Unofficially Dubbed The '797', Would Be A Smaller, Twin-Aisle Airliner

In a news conference earlier this week at the Paris Air Show, Boeing officials gave a sneak peek at what may become their newest airliner ... which has unofficially been dubbed the "797".

Boeing introduced the 787 Dreamliner six years ago, and now has three variants of the airplane. But since the Dreamliner entered service, the industry has been asking "what's next?" The "797" may be the answer to that question.

CNN Money reports that according to Boeing, the new, smaller twin-aisle airplane will be designed for routes such as New York to Los Angeles, but could also connect medium-range city pairs on routes between the U.S. and Europe.

The plane would likely seat between 220 and 270 passengers and have a range of about 5,200 nautical miles, according to Boeing.

The planemaker forecasts that there may be a market for as many as 4,000 such airplanes between 2025 and 2045. Boeing hinted that there may be as many as 57 potential customers for the "797".

(Image: Screenshot from Boeing presentation at the Paris Air Show presentation)

FMI: www.boeing.com