The Farnborough Airshow, which finished last week, was as usual as much a chance to view the industry and its expectations as it is for viewers to see planes and stunts such as the extreme-angle take-off executed by Boeing’s new 777x.
That kind of showoff flying can draw attention from some of the big issues facing both airlines and aircraft makers: the uncertain economic climate and the need for action on climate change, an area where flying is the target of many carbon-reduction plans.
One of those, which could help the airline industry make progress on its pledge to carbon neutrality by 2050, is a deal signed by Airbus, Air Canada, Air France-KLM, EasyJet, International Airlines Group (IAG), LATAM, Lufthansa Group, Virgin Atlantic and others to invest in a new Texas carbon-capture facility.
On the aircraft news side, little was new other than a new design announced by Boom Supersonic, which hopes to start building a prototype of a new supersonic airliner by 2024; its new design shows four engines rather than three and a modifie shape.
But in good news for Boeing, which has delay deliveries for 787s, certification delays for 777x and a challenge to get 737-7 and 737-10 certified by Dec. 31 or face new design requirements, the company was able to announce a surge in sales, including a blockbuster deal with Delta for 100 of the 737-10, with 30 options. It’s the first Delta order for Boeing in over a decade. Another 25 were taken by Qatar Airways.
The bulking-up of the order book for the 737-10 may help Boeing in its push to get Congress to extend the deadline for the planes to be certified under the existing rules. If Congress doesn’t agree, new rules will require changes that will make the -10 and -7 a separate type, requiring extra training for pilots qualified on other 737 models.
Airbus wasn’t entirely left out of the sales derby, although it announced few sizable orders at the show. Orders included a dozen more A220-300 of Delta, 56 A320neo family planes for EasyJet and 17 A321neos for LATAM.
