UPDATED: Boeing finalizes deals with DAE, Vietnam
Published 3:30 pm Wednesday, January 2, 2008
If you’re like me, you spent much of the last week oblivious to the happenings in aerospace. Let’s recap some of the top stories that took place during the holidays:
The Boeing Co. finalized an order from British Airways for 24 Dreamliner jets, which brought the 787’s lifetime order tally to 790.
Boeing’s bad news for the week came from the Government Accountability Office that said the U.S. Air Force needs to justify its decision to award Boeing a $1.1 billion contract to maintain its KC-135 aircraft. The GAO upheld a protest from Alabama Aircraft Industries, formerly called Pemco Aviation Group.
As you know, Boeing is bidding against Northrop Grumman-EADS for a $40 billion contract to supply the Air Force with aerial refueling tankers that will replace the KC-135. European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., the parent company of Boeing’s commercial rival Airbus, says that, given the declining dollar, the company is taking steps to ensure its financial stability, which is a topic of interest to the Air Force when deciding the tanker contract winner.
EADS also said it expects to see double-digit operating margins by 2015. That’s after reporting a 1 percent margin in 2006, due to delays of Airbus’s A380. Airbus noted that it surpassed its cost-cutting goals for 2007 by as much as $587 million.
Just in today … Boeing finalized its deal with Vietnam Airlines and Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Co. for 12 Dreamliners. The order will be included in Boeing’s 2007 order total and pushes 787 lifetime orders to 802.
UPDATE: Boeing also just announced that it has firmed up a deal with Dubai Aerospace Enterprise for 100 jets. The deal, worth more than $10 billion at list prices, was made public first at the Dubai Air Show in November. With 1,213 net orders confirmed through Dec. 18, these newly finalized orders bring Boeing’s year-to-date total to well over 1,300.
