Boeing teams to consider future of 737, 777 jets

Published 2:01 pm Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Boeing Co. has its eyes on the future of its popular 737 and 777 aircraft.

Today, Boeing announced it’s creating two new product development teams: one for an Advanced 737 and an Advanced 777.

“Defining Boeing’s airplane product strategy is critical to our future growth,” said Jim Albaugh, president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, in a statement. “We need a clear vision and roadmap for both our single-aisle and twin-aisle offerings for the future.”

Industry observers have been questioning Boeing’s plans for its single-aisle 737 and its twin-aisle 777. Offering new engines on the 737 has been a popular theory of late. Boeing said as recently as yesterday that it wanted to see what Airbus will do with the A350 before deciding the fate of the Everett-built 777.

Albaugh named Mike Bair, who headed up the 787 for several years, to lead the Advanced 737 team. He named Lars Andersen to the 777 team. Andersen served various roles on the 777 but most recently acted as a consultant to Boeing after retiring from the company.

Boeing announced several other changes in leadership at its commercial airplanes division Thursday.

“Our priorities for 2010 and beyond are clear,” Albaugh said. “We must execute on our 787 and 747-8 development programs; we must continue to perform on our ongoing production programs.”

Among the changes announced by Albaugh:

• Mike Delaney has been named vice president of engineering for BCA. Delaney spent the last two years as the chief project engineer for the 787.
• Delaney will replace Mike Denton, who has been named president of Boeing Japan. Denton will relocate to Tokyo.
• Denton will replace Nicole Piasecki will lead a new BCA Business Development function responsible for the overall integration of strategic planning and analysis critical to maintaining Boeing’s long-term competitiveness.
• Elizabeth Lund will become vice president and general manager of the 767 program.
• Lund will replace Beverly Wyse was named vice president and general manager of the 737 program. Mark Jenkins, who had been in charge of the 737, will retire after 35 years at Boeing.