Boeing To Design & Build New Jumbo

....but it's not what you think....

According to AvWeek, Boeing plans to convert up to 3 747-400s into a Guppy-like
configuration to transport 7E7 wings and fuselages from various international
locations (including Japan) to Everett, WA.

The rear of the 747 fuselage will be side hinged just in front of the tail to
allow for loading. The forward body of the 747 will be expanded, making the
aircraft resemble the older Boeing aircraft once used by Airbus to transport
various aircraft fuselages.

Some design work and the mod itself will be done by a Boeing mod center partner,
probably in Asia. Performance of the 747 is not expected to change
significantly. First flight expected in 2006.

"Clark W. Griswold, Jr." 73115 dot 1041 at compuserve dot com wrote in
message ...
...but it's not what you think....

According to AvWeek, Boeing plans to convert up to 3 747-400s into a
Guppy-like
configuration to transport 7E7 wings and fuselages from various
international
locations (including Japan) to Everett, WA.

Thought this going yet another announcement for one of Boeing's vaporware
747s. Between those and the Sonic Cruiser, they really seemed to drive
their credibility into the ground there for a long while. I think they've
gained a bit back with the rapid progress of the 7E7, though.

"james_anatidae" wrote in message
...
"Clark W. Griswold, Jr." 73115 dot 1041 at compuserve dot com wrote in
message ...
...but it's not what you think....

According to AvWeek, Boeing plans to convert up to 3 747-400s into a
Guppy-like
configuration to transport 7E7 wings and fuselages from various
international
locations (including Japan) to Everett, WA.

Thought this going yet another announcement for one of Boeing's vaporware
747s. Between those and the Sonic Cruiser, they really seemed to drive
their credibility into the ground there for a long while. I think they've
gained a bit back with the rapid progress of the 7E7, though.



What progress? Do you mean the fact the Japanese airlines have been told by
their government - which is going to fund a significant part of the
development costs - to buy about fifty of the beast? Beside this they
haven't done much progress. they are still waiting for the big order from
Italy (hi hi) and Germany to get the thing off the ground...


Nik

Nik.

On Fri, 28 May 2004 17:03:33 +0800, "Nik"
wrote:


"james_anatidae" wrote in message
...
"Clark W. Griswold, Jr." 73115 dot 1041 at compuserve dot com wrote in
message ...
...but it's not what you think....

According to AvWeek, Boeing plans to convert up to 3 747-400s into a
Guppy-like
configuration to transport 7E7 wings and fuselages from various
international
locations (including Japan) to Everett, WA.

Thought this going yet another announcement for one of Boeing's vaporware
747s. Between those and the Sonic Cruiser, they really seemed to drive
their credibility into the ground there for a long while. I think they've
gained a bit back with the rapid progress of the 7E7, though.



What progress? Do you mean the fact the Japanese airlines have been told by
their government - which is going to fund a significant part of the
development costs - to buy about fifty of the beast? Beside this they
haven't done much progress. they are still waiting for the big order from
Italy (hi hi) and Germany to get the thing off the ground...

Exactly. The 7E7 has so far found precisely 1, political customer, and
that's it. I suppose that counts as progress from no interest at all.
When will there be real commercial orders?

--==++AJC++==--

On Fri, 28 May 2004 11:46:28 +0200, AJC wrote:

On Fri, 28 May 2004 17:03:33 +0800, "Nik"
wrote:

What progress? Do you mean the fact the Japanese airlines have been told by
their government - which is going to fund a significant part of the
development costs - to buy about fifty of the beast?

You mean, just like AF and the 380?

:-)

Beside this they
haven't done much progress. they are still waiting for the big order from
Italy (hi hi) and Germany to get the thing off the ground...

Exactly. The 7E7 has so far found precisely 1, political customer, and
that's it. I suppose that counts as progress from no interest at all.
When will there be real commercial orders?

Perhaps when airlines get back to their feet and they actually can afford
to buy planes?

AJC wrote:
Exactly. The 7E7 has so far found precisely 1, political customer, and
that's it. I suppose that counts as progress from no interest at all.
When will there be real commercial orders?

While it is evident that a single order for 50 planes doesn't make a plane
succesful, I think that the 7E7 will eventually be a success. Boeing needs a
replacement for the 767.

Right now, airlines are not buying new aircraft. So one can't declare a
failure for 7E7 because of the lack of massive instant orders. Bombardier just
announced a new round of layoffs and production reduction for its flying
skidoos due to lack of new orders.


Just like the 380, the 7E7 has lots of unproven concepts. Airlines may want to
wait a bit longer to see a more concrete 7E7 before committing to it.

"devil" wrote in message
news
On Fri, 28 May 2004 11:46:28 +0200, AJC wrote:

On Fri, 28 May 2004 17:03:33 +0800, "Nik"
wrote:

What progress? Do you mean the fact the Japanese airlines have been told
by
their government - which is going to fund a significant part of the
development costs - to buy about fifty of the beast?

You mean, just like AF and the 380?

:-)


No - no - if you think that these things can be coordinated in France.....

You don't know the French.

Nik

"nobody" wrote in message
s.com...
AJC wrote:
Exactly. The 7E7 has so far found precisely 1, political customer, and
that's it. I suppose that counts as progress from no interest at all.
When will there be real commercial orders?

While it is evident that a single order for 50 planes doesn't make a plane
succesful, I think that the 7E7 will eventually be a success. Boeing needs
a
replacement for the 767.


Yeps - Boeing does. But do the airlines?

Nik

On Fri, 28 May 2004 23:28:55 GMT, nobody wrote:

AJC wrote:
Exactly. The 7E7 has so far found precisely 1, political customer, and
that's it. I suppose that counts as progress from no interest at all.
When will there be real commercial orders?

While it is evident that a single order for 50 planes doesn't make a plane
succesful, I think that the 7E7 will eventually be a success. Boeing needs a
replacement for the 767.

Right now, airlines are not buying new aircraft. So one can't declare a
failure for 7E7 because of the lack of massive instant orders. Bombardier just
announced a new round of layoffs and production reduction for its flying
skidoos due to lack of new orders.


But if you look further afield than short-termist North America,
airlines like SQ, EK, MH etc., do look ahead, and do plan for the
future, and do order aircraft. Of course none of those are 767
operators. Come to think of it, North American airlines are probably
the biggest 767 operators, which doesn't bode well for Boeing's 7E7
order book. European airlines tend to re-equip earlier than US ones,
and a number of those, such as SK, KL have already chosen 330/340s as
replacements, as have others such as EI who were never suited to the
747s which they have replaced.



Just like the 380, the 7E7 has lots of unproven concepts. Airlines may want to
wait a bit longer to see a more concrete 7E7 before committing to it.

But big names in the long haul market have commited to the 380.




--==++AJC++==--

On Sat, 29 May 2004 08:02:31 +0800, Nik wrote:


"devil" wrote in message
news
On Fri, 28 May 2004 11:46:28 +0200, AJC wrote:

On Fri, 28 May 2004 17:03:33 +0800, "Nik"
wrote:

What progress? Do you mean the fact the Japanese airlines have been told
by
their government - which is going to fund a significant part of the
development costs - to buy about fifty of the beast?

You mean, just like AF and the 380?

:-)


No - no - if you think that these things can be coordinated in France.....

You don't know the French.

???

I can pass for a native in France. I submit you don't understand France.

(BTW the issue is not coordination, but national pride. Inferiority
complex thing to put it in a different perspective. Not unlike Bush/Iraq
and his right wing voters, in many ways.)