Boeing: 3Q2013 "brought us plenty of opportunities and challenges"

Boeing Commercial Airplanes VP marketing Randy Tinseth, on his official Boeing blog, commented (23-Oct-2013) 3Q2013 "brought us plenty of opportunities and challenges". Highlights for the quarter included:

• Orders and deliveries: Booked 200 net orders, increasing backlog to nearly 4800 aircraft worth a record USD345 billion. Delivered 170 commercial aircraft, including 23 787s. Boeing is focusing reaching its delivery target of 635 to 645 aircraft, with greater than 60 of those being 787s;
  
• 787 programme:
• • Boeing is "on track" to reach 10 aircraft per month by the end of 2013 and will be increasing the rate to 12 per month in 2016, and then to 14 per month before the end of the decade;
  • Boeing is also approaching the 100th 787 delivery, with the fleet flying an average of 200 flights per day. Boeing remains committed to improving 787 dispatch reliability and have already implemented a series of component, software and spare parts placement improvements;
  • The first 787-9 completed a successful first flight, beginning a comprehensive flight-test programme leading to certification and delivery in mid-2014;
• 737 programme: 737 MAX 8 reaches firm configuration, completing major trade studies that define the airplane's capabilities. As part of moves to support rate increases and future MAX production, the production line for 737 wings systems and installation has been relocated and reconfigured;
• 747-8 programme: Certification flight testing continues on a package of 747-8 performance improvements designed to improve fuel efficiency by 1.8%. The performance improvement package is being tested on a 747-8 Intercontinental;
• 777 programme: Lufthansa announced its intention to order the 777-9X during the quarter. Launch of the 777X family is expected by the end of the year;
• Commercial Aviation Services: Boeing launched iPad maintenance apps that provide airline technicians with immediate access to manuals, part numbers and other data. Boeing also launched 787 training in Miami, the largest commercial aviation training campus in the Flight Services network. [more - original PR]