Northwest 787 Dreamliner !

[North by Northwest]

Flight International 04/12/05:

"787 defeats A350 at Northwest:

New twinjet selected over rival Airbus proposal in crucial fleet contest, shoring up Boeing's US Customer base

Northwest Airlines is poised to announce its selection of the Boeing 787 over the competing Airbus A350 in a crucially strategic fleet re-equipment battle that could have knock-out effects for both manufacturers, say sources familiar with carriers evaluation."

"...Airbus had been optimistic of a breakthrough at Northwest with the A350 since last year when the airline firmed up options for additional A330-200/300s. The carrier has 15 A330-200/300s in service, and a similar number of new Airbus twinjets due for delivery between now and 2007. Airbus hoped the high degree of cockpit and systems would provide a better incentive to Northwest..."

"...The Northwest decision could have implications for at least two other impending decisions where the A350 and 787 are against each other, at Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways..."

The FI article doesn't indicate what those "implications" might be.

(Those birds are gonna look gorgeous in the Platinum & Red Word is the deal will be for 15-18.)

 

[Bigsky]

Great News!!! Hopefully, we'll hear the official word from Eagan soon. This aircraft will dramatically effect the service that NWA will be able to offer throughout Asia keeping NWA a very tough competitor in the Pacific. Best of luck to all those who may have to compete in that region once NWA gets the B787s on the property. Go Big Red!!!!

 

[North by Northwest]

The announcement may come at the Paris Air Show.

 

[nwa400]

Ok - Ok, Stop jumping up and down you guys. LOL. We all know that we cannot believe anything until they are pulling up to our gates with the NWA paint job on them. We have a long way to go like our brothers at other carriers before we are able to purchase these new jets. $100 barrel of oil? We will all be lucky to have jobs much less flying a 787. Hopeful........ :unsure: Im hoping your right though.

 

[Bigsky]

Agreed. NWA being in business five years from now is going to take some doing.

 

[coolflyingfool]

I would be glad to see NWA with the B787, but I would have to believe that they would be leaning toward the A350. With the cockpit commonality issue being so large these days, I think. Watch for this to be a ploy by NWA to get the prices of both planes down even lower. Airbus will come in with a lower cost and Boeing will then come in with dirt-cheap prices. It is not over yet. Just my thoughts........

 

[North by Northwest]

Wall Street is reporting @ 5:35 April 11, 2005 "NW is in final negotiations with Boeing for up to 18 787's worth $2.1 Billion US. Apparently NW has selected GE engines over Rolls-Royce. The deal would be a win for Boeing & GE, a blow to Airbus. All this is according to people familar with the situation, but no one at NW, Boeing, Airbus, or GE will provide any information, all have declined comments."
The A350 is out. . We are looking at the earliest delivery date of 09. Every other date till then is spoken for. It is a very real possilbility that this order will put the 350 to rest ...before it is even placed on the blocks. I am sure NWA scored a TKO of a deal with Boeing. This is the ultra-long range thin city pair A/C that Norhtwest has been wanting for a long time (787-900). Seats by model
787-8, 223
787-9, 259
787-3, 296

Speed at which it will fly
Mach 0.85 (about the same as a 777 and 747)

787 vs. 777 on composites and aluminum (by weight)
787

50 percent composites
20 percent aluminum
777

12 percent composites
50 percent aluminum
Material breakout on 787
Composites - 50%
Aluminum - 20%
Titanium - 15%
Steel - 10%
Other - 5%

Example of part count reductions
19 - 20 parts - aluminum equivalent
1 part - composite
How much lighter is 787 from A330-200
30-40,000 lbs. (This is enormous!) More fuel efficient
20 percent more fuel efficient than similarly sized airplanes Produces fewer emissions
20 percent fewer than similarly sized airplanes

Better cash seat mile costs than peer airplanes
10 percent Days the 787 will be in final assembly
The goal is three days

Anticipated maintenance savings
20 percent Unparalleled Performance
The 787-8 Dreamliner and 787-9 airplanes will carry 223-259 passengers in tri-class configurations on routes of 8,500 and 8,300 nautical miles (15,700 and 15,400 kilometers) respectively. A third 787 family member, the 787-3 Dreamliner, will accommodate nearly 296 passengers in a two-class configuration and be optimized for routes of 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km).

In addition to bringing big-jet ranges to mid-size airplanes, the 787 will provide airlines with unmatched fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance. The airplane will use 20 percent less fuel for comparable missions than any similarly sized airplane. It will also travel at speeds similar to todayÕs fastest wide bodies, Mach 0.85. Airlines will enjoy approximately 45 percent more cargo revenue capacity. (BINGO!) I bet NWA's ears popped up on that one.

Passengers will also see improvements with the new airplane, from an interior environment with higher humidity to increased comfort and convenience.

 

[Bigsky]

Appears it's a done deal with the choice Boeing over Airbus. How 'bout NWA being the US launch customer for the new ship?

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Mweiss,

"What say you about this 7E7 purchase by BIG RED" ???

NH/BB's

 

[Kev3188]

I can't help but wonder if this is a ploy to force Aibus' hand on the 350's price. The 45% increase in cargo revenue capacity sounds great, but I can't believe that the company isn't weighing that versus fleet commonality.

 

[NWA/AMT]

I can't help but wonder if this is a ploy to force Aibus' hand on the 350's price. The 45% increase in cargo revenue capacity sounds great, but I can't believe that the company isn't weighing that versus fleet commonality.

[post="262047"][/post]​

One school of thought says they'll make it up to Airbus by ordering some A380s as well.

 

[JFK777]

I'm happy NW is finally buyong Boeing again? MY concern is; didn't they just order more A330 since the beginning of 2005, why? Is this beacuse of orders placed earlier but delayed? 787's are clearing better then A330 but NW will be a large A330 operator until 2030.

 

[blueoceans]

I think the new Northwest paint scheme on a Boeing787 Dreamliner will make for one of the most beautiful planes in the world.

 

[Red Tail Bear]

Keeping U.S. dollars in the U.S.-(Boeing and GE) At least for now! Way to go BIG RED

 

[JetClipper]

I think there are a couple of things going on here.

First, the B787 is a “real deal†(e.g. firm orders for 100+ airplanes) for while the A350 still only exists on paper (a “commitment†for 10). Northwest may have weighed the 2009 delivery date for the B787 against 2010 (at the earliest) for the A350 and decided they simply couldn’t wait that long, particularly with the many new Midwest-Asia nonstops competitors will be starting in the next few years.

Second, NWA may have had doubts about Airbus’s claim that an A330 with new engines and a higher percentage of composite structures (which is what the A350 essentially will be) could match the B787’s operating economics. If history is any guide, Boeing’s products typically perform a little better than advertised (Air France and JAL’s B777-300ERs are burning 0.85% less fuel than predicted), while Airbus’s sometimes fall short.

Finally, Northwest has been looking for additional B747-400s, and Boeing is probably keen on obtaining new orders so they don’t have to decide on closing the production line (per Boeing’s website, there are only orders for eight passenger -400s unfulfilled as of March 2005). NWA probably got a good deal on both by telling Boeing “we’ll order the B787 if you give us some new B747-400s cheap.â€

No matter what the reason, I am absolutely thrilled to see Northwest go with the Boeing product (should the stories prove correct). If the B787 is the “game changer†Boeing promises, it will give NWA a competitive advantage for years to come.