Boeing: 2009 deliveries, 787 schedule are solid

Published 6:20 am Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Boeing’s Scott Carson just finished speaking at an aviation conference which started at 5 a.m. here (yawn).

Carson again reiterated that Boeing intends to fly the 787 in the second quarter of 2009 and deliver the first Dreamliner to ANA in 2010. The multiple delays in the mostly composite jet has hurt Boeing’s credibility, which Carson acknowledged, saying the company will be taken not at its word but by its actions.

The president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes also insisted that Boeing will deliver all of aircraft scheduled for 2009 (goal 480 to 485). Carson said the financing for those jets is solid. Boeing has up to $1 billion to help airlines finance their jets but the drain on the company so far hasn’t been excessive.

“We’re very cautious as we get through midpoint of next year,” he said.

Boeing reviews its production rates on a monthly basis, needing more time to slow down widebody production than its 737 rates.

Carson said the job cuts on the production side have not been significant so far since the company hasn’t scaled back rates yet.

Carson sees a slowdown in orders from airlines looking to grow their routes but said the replacement side of the business remains strong.