American Airlines announced today that it would buy forty two Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft for eight billion dollars. The 787 represents a new technological milestone; the extensive use of light weight composite parts. As I have written previously by contrast the Airbus A-380 represents the end of a technological era, the aluminium period. Historically not a good place to be for marketability.
Boeing has three distinct models to serve the three distinct wide body airline markets. The 787-3 is perfectly suited for the lucrative transcontinental market in the USA (2,500 to 3050 nautical mile range). The 787-8 is designed for the USA to Europe market (7,650 to 8,200 nautical mile range) as well as for the South American routes AA flies. The final model the 787-9 is the long haul model capable of up to 8,500 mile range for long Indian and China routes. Boeing’s 787 can operate from current airports; using the same runways, taxi ways, gates and much of the same support gear as current models such as 757, 767, and the 777. Airbus Industries A-380 needs all of the above modified to operate.
Like the Lockheed Constellation (the last piston powered long range airliner) before it, the A-380 is the end of an era, a technological dinosaur. Very few markets will be able to operationally handle it; fewer will be able to operate it economically. I suspect also like the “Connie” its production will be a short run. I suspect it might not reach the breakeven point.
The Dreamliner on the other hand, capable of replacing current wide body aircraft with a twenty percent fuel savings, and customized to economically maximize the three most common market ranges will have a long run IMO.
