New Airplane May Be Launched In Months

Boeing has named the executives that will lead the 777X program in a sign that industry watchers say means an announcement about the latest version of the widebody jetliner will be coming soon.

The executive team was named in an internal message sent to employees on Friday. 777X vice president Bob Feldman said that the move indicates that the company is getting ready to shift from developing a concept to detailed design work "for a real airplane," according to a report appearing in the Seattle Times.

Boeing has pretty much cornered the market on large widebody airliners, but with the completion of painting on the first flying test airframe of the A350 XWB this week, they may be feeling some pressure from Airbus. That airplane is being marketed as showing a 25 percent advantage in fuel efficiency over the current models of the 777. The 777X would include more composite parts that, along with other improvements, will make it lighter and improve its efficiency, according to Boeing.

Principal among those are new engines and a larger, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic composite wing. Perry Moore, who had been general manager of the Boeing Portland operation, has been named to head up the wing team. Other team members include Gary Hubert as the business manager in charge of finances, a position he held on the 737 MAX program; Paul Weaver, who also shifts from the 737 MAX program as the director of supplier management; and Mike Carriker, chief test pilot, a role he filled for the Dreamliner. Terry Beezhold was tapped last month as the chief project engineer.

The memo stressed that controlling costs will be a priority for the 777X program in terms of both one-time and recurring expenses.

FMI: www.boeing.com