737 factory in Renton, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a plane with the Ryanair logo going down the line. At times, the Boeing factory actually looks more like Ryanair’s very own...

  • February 2011

    • Landing the tanker

      BERLIN - I’m traveling in Berlin today for some media and aviation forums, but couldn’t escape hearing all the predictions that EADS would win the U.S. Air Force refueling tanker contract. So when word came down that Boeing landed the...

    • Dreamliner milestone

      The 787 Dreamliner team now has 1,000 reasons to smile. On Wednesday, the Dreamliner took its 1,000th flight. The milestone was reached when test plane ZA004, one of seven planes taking part in flight testing, landed in Yuma, Arizona. Chief...

    • Ticket to ride

      If you’re a Boeing employee, you probably hear one question all the time: “Can you get me a job?” It’s rare to find someone who doesn’t love working for this company, which is why I’m always receiving inquiries or resumes...

    • California Dreamin'

      Getting to the airport at the crack of dawn isn’t one of my favorite things. But earlier this month, I gladly crawled out of bed at 4am to head for Boeing Field. After sitting down at the house for a...

    • How far we've come

      I’ve never seen so many people blown away by the sight of an airplane. I was there Sunday as the new 747-8 Intercontinental was unveiled in its surprise red-orange Sunrise livery symbolizing prosperity and good luck. Instead of writing more...

    • Traffic in the sky

      As anyone who reads this journal or follows our industry knows, we’re going to need tens of thousands of new airplanes over the next 20 years (as well as pilots and crews to operate and maintain them) to meet the...

    • A lot of excitement and a little mystery

      Our 747-8 team is putting the finishing touches on what promises to be a huge event this weekend as we unveil the new Intercontinental. You can watch it all from the comfort of home by logging on to our live...

    • Numbers Game

      Here’s a question: when is a year not really a year? When it comes to making airplanes, the answer is all in the math. As the market keeps demanding more and more airplanes, we here at Boeing keep upping our...

  • January 2011

    • Our winglets are worth a thousand words

      Almost a decade after they made their commercial debut on a Boeing Next-Generation 737-800, our blended winglets are still giving travelers a reason to smile. Our good friends at WestJet are now featuring a program called “Winglet Wednesday.” The airline...

    • Feelin' stronger every day

      Hello again from Dublin. As I mentioned in my last post, I’m currently attending the European Airfinance Conference where I have had the chance to hear what’s in store for the year ahead. As I’m listening, I can’t help but...

    • Ready for its close-up

      Dateline: Dublin Greetings from Dublin, Ireland where I’m attending the European Airfinance Conference. The aviation finance world converges here every year to see what’s on the horizon for 2011 and beyond. For us, 2011 will be a huge year especially...

    • Order up: A U.S. first

      Even though it was born in the USA, it has been generating a lot of buzz overseas. Now, the excitement over Boeing’s 777-300ER has American Airlines getting in on the action. American just finalized a contract to buy two of...

    • New timeline for Dreamliner

      It’s the question everyone has been asking: When will Boeing deliver its first 787? The answer is we expect to deliver the first Dreamliner to ANA in the third quarter of this year. This new date allows us to complete...

    • All decked out

      The secret weapon to shake up long-haul travel is now airborne in the form of a new Boeing 777-300ER. About a year ago the folks at Air New Zealand invited me and one of my colleagues to a “secret location”...

    • Rock steady

      They say there’s strength in numbers. And our 2010 orders and deliveries numbers, released today, were rock steady. These figures back up what I’ve been saying: Not only has the market recovered, it’s expanding. Net orders for commercial airplanes in...

    • Super 737

      Happy New Year! I’m back at work after taking a well-earned rest and spending some quality time with my family. I’m ready to get going on an exciting year, and I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you here...

  • December 2010

    • 787 returns to flight

      I’m here in Los Angeles on my way back to Seattle after participating in the first flight of the first Air New Zealand 777-300ER and I can’t imagine a nicer gift for the holiday season than the return to flight...

    • Better things

      As we reach the end of 2010 and I look back on what the year has brought, I see a a year of both highs and lows, of great accomplishments and a few setbacks. But what remains my strongest impression...

    • Here I am!

      I have to tell you, I’m really impressed by your efforts in our little game from last week. As you can see (click on the photo for a larger view), I’m here in the lower half of the 5. It...

    • Where's Rand-O?

      On Dec. 1, I had the opportunity to join in a fun event at our Renton factory. Stylish and highly visible To celebrate the 8,500th order of a 737 airplane, some 1,500 employees who help build the airplane and its...

    • Out of Africa

      As I mentioned recently, I had the chance to fly to Ethiopia on Ethiopian Airlines’ new 777-200LR — the first -200LR to be delivered to an African carrier. During the trip, we filmed a video blog to share some of...

    • Accolades for AERO

      For those of you techies who regularly read Boeing’s AERO magazine, you won’t be surprised when I tell you that our quarterly customer publication recently won a top award in a global competition for communications excellence. Our AERO technical magazine...

  • November 2010

    • All day and all of the night

      Without a doubt, it’s been a very busy fall for me and for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. So busy that a pretty cool anniversary sneaked up on us this month. My luggage still carries a reminder of that record-setting flight. On...

    • Likely cause of ZA002 incident determined

      The diligence and determination of the engineering team that has been investigating the cause of the incident on ZA002 earlier this month in Laredo has been exceptional. Today we announced some of the findings from that investigation and the steps...

    • Off to Africa

      Today, I’m off on a couple of new adventures. First, I’m going to do something I’ve always wanted to do, and I get to do it in a special way: Ethiopian Airlines is flying away its first 777-200LR today, and...

    • 787 update

      Our colleagues at the 787 program have posted another update. It’s available here....

    • Nothing stays the same

      The first time I went to China was in the early 1990s. I was a young marketing analyst supporting a sales campaign at China Southern. It was one of my first trips outside the United States, and so to me,...

    • Update

      We’ve posted some updated information on the incident that occurred on board ZA002 Nov. 9....

    • 787 Incident

      On Tuesday, Nov. 9, one of our 787 test airplanes, ZA002, experienced an on-board electrical fire. While this is a very serious issue for the program, the good news is that the airplane landed safely and everyone on board evacuated...

    • Pilot project

      We’ve just made available online the latest addition to our Current Market Outlook - our global forecast for pilot and maintenance personnel demand over the next 20 years. You may have read about this new projection Boeing released several weeks...

    • Sky's the limit

      One of the best things about our Next Generation 737 is that it just keeps getting better. Our 737 team, despite already producing the best-selling commercial airplane family in history, has never been content to rest on its laurels. Instead,...

    • Carry that weight

      BEIJING — I’m back in Asia again, this time in China. While I’m here, I’ll be talking about the China market and the incredible growth that this nation’s air transport industry will see over the next 20 years. But that’s...

  • October 2010

    • Short stop

      As you may have seen from my recent entries and from stories that have appeared in the media, I’ve been out on the road quite a lot over the past few weeks. I showed you some pictures from my time...

    • Third-quarter earnings

      Today Boeing posted its third-quarter earnings, and they’re pretty solid. Here’s a link to our release....

    • Join together

      You might remember that before I moved into my current role, I spent a lot of time on the 747 program, including as vice president of Marketing for the 747-8. So you’ll understand when I say how thrilled I was...

    • 2,000 hours and counting

      We’ve just completed our 2,000th hour of flight testing on the 787 Dreamliner. ZA002 in Iceland for crosswind testing. ZA001 continues to be the high-hour airplane with more than 655 hours of flying time. ZA002 hasn’t flown as many flights...

    • All these things that I've done

      September, October and November are traditionally busy travel months for me and this year is no exception. Last week, I was in Northeast Asia, touching the Japanese and South Korean markets - you may have seen some of the media...

    • 6 in the air

      TOKYO — It’s great to have six airplanes in our flight test fleet. ZA006’s first flight today was just as spectacular as our other first flights and just as disciplined. And now, our flight test fleet is complete. Captains Christine...

    • School's in session

      As I mentioned a little while back, I did my annual swing Down Under a couple weeks ago. It was a great but very busy trip. I visited Sydney and Brisbane, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand, and over a 5-day...

  • September 2010

    • Changes

      Today as I’m sure you’ve heard, Boeing announced a schedule change for the 747-8 Freighter. We’re moving delivery of the first freighter to mid-year 2011. Decisions like this are always disappointing, and most certainly always difficult to make. We had...

    • Big numbers

      Over the past few months I’ve noticed some creative ad campaigns produced by a couple of our really good industry partners. I wonder if you’ve seen them as well. The first features the 777 Freighter. In this ad for Hong...

    • Dream weaver (Part II)

      Earlier this year I shared Part I of my conversation with Klaus Brauer. Klaus, Boeing’s long-time “guru” on aircraft interiors, retired from Boeing in 2009 after a 30-year career with us. Following a very busy several months I finally...

    • Do it again

      AUCKLAND - One more item to mention from the other side of the world. A few months back we talked here about the fact that Boeing would be keeping a close eye on the market to see whether we needed...

    • WTO interim decision in EU case

      AUCKLAND - In New Zealand for the next couple of days, meeting with reporters and customers here, as I did in Australia earlier in the week. Of course, the news back in the States has also caught my attention as...

    • A day in the life

      SYDNEY - I’m Down Under at the moment, where I’ve had a successful media briefing discussing our 20-year market forecast for the region. I’m also heading to New Zealand later in the week. Meantime, I wanted to touch base on...

    • AERO Q3 2010

      A few years back I was really tied in to the 747-8 Program as its Customers Leader. So I was more than a bit intrigued when I saw the new edition of AERO just out. You can click on the...

    • The beat goes on

      As you may have heard, we’ve begun assembly on the 1,000th Boeing 767. It’s a significant milestone, and a proud moment for the entire team in Everett. This 1,000th airplane is a 767-300ER (extended range) passenger model. ANA is scheduled...

    • Breakfast in (North) America

      MONTREAL - Nothing like waking up to a breakfast of cold cereal and juice together with a dose of hot, muggy end-of-summer weather. It’s been in the low 30s Celsius here this week (around 90 F) - and coming from...

  • August 2010

    • Learn to fly

      CALGARY - I’m in Canada for the next few days meeting with media. I’ll have more about that later in the week. But I wanted to share a bit about a significant event back home. Last Thursday we officially launched...

    • Straight on

      By now you’ve seen the news about the target for first delivery of the 787. As you know, we said earlier this summer that it was possible that our first 787 delivery could move a few weeks into 2011. The...

    • Sharks and jets

      Aviation, like any other business, requires that you stay close to your customers, to understand their wants and needs - while at the same time always keeping your eye on the competition. So I’ve been watching recently as Airbus has...

    • Heavy rotation

      We like to say all the time how flight testing is about stretching the capabilities of the airplane above and beyond what you’d experience in normal flight operations. How about taking off weighing more than a million pounds (454,500 kg)?...

    • Business travel rebound

      I’ve been saying for months that this is a year of recovery for our industry, and I wanted to share something that gives a little anecdotal evidence that we are indeed seeing a rebound. I’m traveling right now myself -...

    • The "Crickets"

      I’ll be doing some traveling coming up, including some much-needed vacation, but I wanted to share one last bit of fun from Farnborough. It has to do with an honor bestowed upon me for my performance on the field at...

    • 787 flyover

      Crowds along Seattle’s Lake Washington got a thrill over the weekend when ZA003 flew over the annual summer event known as Seafair. The 787 Dreamliner over Seattle and Lake Washington on Sunday. It’s a bit of a tradition. Nearly every...

    • These are the times

      We’ve posted a great video highlighting the events and accomplishments of the 2nd quarter. I thought you’d like to take a look if you haven’t already discovered it. Click above to go to the Boeing Commercial Airplanes 2010 2nd Quarter...

    • Air safety report

      Boeing has just updated our annual air safety report. It’s the 41st annual “Statistical Summary of Commercial Jet Airplane Accidents,” our way of studying trends to help prevent future accidents. Much like the Current Market Outlook, this analysis is a...

  • July 2010

    • Innovation generation

      Back in January, we had a great response to a couple of blogs pointing to our new “Design Highlights” interactive sites on newairplane.com - for the 787 Dreamliner, and the 747-8. We’ve just launched a similar feature focused on the...

    • Q2 2010 results

      It’s earnings season again, and today Boeing has reported on a solid 2nd quarter. Our news release: Boeing Reports Second-Quarter Results...

    • Werewolves of London

      LONDON - If you’re at all familiar with the song title above, you’ll understand when I say, at the end of a long week at Farnborough, my hair is far from perfect, and there’s scant time for kicking back at...

    • Tuesday afternoon

      FARNBOROUGH - Another long and very dynamic day, during which - to some observers - we saved the best for last. Truly a highlight of the entire show took place Tuesday afternoon - 4:41 pm local time by my watch...

    • Opportunities

      FARNBOROUGH - Already one day in, and you can see a huge difference between this air show and Paris in 2009. We’ve seen a lot of order activity vs. virtually none last year, combined with - if this is possible...

    • Dreamliner at Farnborough

      FARNBOROUGH - Quiet. It’s not a word you typically use to describe the scene at a major international air show. But that was the word, as we kicked things off at Farnborough. By quiet, I mean that was my impression...

    • Back to the future - Part III

      LONDON - Is it really possible that 1990 was 20 years ago? That’s when the above titled movie was released, closing out the popular film trilogy. It’s a fitting way to bookend our discussion of the commercial airplanes market for...

    • One week

      LONDON - The Farnborough Air Show is fast approaching. It’s going to be an exciting one, and I expect the show to focus on a couple of key stories: The recovery of the market and the buzz around the 787...

    • It's show time

      The Farnborough International Airshow is a little over a week away. This is going to be a dynamic and exciting show in many ways (as always) and I’m looking forward to getting started. I’ll be heading to the U.K. next...

    • Revolution -9

      We’ve completed firm configuration on the 787-9, the second member of the Dreamliner family. Firm configuration defines the airplane’s overall capability (structure, propulsion, systems) and allows us together with our suppliers to begin detailed design of parts, assemblies and other...

  • June 2010

    • WTO ruling: "No" to launch aid

      You may have seen or heard reports that the World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled that billions of dollars in European launch-aid subsidies used by Airbus to develop its commercial airplanes are illegal. This is a very significant decision which...

    • Hotter than July

      Down in the desert we’ve finished a series of hot weather tests on the 747-8 Freighter, and initial data shows that the airplane performed well. RC522, the 3rd flight test 747-8, during ground testing in Arizona. Basically we wanted to...

    • 787 inspections prioritized

      Flight test is a constant balancing act and we’ve made a decision that will result in us not flying 787s for a couple of days. After finding a workmanship issue on the horizontal stabilizer of an airplane in final assembly,...

    • Shanghai dreams

      The past few months have been an extremely busy travel season for me. I’ve been to New York, Geneva, Jakarta, Singapore, Philadelphia, Orlando, St. Louis, Luxembourg, Dubai … Well, you get the idea. I finished my last major trip with...

    • ZA005 takes flight

      The other day we talked about the “fifth dimension” as our 5th flight test Dreamliner took to the air for the first time. With some new images now in, I had to share what I think are some really “otherworldly”...

    • Fifth dimension

      We got our first General Electric-powered 787 flying yesterday. It also happens to be the 5th Dreamliner to join the flight test fleet. Up, up and away for this beautiful Dreamliner - first flight for the 5th 787 in the...

    • 737 to ramp up further

      About a month ago we told you that we’ll be increasing our production rate on the Next-Generation 737. As I mentioned here, we would keep looking at the need for further 737 rate increases as the economy recovers and customer...

    • First look - 747-8 Intercontinental

      Next year we plan to deliver the first passenger model of the new 747-8. But for now we can enjoy the fact that fuselage assembly has begun on the Intercontinental. Take a look: In Everett, mechanics have loaded the panels...

    • 5 years time

      Last month marked my 3rd anniversary as Commercial Airplanes V.P. of Marketing - and my 3rd year of blogging. And it occurs to me as well that Randy’s Journal has been around for more than 5 years now. Hard to...

    • Cargolux 747-8

      It’s always great to see a customer livery for the first time on a new airplane. We got that look last night when a 747-8 Freighter left the Boeing paint hangar in the new-design livery of Cargolux. Luxembourg-based Cargolux is...

    • Winning

      Now this is a great way to end the week. We’ve just learned that our Commercial Airplanes Communications & Marketing team has won a 2010 Silver Anvil award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The award is for...

    • Windows 787

      No doubt a lot of the buzz when passengers start flying in the 787 Dreamliner is going to be about the windows. They’re really big, and will give everyone on the airplane a view of the horizon. But there’s something...

  • May 2010

    • Rocky Mountain high

      I guess you could say it’s been a busy week for the 4th Dreamliner - ZA004 has been down in the desert and up in the mountains. Pikes Peak overlooks ZA004 as it arrives for testing in Colorado. ZA004 has...

    • Captains "fantastic"

      Just the other day we had the very first customer crew flying a 787 Dreamliner - pilots from launch customer ANA flew ZA001 for about 2 and a half hours over Washington state - and I didn’t want to pass...

    • 34 per month

      We announced today that we will indeed increase production rates on the Renton-built Next-Generation 737. We’ll be increasing the rate from the current 31.5 airplanes per month to 34 per month in early 2012. Next-Generation 737s on the production line...

    • Spirit in the sky

      We’ve had so many memorable images this year already, but this one ranks up there with the best of them. The first 787 Dreamliner, meets the Boeing Model 40, our first production commercial airplane, for an in-the-air rendezvous. Chief test...

    • Away we go

      SHANGHAI - I’ve been doing just a bit of traveling, from Dubai to Rome to Beijing in the past week or so, and now I’m in Shanghai before heading home, where there’s been lots going on in my absence. Yesterday...

    • Prepare for takeoff

      It’s been said that it takes three things to start a successful airline. One, a good business plan. Two, a talented team of managers. And three, money - lots and lots of money. If you want to start an airline,...

    • Sully in Seattle

      Yesterday’s announcement by the NTSB of 33 safety recommendations following an investigation into U.S. Airways flight 1549 called to mind the recent visit here by the captain of that miracle landing. The visit to Boeing was several weeks back,...

    • Middle East market outlook

      I’ve been in Dubai, presenting Boeing’s view of the market for the Middle East. We had a very successful media roundtable, including journalists from Dubai, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and a number of regional publications. You can take a look...

    • Boeing Fabrication Interiors South Carolina

      We’ve just announced that we’ve chosen South Carolina as the site for the fabrication and assembly of interior parts to supply the 787 Dreamliner final assembly and delivery facility in Charleston. You can read more in our news release. Boeing...

  • April 2010

    • San Antonio Rose

      The 787 has touched down in Texas, for a short testing stay in San Antonio. Airplane 3 at Boeing’s San Antonio facility. After a successful performance in the extreme-weather testing at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, ZA003 went to...

    • Temporary adjustment to 787 supplier deliveries

      Yesterday, we addressed a series of media calls about an adjustment we’re making to some 787 component delivery schedules. This temporary adjustment is intended to keep the production flow in balance and to minimize out-of-sequence work moving into 787 Final...

    • 2010 and beyond

      You may have noticed earlier this year that IATA cut its 2010 airline industry loss forecast in half - basically because of signs of a much stronger than expected recovery, with the good start to this year. I would have...

    • Hot 'n cold

      I’ve often been asked by journalists and industry analysts, “What do you do when a flight test program requires us to find, say, cold weather to test in during warm weather months?” In other words, how and where will we...

    • Q1 2010 results

      As is often the case around here, there’s a lot going on, including our 2010 1st quarter earnings results, and the announcement of some major milestones on the 787 program. First, regarding our financial results, bottom line is we’re off...

    • In the desert

      We’ve started the transition of testing for the 747-8 Freighter that we talked about several months ago. RC521 became the first 747-8 to make the move from Seattle to Southern California this week as we focus on the next phase...

    • Boeing.com 2.0

      As you may have noticed, we’ve just launched a remodeled Boeing.com. I think you’ll find it engaging and inviting for a couple of reasons. First, our new Boeing “home page” is going to be a place where we’ll be featuring...

    • GoldCare launch

      This week, we launched 787 GoldCare service with Europe-based TUI Travel PLC. GoldCare provides support to 787 operators that aligns with the new, advanced technology Dreamliner - and it also leverages the e-enabled capabilities built into the airplanes. We think...

    • Squeeze

      How do you fit a jumbo jet the size of the 747-8 into a hangar? Answer: Very carefully. A tight squeeze for a 747-8 in a hangar at Boeing Field. The other day we moved a 747-8 Freighter (our #2...

    • Under pressure

      About 10 days ago, we performed the ultimate load wing and fuselage bending test for the 787 Dreamliner. As you might recall, we flexed the wings on the 787 static test article, bending them up by about 25 feet (7.62...

    • Jet City

      If you happen to commute to and from Seattle south of downtown, my guess is you’ve noticed the giant new “wallscape” billboard that just went up along I-5. For those of you who don’t live in the area, take a...

    • April 1

      I just had to share a few links - and there may be others out there - to some April Fool’s Day gags from our customers: Flying trailer Onboard vending machines Inflight Clapper technology Southwest Airlines “launched” T7 on April...

  • March 2010

    • Bend me, shape me

      It was an exciting day in Everett on Sunday as we took the wings on the 787 static test article to their “ultimate load” condition - bending them up by approximately 25 feet (7.62 meters). The test represents 150% of...

    • WTO ruling

      We’ve talked a little here in the past - but not a whole lot - about subsidies and the World Trade Organization case. Well, today you may have seen or heard reports about the WTO’s final ruling in the U.S....

    • Flutter and ground effects

      We’ve just achieved a further two important steps in the 787 flight test program – we completed flutter testing and ground effects testing. Both of these accomplishments move us much closer to achieving Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) from the Federal...

    • Production rate increase

      As you may have heard today, we’ve made a decision to accelerate our planned production rate increases on the 777 and 747 programs. It’s a move we’re making in order to support increased customer demand as the airplane market recovers....

    • Expanding the envelope

      In a season of first flights, we’ve had three this week, as the 2nd and 3rd 747-8 Freighters took to the air in addition to a 4th Dreamliner. RC 521, our 3rd 747-8 Freighter flight test airplane, in the air...

    • 1234

      Number 1 was historic. 2 was spectacular. And the 3rd to fly was something special. And now 4. Having 4 787s in flight test is satisfying, for sure. It means we’re doing what we said – adding airplanes to the...

    • 13 flights, 33 hours

      Just a brief update on flight test activity for the 747-8 Freighter. We’ve completed initial airworthiness testing, which as you may know means that test engineers can now be on board during future flights. This milestone also clears the way...

    • Hotel California

      Here’s the thing with new airplanes: You design ‘em, you build ‘em, you test ‘em, and then one day, they just fly away to the sunny skies of California! Seriously, though, we were very pleased to see ZA002, our 2nd...

    • Dream weaver

      In my 28 years at Boeing, I’ve met some truly remarkable people who have changed our industry. Some of them you know, such as Joe Sutter. Boeing’s Klaus Brauer. Others have spent their entire careers working behind the scenes...

    • NewGen Tanker

      Boeing announced today that we will offer what we’re calling the “NewGen Tanker” in the competition to supply the U.S. Air Force with a multi-mission aerial refueling aircraft. The NewGen Tanker is based on the 767 commercial jetliner - but...

    • Eight miles high

      I think it’s fair to say that last week was a great example of the interesting dynamics of flight testing. Yes, we had some obstacles to overcome - dealing with remote maintenance activity on ZA001. We also had some firsts...

  • February 2010

    • Second flight with a first

      I wanted to catch you up on some further flight test developments - namely, that we successfully completed the 2nd test flight of the first 747-8 Freighter earlier in the week. With Chief Pilot Mark Feuerstein and Capt. Tom Imrich...

    • First flight of ZA004

      I suppose some day it will no longer be noteworthy when we have a new 787 start flying. But that hasn’t happened yet. For now, each new flight is a milestone. So, it was really great to see a 3rd...

    • ZA001 status

      The first 787 - ZA001 - returned from Moses Lake Sunday morning after landing there on Friday. Our flight test pilots had touched down at the Grant County International Airport after they experienced an uncommanded loss of thrust in one...

    • Sky blue

      The first flight of the 747-8 Freighter took place under such gorgeous weather conditions that we’ve had the opportunity to see some spectacular photography - from both the professionals and the hobbyists. I think some of the coolest photos I’ve...

    • Fantastic four

      The 4th Boeing Dreamlifter took off from Paine Field in Everett this morning. This is the 4th and final Dreamlifter of the fleet of specially modified 747-400s - designed to fly the large composite parts of the 787 from our...

    • AERO Q1 2010

      We’ve just posted online the latest issue of AERO magazine. If you’re technically-minded, it’s worth a read, with some good content around airplane maintenance economics, laser illuminations and other topics. You can click on the image above to go directly...

    • Eighth wonder

      A simply breathtaking air-to-air shot of the 747-8 Freighter and Mount Rainier during first flight on February 8....

    • I can see for miles

      I must say I’m a bit blown away by the response to the first flight of the 747-8 Freighter, but on the other hand, I’m not surprised either, since this airplane has a very special place in my heart as...

    • Up in the air

      First flight of the 747-8! The -8 Freighter took to the skies at 12:39 p.m. Seattle time on Monday, February 8, 2010. It’s all just a little bittersweet for me. Obviously, I worked hard in my previous role to sell...

    • Gonna fly now

      The first flight of the 747-8 Freighter is set for Monday, February 8, at 10 a.m. Seattle time. We completed taxi tests on Saturday, the last functional test planned before the -8 flies. We’re told that the airplane reached a...

    • I gotta feeling

      SINGAPORE - I just finished up my 2nd Singapore Air Show. What a week! Things for me got started with the ATW (Air Transport World) awards. Air New Zealand took home the big prize, “Airline of the Year, and Air...

    • Heat of the moment

      SINGAPORE - I delivered my media briefing here on Tuesday at a very hot, muggy and busy air show. A lot of the news coverage so far has focused on our outlook for the next couple of years - essentially...

    • GOL!!

      SINGAPORE - I’m at the air show and getting ready for my press briefing here. There’s a lot to talk about as always and I hope to fill you in as time permits. Meantime, Boeing reached a pretty neat milestone...

  • January 2010

    • Great gig in the sky

      I’m heading to Singapore, but before I leave for the air show, I wanted to point you to some great new material about 787 flight testing. Clearly the Dreamliner is the subject of intense interest right now. And many of...

    • Alignment

      Over the past several months I’ve been asked over and over again about the future development of the 777 and 737. It’s an understandable question in light of our new competition and the changing marketplace. Today we got some...

    • Challenges and achievements

      By now you’ve read about our 4th quarter and full year 2009 results. We’ve discussed here many times the challenges we faced over the past year. So I’m not going to tell you it was a totally successful year, from...

    • Visionary design

      LONDON - I’ve been traveling this week, first to Dublin, then here in London and on to Warsaw. And I’ve been looking over your great comments to the recent post linking to our 747-8 Design Highlights site. Thank you for...

    • Initial airworthiness

      We’ve reached our first 787 flight test milestone this week, completing what’s known as “initial airworthiness” testing. I imagine no one is happier about that than our flight test engineers. What this milestone means is a couple of things. It...

    • 747-8 interactive

      We’ve just updated our newairplane site with an information-rich package called 747-8 Design Highlights. Click on the image above to go to the 747-8 Design Highlights site. On the site you can explore a number of interactive features, such as...

    • On target

      As has been my tradition these past couple of years, I just took a look back at our post from this time last January. Here’s what I said then: I don’t think there’s any need to “sugar-coat” the outlook for...

    • New year dreams

      Welcome to 2010. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the year than with some spectacular air-to-air photos of the continuing flight testing of the 787 Dreamliner since last month’s first flight. ZA001 bathed in sunset light...

  • December 2009

    • Sleigh ride

      It may not have involved a one-horse open sleigh, but 2009 was certainly quite a ride. The ups and downs for Commercial Airplanes and our industry this past year are well-publicized. For me, personally, I’ve traveled through the hills and...

    • Three's company, four's a quad

      This falls into the category of “Just had to share this.” I hope you enjoy the photos. We just delivered 4 Next-Generation 737-900ERs to Lion Air. A unique opportunity presented itself to photograph 3 of the 4 airplanes as they...

    • In your eyes

      If you want to get a feel for the global impact of the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner you only have to take a look at some of the comments we’ve been getting to the Journal. From Johannesburg,...

    • Subsidies and the "horse race"

      It’s been some time since I’ve weighed in on the issue of European government support to Airbus, but Boeing’s position remains the same: We consider “launch aid” to be a particularly egregious subsidy that’s unique to Airbus - and one...

    • Flying high again

      At 9:09 Tuesday morning, Seattle time, a beautiful sight rose into the clouds above Paine Field. ZA002, our second flight test Dreamliner, flew for the first time. The second flight test 787 leaves the ground. ZA002 in flight, bearing the...

    • Boeing Charleston grows

      A busy year is coming to a close in characteristic fashion. Certainly lots of news this week. Boeing Acquires Alenia North America’s Interest in Global Aeronautica...

    • Journey

      I’ve had the privilege of being around for a number of first flights of new airplanes. Back in the 1980s I got to see the 757 and 767 fly for the very first time. And then we had the 777...

    • Volare

      A number of you have asked to see a photo of the Dreamliner in flight with the gear up. Here’s a great one. In addition, take a look at the highlights video (below) we’ve put together of the 787’s...

    • Fly me away

      Three hours in the air = aviation history. ZA001 flew over the east end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. 787 Chief Pilot Mike Carriker and Captain Randy Neville took the 787 to 15,000 feet (4,572 meters) and an...

    • Up!

      The 787 Dreamliner is in the air! Follow the progress of first flight live online at the 787 Dreamliner First Flight Web site. We’ll post up some more photos later today....

    • This is it

      We’ve launched our Web site dedicated to providing news and updates about the 787 first flight. Click on the banner above to go to the 787 Dreamliner First Flight site. Check the site frequently for updates on timing and for...

    • Let's go

      Successful taxi tests this weekend have cleared the way for us to establish a takeoff time for the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner. Weather permitting, ZA001 will take to the air at 10 a.m. Seattle time on December 15....

    • Static and gauntlet complete

      I wanted to quickly update you on the completion of two milestones as we approach first flight of the 787 Dreamliner. We’ve just announced completion of the final functional testing, also known as final gauntlet. We’ve also completed our review...

    • Power of four

      We’ve reached another milestone on the 747-8 program - successful completion of the first engine runs. A good view of two of the four GEnx-2B engines powering the 747-8. During the engine run test, the engines are started and operated...

    • Since u been gauntlet

      Gauntlet testing of ZA001, the first 787, has started in Everett. You may remember that earlier this year, I explained that these tests simulate flying conditions and put the systems through their most robust integration testing before flight – essentially...

    • United selects Dreamliner

      First thing this morning United Airlines announced its selection for twin-aisle aircraft. Obviously it’s great news. We’ve posted this statement: Boeing Statement on United Airlines Selection of 787 Dreamliner SEATTLE, Dec. 8, 2009 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] is delighted that...

    • KAL goes Intercontinental

      I have to make a confession. I’m a little biased toward the 747-8. So it’s a bit hard to contain myself in light of the newest order for the 747-8 Intercontinental. Looking great in Korean Air livery. Korean Air, one...

    • Ahead of plan

      December promises to be another month of milestones here at Boeing. This week we reached 90% design for the 747-8 Intercontinental. The program releases the detailed designs in order to begin building parts, assemblies and tools for the 747-8I, the...

  • November 2009

    • Static test complete

      Looks to be the start of another busy week already. We’ve just completed the static test on the 787 Dreamliner. This was the test we needed to conduct to validate the side-of-body modifications we recently completed on the first two...

    • Highlights from Charleston

      Back in Seattle now, getting caught up on business after visits to Thailand and Vietnam last week. I wanted to let you know we’ve just posted some video highlights of a historic day for Boeing earlier in November. Click above...

    • Let it roll

      BANGKOK - I’m in Thailand, headed to Hanoi next, and getting set to wrap up a long couple of weeks, which included visits to Dubai and Singapore, along with media briefings here in Southeast Asia. Speaking of Dubai, a very...

    • Groundbreaking

      Boeing Breaks Ground on Second 787 Assembly Line Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, addresses employees at the groundbreaking ceremony at Boeing Charleston. An artist rendering of the second assembly line for the 787 program in North...

    • Hot, hot, hot

      DUBAI – Our days at the air show started out warm, and just got hotter in the significant heat and sunshine of the flight line. With little of the breeze we felt during the first day, the last few days...

    • Dressed to the eights

      DUBAI - The 747-8 left the paint hangar last night back home in Everett, and there’s no mistaking the name of this airplane. Check out the super-sized “8” on the tail. We’re calling this a “light” livery, and it’s special...

    • Dubai 2009

      DUBAI – After a full day at the air show I can say that this is a very different experience than Dubai 2007. Two years ago here we were at the peak of the cycle. Clearly that’s not the case...

    • Body building

      DUBAI – As things get into full swing here at the air show, we have another great update to share on progress back home at the Everett factory. Over the weekend, the 787 team completed installing the side-of-body section reinforcements...

    • Qatar 777 at the show

      DUBAI - The arrival of Qatar Airways’ brand new 777-200LR Worldliner kicked off the air show here this weekend. Qatar is “showing off” its new 777-200LR at Dubai. The airplane, just delivered last week, will be on static display and...

    • Night moves

      The first 747-8 Freighter has emerged from the factory. A “night move” to the flight line. I’m headed to the Dubai Air Show, but I just had to share the incredible photos from Thursday evening - an exciting time for...

    • Takin' care of business

      We’ve taken a big step toward first flight of the 787 Dreamliner. The 787 team finished installing the side-of-body reinforcements on Airplane 1 on Wednesday. The first 787 Dreamliner - in a paint hangar in Everett. Completion of the installation...

    • VFR

      Every once in a while, I come across a story on the Web that really “gets it” – that captures what our industry is all about. Click above to go to the Vero Venia blog. I want to share one...

    • Magic carpet ride

      We often talk about environmental progress in aviation in terms of improving fuel efficiency and developing sustainable biofuels. But there are many other initiatives going on, including one that is literally under our feet. It involves carpet tiles for airplane...

  • October 2009

    • Second line

      On Wednesday Boeing approved the choice of North Charleston, South Carolina for a second final assembly line for the 787 Dreamliner. Boeing Charleston will serve as a final assembly location, as well as supporting the testing and delivery of the...

    • Slow recovery, long-term growth

      SYDNEY - I’ve been on the “road” again in Asia and the Pacific region. I’m in Australia at the moment, where we’ve had an opportunity to talk about Boeing’s outlook for the region we call Oceania - Australia, New Zealand,...

    • Results and progress

      Any time you’re reporting a net loss for the quarter, you’re having a tough time. Clearly the bottom line about Boeing’s 3rd quarter was that our bottom line wasn’t good. You can read the full earnings news release on our...

    • Rumours

      You’ve probably seen or heard some reports over the past couple of days implying that we’ve had to get “back to the drawing board” on the 787 modifications. Don’t believe it. As 787 vice president and general manager Scott Fancher...

    • Testing 1, 2, 3

      Imagine this. Two new high profile airplanes in flight test at the same time. 9 or 10 airplanes involved. Yes, that would be a sight to see. Actually you don’t have to imagine it. We did see something similar when...

    • Going Dutch

      KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is celebrating its 90th anniversary this week. It occurs to me that Boeing and KLM got their starts at nearly the same time – and although we haven’t worked together for quite all of those 90...

    • It don't come easy

      On Tuesday Boeing announced a revised schedule for the 747-8 Freighter. At the same time we announced a $1 billion pre-tax charge resulting from production and market challenges facing the program. Unfortunately, the 747-8 has required more significant rework than...

  • September 2009

    • From Russia with love

      I had the opportunity to spend a week in Russia last month, just before and during MAKS 2009, or the Moscow Air Show. This bi-annual show featured a number of what I’d call weird and wonderful aircraft. It was a...

    • 787 "mod" underway

      Based on the comments and. questions posted to recent entries here in the Journal, it seems our side-of-body modifications to the 787 are certainly capturing your interest. So to answer one of the big questions, when will the “mod” begin,...

    • KC-7A7

      Earlier this week Boeing detailed some of the features of our offering in the U.S. Air Force tanker competition. The KC-7A7 family of tankers. As you can see in the image above, the Boeing tanker could be be 767-based or...

    • East by southeast

      MANILA – I’m still on the road in Asia where I’ve had the opportunity to present media briefings on the commercial airplanes market outlook for the Asia Pacific region - first at Asian Aerospace 2009 in Hong Kong, then in...

    • Undercover airplane

      As I mentioned the other day, we’re moving 787s into position as we get ready to start the “side-of-body” modifications. Well, now ZA002 has made its move. ZA002, the second flight-test airplane - in the livery of launch customer ANA...

    • Mod squad

      HONG KONG - I’m just wrapping up a visit here at Asian Aerospace 2009. But I also wanted to get you caught up on what’s happening in Everett. ZA004 moving out of the 40-26 building at the Everett factory last...

    • Hang on

      Four beautiful GEnx-2B engines now grace the very first 747-8 Freighter. Mechanics completed the job of hanging the engines on the new 747’s wings last Friday. With this milestone, the 747-8 is approximately 90% assembled. Most of the remaining work...

    • Leadership change

      Scott Carson is all the good things people have always said about him. He’s hard-working, he’s driven, he’s passionate about our business. He has a great sense of the history of Boeing – his father worked here before him. He...

  • August 2009

    • 787: Where we stand

      This morning Boeing outlined our revised schedule for the 787 Dreamliner. Given the progress over the summer addressing the “side-of-body” issue, we now expect a 787 first flight by the end of this year, with first deliveries starting in the...

    • I get around

      I’m back in Seattle after wrapping up an event-filled week attending MAKS 2009, better known as the Moscow Air Show. But I wanted to take a moment to reflect on an exciting week in Everett while I was away. The...

    • Big time

      The first 747-8 Freighter is now in final assembly - more than 80% assembled in fact. Looking impressive in final assembly - we can now get a complete view of the first 747-8. Last Friday we marked a big time...

    • 787 / Alenia

      We’ve gotten a number of questions and seen numerous media reports about a “stop-work” order involving one of our major 787 partners. So I wanted to clarify a few things about what you might be reading or hearing. The reports...

    • Commitment to air safety

      Although I’ve rarely written about air safety, it’s a topic that’s always at the forefront of everyone’s minds here at Boeing. Recent high-profile airplane incidents have led to some questioning about the safety of our air transportation system. I was...

    • Largest 777 operator

      With the delivery of a new 777-300ER last week, Emirates became the world’s largest operator of 777s. The delivery at Paine Field in Everett (top photo) marks Emirates’ 78th 777 overall, and the airline’s 45th -300ER. The Dubai-based carrier also...

  • July 2009

    • Ribbon in the sky

      We’ve talked here before about Boeing’s progress in meeting environmental challenges. Some of the exciting developments have been around the ASPIRE or “perfect” flights, as well as “tailored arrivals” testing going on over the past year or so. Now we...

    • Boeing Charleston

      Boeing has completed the acquisition of the business and operations conducted by Vought in South Carolina, as part of the agreement announced earlier this month. Boeing Completes Acquisition of Vought Operations in South Carolina...

    • FBJ - the movie

      Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about 747-8 final body join - now in a handy 2-minute movie. Well, maybe not everything, but it’s a great video. Take a look. The first 747-8 Freighter is looking like a complete airplane...

    • White and blue

      A couple of things to reflect upon today. First, we’ve unveiled the special new livery for some of our 787 flight test airplanes. Second, I have some thoughts about yesterday’s Boeing earnings report. The 5th flight test Dreamliner, ZA005, features...

    • 2Q 2009 results

      Boeing Reports Second-Quarter Financial Results...

    • All together now

      We’re getting our first real look at the size and scope of the 747-8 Freighter - “all together” now that we’ve reached the milestone of “final body join.” This is a big moment for the program, and the culmination of...

    • Fly me to the moon

      It’s a bit hard to believe, but Monday marks 40 years (40 years!) since we first walked on the moon. “The Eagle has landed.” That was July 20, 1969. Apollo 11 is a bit off the Commercial Airplanes topic, however...

    • Three wings

      The wings for all three 747-8 Freighter flight test airplanes are now in the final assembly bay in Everett. A unique view from the 747 factory. In the foreground is the wing and center section for the first flight test...

    • Right down the line

      Those of you who have children know what a proud moment it is when your toddler takes those first steps. That’s kind of what it was like for us Tuesday morning when the 787 Dreamliner took its first “steps” under...

    • Acquiring Vought in South Carolina

      We’ve been getting a lot of inquiries today - understandably - about our announcement this morning that Boeing is going to acquire the Vought operations in South Carolina. This is the facility where fabrication and assembly of structures, as well...

    • Final gauntlet completed

      Just before the start of the long holiday weekend here in the U.S., the 787 team completed the ‘round-the-clock final gauntlet testing on ZA001. On the evening of July 2, we wrapped up 18 hours of simulated flying on our...

    • Feels like the first time

      We’ve mentioned that testing and production is continuing on the flight test Dreamliners and other airplanes in assembly. Wednesday, on the flight line in Everett we saw (and heard) evidence of that as we completed engine runs for ZA002, the...

  • June 2009

    • Le sourire de la Joconde

      It’s been a challenging couple of weeks, as you can imagine. But I wanted to make sure - before we get too far removed from Le Bourget - to share some final sights, sounds and thoughts from the Paris Air...

    • Come together

      We’ve joined the wing to the fuselage for the first 747-8 Freighter. In the final assembly bay in Everett, our team has attached the 40-foot (12 meter) center fuselage section to the wing. This first 747-8 is now more than...

    • First flight - postponed

      By now, you’ve seen the news about the postponement of the 787 first flight due to the need to reinforce a limited area of the airplane’s structure. I can tell you that here in Renton where I work, as well...

    • Crystal blue persuasion

      LE BOURGET, FRANCE - As is the case when any new concept or innovation is introduced, getting the world on board the notion of sustainable biofuels for aviation could require some further “green” persuasion. I totally get that. But we...

    • Magnificent seven

      LE BOURGET, FRANCE - Hectic activity here at the Paris Air Show continued unabated on Wednesday. My daily calendar was filled with a variety of customer, analyst and media meetings, including an interview on Argentina television, and German and French...

    • Paths to first flight

      LE BOURGET, FRANCE - We heard from Pat Shanahan on Tuesday at the Paris Air Show. Pat is the vice president of Airplane Programs for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He had a lot to share, including updates for the 787 Dreamliner...

    • Paris: A rainy day

      LE BOURGET, FRANCE - The first day of the Paris Air Show started very early in the morning with a downpour. And it never really completely let up. So, most of us spent our time under shelter and indoors on...

    • Sous le ciel de Paris

      LE BOURGET, FRANCE - The Air France 777 Freighter arrived here Sunday night. The airplane will be on static display just outside the Boeing chalet this week. I have to say, the landing of the 777 Freighter was a beautiful...

    • Back to the future - Part II

      LONDON - It’s hard to believe, but the movie of the above title is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. So I think it’s kind of appropriate to have a little fun with it as we get set to take...

    • Going though gauntlet

      I know there’s been great interest in all the steps leading up to the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner. So to help satisfy the craving for the latest news and images, we’ve made available a few new short videos...

    • Learning to fly

      We’ve just completed the intermediate round of gauntlet testing on the 787. It seems like we only just started and now it’s complete. This is the challenging - but also exciting – aspect of keeping up with the pace of...

    • Simply the best

      Premium passengers, executive travelers, elite mileage club members, the people who really rack up the miles – they know what they like and what they don’t like about the air travel experience. So it’s particularly gratifying that for the second...

  • May 2009

    • The gauntlet begins

      The 787 team in Everett has begun what we call the “intermediate gauntlet” on Dreamliner #1 - and testing is now underway. This means that over the next week or so, the team will really put ZA001 through its paces,...

    • New York minute

      A few weeks back I had the opportunity to sit down for a discussion and podcast with Aviation Week business editor, Madhu Unnikrishnan. Talking airplane financing with Av Week’s Madhu Unnikrishnan. Madhu and I chatted during the recent New York...

    • Born to run

      We’ve run the engines. Today marked the completion of the first engine runs on the first flight test 787 Dreamliner. Engines running: You can see waves of heat coming off the back of the engines in these photos. In the...

    • Forward motion

      The 747-8 team has finished assembly on the forward fuselage for the first -8 Freighter. In the photos we just got from the factory this week, you can see the iconic upper deck as it flies through the 40-22 bay...

    • Slow ride

      Under brilliant sunshine and blue skies, the 787 Dreamliner took a short, slow, and significant trip Saturday afternoon. The Dreamliner makes its way out of the fuel dock Saturday - in reverse! Airplane #1, or ZA001, has completed initial fueling...

    • Efficiency for long-haul

      We’ve just posted online our latest issue of AERO Magazine. The featured story really gets into the details behind our newest airplane, the 777 Freighter - its heritage, capabilities, range and capacity, design, and its ability to fit into existing...

    • Aviation night in Canada

      WINNIPEG – This city of about 700,000 people at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers in the central plains of Canada is noted for many things. Winnie the Pooh for one. A departed, but sorely missed NHL hockey...

    • Dream on

      Dreamliner #1, the flight test airplane we call ZA001, is on the flight line in Everett. It’s a big step for the 787 on the road toward first flight. ZA001 moving from paint hangar to flight line - first stop,...

    • In the paint

      Some views of the 787 (Airplane #1) in the paint hangar in Everett from earlier in the week when about 25 reporters and photographers got a look at the first flight test Dreamliner....

  • April 2009

    • BSI: Seattle

      Imagine stepping onto a jetliner and knowing instantly that you’re on a Boeing airplane. I suppose a big flashing neon “BOEING” sign would accomplish that. But we prefer a more appealing sensory approach where you actually see and “feel” the...

    • Poseidon takes flight

      The P-8A Poseidon, a military derivative of the Next-Generation 737-800, completed a three-and-a-half hour first flight over the weekend. I wanted to share a couple of the shots of this great looking airplane in the air. The P-8A Poseidon takes...

    • Intercontinental at 25%

      25% design release announced today for the 747-8 Intercontinental. This means a quarter of the information needed to build parts and tools for assembly has been completed. Read the full story here: 747-8 Intercontinental Passes 25 Percent Design Milestone The...

    • 1Q 2009 results

      We’ve just been through another tough quarter, not only for Boeing but for our industry. So, understandably our results are somewhat parallel to what’s happening in the global economy and its deep effects on the commercial airplane market. Boeing’s first-quarter...

    • Heard it through the grapevine

      As we get closer to the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner, clearly there’s going to be more and more focus on day-to-day, if not minute-to-minute progress. It’s the first new airplane program where we’ve seen the full effects of...

    • Flight to the future

      I had the opportunity to be in Chicago earlier in the week. And I didn’t have to go any farther than the airport to take part in a significant event not only for Boeing but for our long-time partner, American...

    • Production decisions

      We announced adjustments today that will affect production plans on some of our programs. You can read the release here: Boeing to Adjust 2010 Twin-Aisle Airplane Production Plan...

    • Middle East journey

      In my job, I’m fortunate to be able to visit far-flung regions and to meet with people from all over the world. But I’d hardly say I’ve been everywhere, and recently I had the chance to visit two key cities...

    • Facing realities

      I had the opportunity recently to spend a couple of days at the Boeing Leadership Center in St. Louis last month, taking part as an instructor in a training program for Boeing executives called BEP - Boeing Executive Program. The...

  • March 2009

    • E-Enabled

      Boeing makes available technical information about our airplanes that many people aren’t aware is out there. One example we’ve talked about before is the excellent publication we call AERO. This is a quarterly that goes out to the operators of...

    • Six-pack

      I wanted to give you a brief update and share a couple of new photos from the 787 factory. They’re images of the Dreamliner that will be the 6th and final flight test airplane, designated ZA006. A couple of first...

    • Hot wings

      Winglets on a 767. I think you just have to see that to appreciate it. American Airlines just conducted the first revenue flight of a 767-300ER with Blended Winglets on March 8 – from Dallas/Fort Worth to London Heathrow. I’ve...

    • Counterparts

      Over the past couple of months, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and get to know my new “counterpart”- Airbus head of marketing, Andy Shankland. We first met at the Airfinance conference in Dublin and then again at the Geneva...

    • Tragedy at Schiphol

      GENEVA - I happened to be in Europe this past week, participating in the Geneva Forum. So the tragedy outside Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport hit that much closer to home for me, as it has, of course, for the greater Boeing...

  • February 2009

    • Le 777 cargo

      I’m reminded that I was present at the birth, so to speak, of the 777 Freighter program. It happened in May of 2005, in Shanghai. This was the occasion of the signing of the first Air France 777F contract as...

    • Chow mein, clocks, and "hmm"

      Pop quiz. Which is the fastest-selling new commercial airplane program in history – the A350 or the 787 Dreamliner? Recently we’ve heard claims that the A350 has taken the crown. But I’m just scratching my head about that because, in...

    • First flight +40

      February 9, 1969 was cold, cloudy, and windy. In other words, a typical winter’s day in this neck of the woods. But it was also a day that changed everything. A little before lunchtime on that date, the first 747...

    • Over the hump, and other 747 news

      As became clear last week, we’ve had our share of challenges on the 747-8 program, but it’s moving ahead and things are taking shape in the factory right now. So, I thought that rather than just talking about the progress...

  • January 2009

    • Take five

      End of a busy week, and a good opportunity to take some time out for a brief update on where we stand in the 787 factory. We’ve now returned to what you might call a steady level of production with...

    • Challenging year behind us, ahead of us

      Clearly, today’s Boeing earnings report for the year-end and 4th quarter 2008 reflects the consequences of not achieving our objectives at Commercial Airplanes. While Boeing posted a profit - $2.7 billion - for the year as a whole, we’ve also...

    • $3.5 trillion economic impact

      It’s not very far into 2009 and I’m already being asked what our outlook is for the year ahead. That’s a tough one to predict in any year, and this year is going to be tougher than most. It’s hard...

    • Tough decision

      In my last blog entry I talked about the challenges that we all face in 2009. Now comes word that the U.S. is in the middle of the worst loss of jobs in more than 60 years - and as...

    • The difference a year makes

      As we all get back into the swing and we start 2009 business in earnest, I couldn’t help but go take a look in the archives to see what we posted last year at this time. Last January we were...

  • December 2008

    • The flight before Christmas

      If you’re like me, you’ve got a zillion things to get done before the holidays. So here is where I take care of all the items that have been piling up in my blog stocking – waiting to be “wrapped.”...

    • Rhapsody in blue

      I wanted to follow up on a previous discussion, and talk a bit about a successful third ASPIRE flight we had in mid-November. This time it was a United Airlines 747-400, making United the first U.S. carrier to demonstrate how...

    • The path ahead

      There’s not much more you can say in terms of just how frustrating it is to announce yet another delay. And it is deeply frustrating, once again, for the team, our partners, our suppliers, our customers, for the Boeing family....

    • At the crossroads of continents

      I was recently in Europe to present Boeing’s 20-year forecast to a very diverse range of media - the newswire services in Paris, business journalists in Frankfurt and a large group of Turkish media in Istanbul. The thing that surprised...

    • Ground game

      There’s a great television program recently produced and airing in re-broadcasts from time to time that you might want to check out. It focuses on the amazing skill of a group of Boeing employees known as the Airplane On Ground...

    • New contract

      You’ve most likely heard the positive news today. We have a new four-year contract with SPEEA-represented professional and technical employees. They ratified the contracts and announced the results last night. The agreement covers about 21,000 employees. As was the case...

  • November 2008

    • Bountiful harvest

      As we here in the U.S. get set to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, the Next-Generation 737 family is celebrating two recent milestones - the 15th anniversary of the program’s launch and the 5,000th Next-Generation 737 order. Either of those two...

    • Take this broken wing

      I wanted to briefly talk the successful destructive testing over the weekend of a 787 Dreamliner composite wing box, and point you to a fascinating video of the milestone. The test is part of the certification process – but doesn’t...

    • 747-8 challenges

      The audiences I speak to around the globe, as well as readers of this blog are familiar with something we’ve said many times. Big commercial airplanes are challenging, complicated work, especially new (or major derivative) airplane programs. We’ve gotten another...

    • ASPIRE to perfection

      Last month I promised to return to talking a bit more about my recent trip to Asia, Australia and New Zealand. During those visits, something that always seemed to come up was the environment, and questions about what the aviation...

    • President-elect

      This was the first U.S. presidential election since we started blogging. So as we mark Tuesday night’s election results which will usher in a new administration in January, I wanted to share with you a couple of items to whet...

    • Future of freight

      KUALA LUMPUR – In Malaysia at the moment, attending the 24th International Air Cargo Forum and Exhibition, where we’ve just released Boeing’s World Air Cargo Forecast for 2008/2009. I think you’ll find it of interest in light of the current...

    • Back to work

      Over the weekend Boeing machinists ratified a new four-year contract. They started coming back to work last night, and will continue to return to factories and other facilities over the next week. As Scott Carson said after the vote, “we’re...

  • October 2008

    • Tentative agreement

      We got the word last night that we’ve reached a tentative agreement with the IAM. It’s a hopeful sign that we may soon get back to the work of delivering on the more than 3,700 airplanes in our backlog, and...

    • Tough quarter

      In my most recent weeks of travel and meeting with reporters and with customers, the questions I most often heard had to do with the impacts of both the ongoing machinists strike at Boeing and the current economic situation. Our...

    • Down Under in Australia and New Zealand

      I mentioned earlier that I was headed to Australia and New Zealand to brief airline customers, news media, banks, industry and financial analysts and government agencies on Boeing’s commercial market outlook for both the near-term and 20 years out. Those...

    • The Next-Generation

      In the midst of everything else that’s going on, I didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to show you some photos from a great event a few weeks ago with a great Boeing customer. Alaska Airlines has completed a...

    • One down, two to go

      The 787 program reached a milestone last Saturday, successfully completing the high-blow test on the 787 static test vehicle in our Everett factory. This test is one of three static tests on a full airframe that must be cleared prior...

  • September 2008

    • Details, details

      As I head off on my annual trip to Australia and New Zealand (with stops in Japan and Korea, too), I wanted to steer you toward some great new industry info that’s just available. Many of you know that we...

    • Can you hear me now?

      A little over a year ago I asked a simple question: How quiet do you want it to be on the airplane the next time you fly? Spending some “quiet” time visiting the A380 flight deck at Farnborough in July....

    • Who wins?

      What comes to mind right now is what my predecessor wrote in this blog three years ago. At times like this, we greatly disappoint our customers. Boeing’s Everett factory - one of the facilities affected by the work stoppage. While...

    • No agreement reached

      The mediated talks with the IAM have ended without reaching agreement. Boeing has issued this statement: “Over the past two days, Boeing, the union and the federal mediator worked hard in pursuing good-faith explorations of options that could lead to...

    • Mediation

      Boeing has issued a statement today from Doug Kight, vice president of Human Resources, about Wednesday’s contract vote with the IAM. We offered employees the best package of pay and benefits in the aerospace industry. We are disappointed with the...

  • August 2008

    • BAFO

      This morning Boeing submitted our Best and Final Offer (BAFO) to the IAM. The new offer includes an increased pay package, an industry-leading retirement plan, and improved health care and insurance plans. As I mentioned in the previous post, you...

    • 2nd offer

      I’m sure many of you are watching with great interest the negotiations going on this week between Boeing and the IAM union. We have a 2008 labor negotiations site where you can keep up with the latest. This afternoon Boeing...

    • Newairplane, new focus

      Last week I mentioned being away enjoying some time off, so I thought I’d share a couple of photos. The first one is yours truly jumping in for a swim - my personal version of “wheels up, wheels down.” I...

    • Wheels up, wheels down

      While I was lakeside in Montana last week, the 787 program really got “geared up.” In the final assembly facility in Everett they began the process of testing the landing gear on Airplane #1. These gear swing tests replicate the...

    • Big new jet airliner

      Late last month, I had the pleasure of visiting Japan on my last business trip of the summer season. In Tokyo, I briefed a packed room of more than 20 journalists. We discussed the future of big airplanes in Asia,...

    • (pod) Casting for new leaders

      It’s not often you get a personal insight into what it means to be a leader inside Boeing. So I want to share with you a podcast hosted earlier this year by my Commercial Airplanes colleague Sandy Postel, on behalf...

  • July 2008

    • First half

      As you’ve probably heard or read today, Boeing announced its second-quarter 2008 financial results today. Clearly we had some challenges last quarter, and that’s reflected in our results. On the defense side we had the previously announced charge for the...

    • Lucky man

      FARNBOROUGH – Well, despite the lyrics to the song I alluded to earlier in the week, I guess the show does eventually have to end, and we’re at the end of a very eventful week here at this biennial event....

    • Lean and green

      FARNBOROUGH – Some people are saying that the show has seemed leaner this year – as in, smaller crowds, less excitement. Well, I don’t know what show they’re at, because there’s lots going on, and I’ve been running nonstop since...

    • A busy day on two shores

      FARNBOROUGH - Just a quick note from the air show to point you to a highlight or two from our first day here. And back in Seattle, a milestone flight for the 777 Freighter. The 777 Freighter lands at Paine...

    • Welcome back my friends

      FARNBOROUGH - Here we are again. Can’t believe it’s already been more than a year since my first major air show as marketing V.P., last year in Paris. I found that experience to be exhilarating, exciting, and exhausting beyond all...

    • Traffic and whether

      LONDON – Call it an understatement, or call it an overstatement, but we do seem to be in unprecedented times right now. The airlines are under pressure as we’re facing a weakening worldwide economy, surging oil prices, and slowing traffic...

  • June 2008

    • To market

      We’re heading into July – and that means it won’t be long before Farnborough Air Show time. That also means my marketing colleagues and I are busy formulating Boeing’s 2008 Current Market Outlook (CMO). For us at Commercial Airplanes, the...

    • The power of 1

      As promised, we’ve launched a dedicated Web site that we think captures just what 787 Power On is all about. You’ll get to see the actual tests, as well as interviews with experts, and executive commentary. This is an interactive...

    • Hour of power

      Just last week we reported that we’d taken the first steps toward “power on” for the first 787 Dreamliner. Today I can tell you that we’ve successfully completed this very significant milestone – a major accomplishment for the entire 787...

    • Tanker protest upheld

      We just found out that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found in Boeing’s favor on a number of issues related to our protest of the U.S. Air Force’s award of the $35 billion aerial refueling tanker contract. In response...

    • "Power on" begins

      Yesterday, we got word that we’ve taken the first steps towards providing power to the first 787 Dreamliner in the Everett factory. “Power On” is a milestone accomplished on all new airplanes. But this one is especially important because the...

    • Three of four

      We’ve had another first flight. This time it was a brand new Dreamlifter, the third of four planned Dreamlifters. The new airplane received FAA certification about a week ago after a successful flight in Taiwan. Dreamlifter 3 – taking off...

    • Challenging times

      I’m back at the blogging desk after a brief absence. Family and civic responsibilities have been keeping me busy. This past week I was serving on jury duty. Never did get to serve on an actual trial, though. But my...

  • May 2008

    • Sights and sounds

      We opened up the 787 factory to the world’s media on Monday. It was a great event, and I wanted to share a couple of photos we took during the factory tour. The 787 factory in Everett, in full swing...

    • One year, one million

      I know it’s a cliché, but man did this past year go fast. Last year this time I was just moving into a new office, learning some new ropes, and also blogging for the first time. But a year -...

    • The conversation

      In the past, some people might have seen labor negotiations as a difficult, but necessary task to get through. But in 2008 we’re taking the view that the conversation getting underway today represents a tremendous opportunity. As Boeing begins negotiating...

    • Single aisle redux

      HONG KONG - I’ve been on the road again this week, first in Thailand, and now in Hong Kong for a speech at the Royal Aeronautical Society and to meet with some reporters. Typically, in my travels, one of the...

    • ZA003

      This week we loaded the newest 787 Dreamliner into position in the Everett factory, and I wanted to share a couple of pretty amazing photos with you. The newest Dreamliner – designated ZA003 – in first position in the 787...

  • April 2008

    • Poseidon adventure

      The start of final assembly is always a significant milestone. But in this case it’s a historic adventure as well. Boeing Renton employees received the first fuselage from Spirit AeroSystems earlier this month, and final assembly is underway on the...

    • Growth and guidance

      The Boeing Company shared some strong financial results today, and projected some solid growth to come. You can read through a lot of the details in our first quarter earnings release. But I wanted to briefly touch upon some of...

    • Joining forces

      Reducing the impact of aviation on the environment isn’t just a Boeing or an Airbus “thing.” It’s of importance to the entire world. So a working-together initiative just signed by both companies in Geneva is a great step in increasing...

    • Siga o Mestre

      I mentioned a couple of weeks back how I had the opportunity to appear on the Brazilian television channel TV Ideal. Click on the image to watch the video clip. Since I had to endure the makeup process for this...

    • Program update

      We’ve updated our plans for the 787 Dreamliner’s first flight and deliveries. Here’s the news release: Boeing Revises 787 First Flight and Delivery Plans. Obviously there’s been a lot of anticipation in the aviation and financial communities surrounding this announcement....

    • Inside the 787

      Now that I’m back from a great trip to South America, I wanted to share with you a short (1:30) video clip that I used in my presentations at the FIDAE air show and earlier during my visit to Brazil....

    • Fuel cell flight

      Have you had a chance to check out this story today about the first-ever flight of a manned airplane powered by hydrogen fuel cells? You can also read more about it here, and view a video of the flight. This...

  • March 2008

    • Southern latitudes

      SANTIAGO – I’m in Chile this week for the FIDAE air show. It’s been a few years since my last visit here, so it’s great to be back and meeting with some old friends. A spectacular view of Santiago. Over...

    • Best aircraft types

      As you may know, the 747 was the focus of my previous role here at Boeing. So I know it’s a pretty special airplane. And now the readers of Global Traveler have cast their votes in favor of the Queen...

    • 787 process

      I attended the JPMorgan Aviation and Transportation Conference in New York over the past couple of days. You can watch the Webcasts of some of the presentations, including mine, at the J.P. Morgan conference site. And as many of you...

    • Tanker blog

      My colleagues at Boeing’s Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) have launched a new blog, and I think it might be worth your while to check it out. A depiction of the Boeing aerial refueling tanker in action. Tanker Facts is a...

    • Growth and consolidation

      With all the continued talk of mergers both in Europe and in the United States, the average observer might think a dramatic consolidation is taking place in our industry. In fact at the recent Geneva Forum on Aircraft Finance and...

    • Protest filed

      Just a brief note to update you - with today’s release: Boeing Protests U.S. Air Force Tanker Contract Award...

    • Tanker decision

      This evening Boeing announced it has decided to file a formal protest of the Air Force aerial refueling tankers contract award. Boeing chairman, president, and chief executive officer Jim McNerney said today, the team has taken a very close look...

    • Take it to the limit

      We’ve had an overwhelming response and a good conversation going on in the comments to the Tanker posts, and we will be following that issue as we go forward. But I wanted to take a moment catch up on some...

    • Tanker debrief

      Over the past several days, the Air Force tanker announcement has generated more commenting here than any subject since I started blogging. A lot of well thought-out and spirited comments. One of the reasons I enjoy my job is that...

  • February 2008

    • Tanker announcement

      We found out this afternoon that Boeing’s KC-767 Advanced Tanker proposal was not selected by the U.S. Air Force. Here’s the Boeing Company statement: Obviously we are very disappointed with this outcome. We believe that we offered the Air Force...

    • "First flight"

      Our 787 chief pilot Mike Carriker, and our 787 systems director Mike Sinnett had an awesome experience earlier this month. They “flew” the Dreamliner with the “Blockpoint 8” software for the first time - in a successful test of the...

    • Extra, extra

      SINGAPORE — I’m here for the big air show this week, and I know there’s going to be a lot on people’s minds not only here at Singapore, but as I travel throughout the year. No doubt one of the...

    • Airplane 4, position 1

      I wanted to share with you a new photo from the 787 factory, as final assembly gets underway on the Dreamliner that will be our second flight test airplane. Our team in Everett is joining together the fuselage sections and...

    • Level field

      This is a crucial year for our industry in many ways. For one thing, there’s a head-to-head competition going between Boeing and EADS/Airbus to provide the U.S. Air Force with its next generation of aerial tankers. Much has been said...

    • Chinese Lunar New Year greetings

      The Year of the Rat (or Mouse) is upon us. We’ve put together a brief video to help celebrate along with people around the world. Click on the image to go to the video. And when you’re on the video...

    • Apples and oranges

      Last month I talked a bit about the industry-record 1,413 net orders for Boeing Commercial Airplanes in 2007. And you may have noticed that Boeing reported our 2007 results in net orders (while also indicating gross). That’s key because net...

  • January 2008

    • Earnings

      Boeing posted record earnings, revenues, and backlog in 2007. You can check out the results for 4Q and full-year 2007 in our news release (PDF)....

    • Northern exposure

      STOCKHOLM - I’m in the middle of a two-week tour of European cities, and just wrapped up a visit to Sweden. Enjoyed some beautiful sunshine, although this time of year the sun barely gets above the horizon all day! Blue...

    • Getting it right

      I haven’t blogged specifically on the subject of aviation safety – and neither had the “other” Randy. That probably says as much as anything about the high level of safety in our global air transportation system. But there is definitely...

    • Dreamliners over Bahrain

      Over the weekend Boeing finalized an order with Bahrain’s national carrier for up to 24 787 Dreamliners. Not only is the order great news, but Boeing released a cool new image to go along with it. A new Gulf Air...

    • Orders and commitments

      Clearly there were two big stories in aviation today, the announcement of Airbus’ 2007 results, and Boeing’s announcement of 787 delays. About the 2007 orders story, as you’ve probably read by now, Airbus had 1,341 net orders last year, compared...

    • Amazing race

      This is one of those events that falls under the category of “don’t try this at home.” Check out the story....

    • Great year, new year

      Happy 2008! It’s great to be back in the office. And I’m looking forward to a very busy year. We’ve compiled our BCA year-end orders for 2007, and as expected it was a record-breaker in many ways. With 1,413 net...

  • December 2007

    • Stocking stuffers

      As we enter the Boeing year-end break, I won’t be posting again to the blog until after the holidays. We’ll have a lot to talk about then, including how we did in commercial airplanes sales and deliveries in 2007. It’s...

    • New Year's resolution

      This is the time of year when many of us resolve to improve ourselves in some way in the future — lose weight, kick a habit, maybe establish a more fuel efficient fleet, etc. Well, that last resolution is more...

    • Record setting

      We’ve just updated our orders and deliveries Web page. I know we’ve said this before, but at the beginning of the year, no one could have predicted the sustained strength of this airplane orders cycle. Boeing’s commercial airplanes orders are...

    • First of many

      A few days ago I was talking about the remarkable 777 which, with well over 1,000 orders, is the best-selling twin-engine widebody in the world. I neglected to mention a couple of other significant points. With 125 orders in 2007...

  • November 2007

    • 3 for 3

      As many of us here in the U.S. got ready for the Thanksgiving holiday last week, it was rather remarkable to watch as Boeing’s updated orders and deliveries Website rolled past the 1,000 orders mark for the third time in...

    • Planes, trains, automobiles

      Can’t speak to train and automobile travel too much, but I did come across a great resource that’s especially timely as a lot of people across the U.S. get ready to board airplanes for holiday travel this week and for...

    • Alaska wings it

      You hear so much about the environment and the things we all can do to conserve energy and resources, but sometimes you forget that you can do big things in a lot of little ways. That’s why I want to...

    • Midday at the oasis

      DUBAI - It’s been a big and busy week here at the air show. I delivered Boeing’s market outlook for the Middle East region – 1,160 new airplanes, more than half of which will be widebodies – and I got...

    • Travel, in a "flash"

      One of the points I like to make in my presentations is about the value of direct flights. As I travel to different regions, for each of my presentations I’ve developed a nifty little animation piece that helps bring home...

  • October 2007

    • New China pattern

      A few weeks back I started a discussion about the hot airplanes market in China. I wanted to return to the subject again, because there’s so much more to the story than just the market forecast. When I first started...

    • 3Q 2007

      The Boeing Company released our results for the third quarter today. On a number of levels it was an outstanding quarter. And I think that our well-publicized challenges ought to be viewed in the context of the big overall picture....

    • "Launch aid"

      The notion of government subsides for the major airplane manufacturers is at the heart of a debate that’s now before the World Trade Organization (WTO). When it comes to “launch aid,” does everyone do it? No, everyone does not do...

    • Big delivery

      SEOUL – I’m in Korea for the Seoul Air Show. But at the moment a lot of eyes are watching the developments elsewhere – the delivery of the first A380 to Singapore Airlines. No doubt, the first delivery for a...

    • A change of flight plan

      AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - Clearly, as our company’s top executives expressed this week, the 787 schedule change is disappointing for all of us at Boeing. The 787 rightly has generated so much excitement inside and outside Boeing that even a...

    • Final frontier

      SYDNEY - Space may be the final frontier. But in this case I’m talking about space inside an airplane cabin. What traveler hasn’t wished that economy seating could incorporate more of the space and comfort features of business and first...

    • Bringing techie back

      I started my career with Boeing on the technical side, and I guess when that’s in your blood, you never quite lose that interest in the nuts and bolts of our business. So it’s a good thing that we brought...

    • Flying high .. on the hog

      I’m not one to typically “ham” it up, but I didn’t want the summer to go by without at least mentioning something neat that’s been going on in Seattle for the past several months. This little piggy went to market,...

  • September 2007

    • FAQ on BBJ & VIP

      A big conference going on in Atlanta this week focuses on a more glamorous, but at the same time lesser known, area of our industry. That’s the VIP or business jet category. In my last job I was able to...

    • Forecast: Hot

      BEIJING – Since my last trip to China, some things have changed, and some haven’t. The Sichuan dishes are just as spicy – and as good - as I remember them. No change there. But the Beijing skyline is boasting...

    • Testing, testing

      The 787 Dreamliner program has completed the third of three large-scale structural tests - to determine whether the actual airframe performs in a simulated “crash landing” condition the same way as software modeling predicts. Much of the results are in...

    • Delta dawns

      Doing a blog is challenging – all the more so in the consumer-focused world of the airline industry. So my hat is off to Delta Air Lines. They just started a blog called Under the Wing. Delta launched the blog...

    • Wake up call

      Like many of you, I woke up a bit earlier than usual yesterday. It was a big day at the house - the first day of the school year. So my normal routine got a bit changed - I managed...

  • August 2007

    • 7/8/07

      No doubt a lot of people enjoyed the excitement of the Dreamliner Premiere and the great coincidence of the date 7/8/07, for the July 8 rollout of the first airplane. But did you know there was another milestone marked by...

    • Top of its game

      A lot of the attention in the widebody market has been on the record-setting pace of orders for the 787 Dreamliner. That’s to be expected. But quietly, the 777 has just reached its own record milestone – achieving 1,000 orders...

    • It's a wrap

      Talk about “building” momentum. Korean Air has taken the Dreamliner Premiere to new heights. They’ve wrapped their entire headquarters building in Seoul with a giant image of a 787 taking off – in Korean Air blue – along with the...

    • 100 days

      It’s been a little over a hundred days now since I’ve been the “Randy” in Randy’s Journal. And borrowing a page from American political tradition, I thought it would be “prudent” (with apologies to Dana Carvey) to look at where...

    • Life begins @ 40

      The thing about airplane manufacturing is, it’s constantly evolving and improving with technology. Clearly, the revolutionary 787 Dreamliner, and the evolutionary 747-8 are already carrying on the story into the 21st Century. But as we look ahead, I also want...

    • Sound of silence

      How quiet do you want it to be on the airplane next time you fly? Sounds like a rhetorical question, but it’s not as simple as it seems. When we develop an airplane like the 787 – or any airplane...

    • 7,000

      It’s a nice round number, and looks pretty darn good from overhead, especially when several hundred Boeing employees are actually forming the numerals. We just reached an amazing milestone – the 7,000th Boeing 737 order. And to mark the occasion...

    • State of the industry

      One of the questions that came up on the Boeing Company earnings teleconference with investors and reporters last week had to do with where we are in terms of the “cycle.” I think my predecessor, Randy Baseler, did a good...

  • July 2007

    • Halfway mark

      Boeing has announced its second quarter 2007 performance results. And the report shows continued strong growth. For Commercial Airplanes, our backlog grew to a record $208 billion in Q2. We received 360 gross orders and delivered 114 airplanes in the...

    • Wildest dreams

      It’s been a blur of activity beginning about six weeks ago with the run-up to Paris, and continuing through some travel in Asia, and of course the Dreamliner Premiere weekend. But while it’s still all fresh in the mind I...

    • "Rock star"

    • In the wings

      The first 787 Dreamliner is now ready, and waiting in the wings, just hours away from its Premiere on the world stage. I have to say it’s hard to believe we are finally at this moment. Hundreds of media from...

    • On a "roll"

      We’re just a couple of days away from what promises to be one of the biggest corporate rollout events anyone has ever seen. I’ll be there in Everett on Sunday when the 787 Dreamliner makes its Premiere. And I hope...

  • June 2007

    • Seven heaven

      This coming week is going to be exceptional for more than just the obvious reason. As part of the 787 “rollout” on July 8, starting today we’re releasing one video a day, leading up to the big event. It’s something...

    • Dream event

      The July 8 rollout - or “Premiere” - of the new 787 Dreamliner is a little over a week away. And it has generated such worldwide interest, that Boeing is going to make the event available to viewers around the...

    • Airshow!

      LE BOURGET - Air shows are a blur of nonstop activity. Seems I’ve tackled questions on everything from, “What’s the wake vortex on a 747?” to “How do you fly an elephant from Anchorage to Tampa?” It’s to the point...

    • If it's Wednesday ..

      LE BOURGET – You ought to know that the people who manage my schedule have kept me pretty busy this week. Some might say, “If it’s Wednesday, I must be in Paris.” But at this point I say, if this...

    • Lundi, Lundi

      LE BOURGET – A guy by the name of Charles Lindbergh landed here 80 years ago after the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic. It’s truly a place of aviation history. Paris has hosted air shows virtually since the...

    • The long run

      PARIS - Although I’m not a big fan of the group, I do remember that the Eagles had a hit single and album called “The Long Run.” And that’s the kind of phrase that comes to mind at air show...

    • Back to the future

      LONDON – I just wrapped up a meeting with a group of journalists here in the U.K., as well as conducting an international media teleconference. It’s part of activity around the release of the new Boeing commercial airplanes market outlook....

    • The heat is on

      It’s been a busy June already, and it’s only just begun. This time of year - air show time - is always a little frantic. As I continue to get up to speed on the new job, I’m also preparing...

  • May 2007

    • Conference call

      I was in Chicago last week for an opportunity to talk with a vital audience about how Boeing views the commercial aviation market over the next 20 years - and about how we’re addressing that market. Close to 200 representatives...

    • Arrivals

      The 787 factory is officially open for business. And it’s time to start assembling the first 787 Dreamliners. I have to say there’s no experience quite like watching a new airplane come together. I’ve been with Boeing for more than...

    • KC-767

      Last month Boeing submitted to the U.S. Air Force our proposal for the KC-767 Advanced Tanker. It’s a big milestone, and a big step in a process that has gotten a lot of attention. Our entry in this competition is...

    • The replacements

      Something I talked a lot about in my previous role as Customers Leader for the 747-8 program was the replacement cycle for passenger airplanes in the 400-500 seat category. And since earlier here in the blog we talked about the...

    • Hello, hello

      I think Randy Baseler had it exactly right. Magical Mystery Tour it is. In so many ways. As I find myself stepping into some big shoes, this tour is just beginning for me. And it’s certainly an odd thing to...