Re:Boeing whistleblower raises doubts over 787 oxygen system
by mrtksn on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @08:05AM
(#21462088)
Yes, the Airbus did the same but in their case the a320 did not have a problem fitting larger engines under the wings. The problem is, if Boeing decides to make a brand new design that is more efficient than a320, Airbus will have to match it instead of milking the a320 despite not having its planes falling of the skies.
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Re:Boeing whistleblower raises doubts over 787 oxygen system
by gsnedders on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @09:06AM
(#21462677)
Provisionally the A320neo's replacement is expected to be a clean-sheet redesign, despite the basic design being two decades newer. Of course, we'll see whether even a common type rating (not type certificate) is sufficient for airlines to not baulk at the idea.
Re:Boeing whistleblower raises doubts over 787 oxygen system
by hugi on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @08:43AM
(#21462426)
I don’t quite follow your train of thought. Isn’t it normal for companies to compete and evolve their designs? I am sure Airbus is capable of doing that.
Re:Boeing whistleblower raises doubts over 787 oxygen system
by mrtksn on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @08:59AM
(#21462612)
Why would Airbus spend 10 Billion on RD for a new plane if they can only spend 1.5 Billion on RD to modify an existing design? In their current form, Airbus and Boing don't really compete, which is bad for the customers but good for the shareholders of these companies. They already produce almost all of the passenger aircrafts and they would love this to continue.
The 737 MAX fiasco threatens this arrangement.
Re:Boeing whistleblower raises doubts over 787 oxygen system
by the_mitsuhiko on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @09:29AM
(#21462902)
> Why would Airbus spend 10 Billion on RD for a new plane if they can only spend 1.5 Billion on RD to modify an existing design?
Because that's what manufacturers always did? If you only do iterative changes then eventually you run into a wall. Boeing engineers also knew that. The disagreement between what engineers wanted and what management wanted has been a point of contention for many years.
Re:Boeing whistleblower raises doubts over 787 oxygen system
by mrtksn on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @09:56AM
(#21463147)
See, that wall is not a problem when you are in a duopoly. You will need to jump the wall only if your competitor jumps and why your competitor would jump if you can pocket the 8.5 billions and sell the regular stuff?
That was what Boeing and Airbus supposed to do: Sell the a320Neo and 737MAX for as long as possible and stay away from the wall. Now that Boeing screwed up, they may be forced to jump the wall and Airbus will have to follow. On the other side of the wall, they will sell the same number of planes.
Re:Boeing whistleblower raises doubts over 787 oxygen system
by selectodude on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @11:51AM
(#21464328)
Full-scale redesigns require more than a ton of capital to build the new plane. It will cost your customers a ton of capital to buy the new plane and change their entire setup (pilots, mx) to use the new plane. The airlines want new jets even less than the manufacturers want to pay to design them.