On Oct 11, 1:22 pm, john_k...@hotmail.com (John Kulp) wrote:
> On Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:05:34 -0700, me
> wrote:
[snip]
> >> Baloney again. Airbus is having huge problems selling the A380
> >> because airports have to be rebuilt among other things and most of the
> >> demand can be met with other aircraft that don't have this
> >> requirement. Like the 787 and newer versions of the 747.
>
> > Well, you're basically rearguing the Boeing and Airbus positions.
> >Boeing has tried to sell stretch 747's to compete with the A380
> >but couldn't sell any. Flip side is that Boeing is selling 787's
> >hand over fist and Airbus has currently peaked with the A380.
> >The question still remains, once the uncertainties around
> >the A380 are worked out, will the markets support/demand
> >the aircraft in sufficient numbers? We know the market is
> >there for the 787. Boeing was betting that there wouldn't
> >be one for an A380 size (in sufficient numbers to try to
> >bother making one). Airbus was accused of going into the
> >market because they had nothing in the 747 size and
> >they hoped to take over the market. Time will tell whether
> >either was correct.
>
> First, not true because they have sold several freighter versions of
> the 747 already.
Not sure what you mean here. The 747 started out life as a
freighter.
I assume you're refering to the 747-8. This isn't quite the plane
Boeing originally try to sell to compete with the A380. They had
something a bit closer to 500 seats. They gave up on that one.
The -8 is just another in a long line of stretches and engine
mods.
> The rest is absolutely correct.
>
>
>
> > Boeing believes that when the Asian markets take off,
> >their will be sufficient demand to support alot of 787's
> >flying direct to major desitinations, as oppose to
> >huge A380's flying to a few major hubs. I suspect there
> >may be enough market for both of them. But there may
> >never be a market big enough for two A380 size aircraft.
>
> Again true, but it is looking increasingly likely that Boeing was dead
> right about the A380 and it is looking increasingly unlikely that
> enough will be sold to make a profit, especially with all the
> penalties Aitbus has to pay
I was one who basically figured Boeing knew what they
were talking about, so it's a little self serving for me to be
predicting the A380 demise. They figure these things it
terms of decades and alot can change in that time. Airbus'
troubles are relatively short term there. Their problem
will be if they don't ever achieve their efficiency/capacity
problems. But if they do, and markets change
in their favor, they have to sell something like 500 of them
to be safely into profits. On a world wide scale, with
roughly no direct competition, that's not alot of aircraft.
Boeing thinks the overall market has room for about 900
of this "class".
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