Come on, Boeing.

[jderimig]

Read the full memo Boeing CEO sent to staff announcing he is stepping down (at the end of 2024)​

https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-ceo-steps-down-read-dave-calhoun-staff-memo-2024-3?op=1

So Calhoun has another 8 months left to run the company completely into the ground?

 

[boatgeek]

So Calhoun has another 8 months left to run the company completely into the ground?

No, no, no. Of course not. He has another 8 months to collect his stock options while not making any decisions because he "doesn't want to tie the hands of his successor." Then he jumps out with the golden parachute and everyone can make him the scapegoat for whatever bad happened. Everybody wins*! He gets a little richer, nobody else has to confront their failures, and a new CEO can spend the first year in "listening mode" so nobody needs to make any uncomfortable changes.

* I mean, except the consumer, but who cares about them? We have executives to protect!

 

[SDramstad]

This is what happens when the stakeholders are more important then the customers.

 

[mh9162013]

Zero.

Are you saying Boeing has such tight security and stringent quality control measures that any attempts at sabotage would be caught by Boeing before the aircraft was released to customers?

 

[boatgeek]

Are you saying Boeing has such tight security and stringent quality control measures that any attempts at sabotage would be caught by Boeing before the aircraft was released to customers?

No, I'm saying that the consequences to Airbus of being caught sabotaging Boeing aircraft are so high that the non-zero chance of being caught means that they won't actively sabotage Boeing. Hanlon's Razor applies here as well "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."

 

[mh9162013]

No, I'm saying that the consequences to Airbus of being caught sabotaging Boeing aircraft are so high that the non-zero chance of being caught means that they won't actively sabotage Boeing. Hanlon's Razor applies here as well "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."

Hahaha, fair enough!

 

[jsdemar]

"Suicide Mission:
What Boeing did to all the guys who remember how to build a plane"

https://prospect.org/infrastructure/transportation/2024-03-28-suicide-mission-boeing/

 

[tsmmiller]

This is true. The experience has long left. It shows in so many ways.
Part of the “90 day fix” promised has been re-hiring a huge amount of retired folks. These are people from all aspects of the manufacturing process. Mechanics, machinists, managers and QA.
One mechanic that worked in my direct area retired two years ago. He was asked to come back as a contractor. Almost all of these rehires are rehired this way.
He told them no at first, they called 3 more times. He finally told them yes, for three days a week, and a triple digit per hour pay rate. I will say in is NOT in the 1’s range,
They accepted his counter offer. He is now back teaching these kids that have no work experience nor any kind of work ethic.
I wish I could say I am hopeful, trepidation is more correct.

 

[BEC]

They haven't gotten so far down in rehiring retired engineers as to contact me....which I think is just fine.

 

[tsmmiller]

They haven't gotten so far down in rehiring retired engineers as to contact me....which I think is just fine.

I just wish I was retired so I could tell them no. whhhhhhh.,,,,,,,,, 4 more years.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

It must be discouraging and humiliating for Calhoun to have to step down under these circumstances, but if there’s one thing he’s learned, it’s when one door closes, another door opens.

 

[smstachwick]

It must be discouraging and humiliating for Calhoun to have to step down under these circumstances, but if there’s one thing he’s learned, it’s when one door closes, another door opens.

 

[Greg Furtman]

It must be discouraging and humiliating for Calhoun to have to step down under these circumstances, but if there’s one thing he’s learned, it’s when one door closes, another door opens.

I don't think people like Calhoun can feel humility. He's going to be exiting with a huge golden parachute which I think would be encouraging. I think the word hubris is more his style.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

I don't think people like Calhoun can feel humility. He's going to be exiting with a huge golden parachute which I think would be encouraging. I think the word hubris is more his style.

If he’s going to exit with a golden parachute, can we at least ask that he exit via the plug?

 

[boatgeek]

That parachute is looking pretty shiny. Calhoun gets a 45% pay bump, in power because he handled the door plug fiasco the “right way” by “taking responsibility.” At least the shareholders have an opportunity to smack that down later this year.

https://www.ft.com/content/870be064-5bd3-4595-951c-0c289ac9088b

 

[smstachwick]

The Senate held a hearing on Boeing’s safety culture. Whistleblowers are gaining attention for concerns regarding 787 build quality as well.

https://www.reuters.com/business/ae...ture-spotlight-us-senate-hearings-2024-04-17/

One recently called for the entire 787 fleet to be grounded, although I can’t seem to find the link right now. Annoying

 

[techrat]

One recently called for the entire 787 fleet to be grounded, although I can’t seem to find the link right now.

So, forecasters, what is Boeing doing after they have built the 797? Are they building the 717, or the 7A7?

 

[smstachwick]

So, forecasters, what is Boeing doing after they have built the 797? Are they building the 717, or the 7A7?

I’m betting the abandon numerical designators and give them distinct names.

 

[boatgeek]

So, forecasters, what is Boeing doing after they have built the 797? Are they building the 717, or the 7A7?

The 717 is taken. The last copies of the DC-9 (?) after the McDonnell merger were called 717s.

I would guess that they’ll stick to families. The 737 will always be the narrowbody, the 787 and 777 will always be medium and large widebodies, respectively. They’ll just add X or Sport, or whatever to differentiate.

 

[4regt4]

So, forecasters, what is Boeing doing after they have built the 797? Are they building the 717, or the 7A7?

Same problem with Porsche. They are running out of 9** numbers.

Hans.

 

[techrat]

The 717 is taken. The last copies of the DC-9 (?) after the McDonnell merger were called 717s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_717

... and today I learned something....
I never knew there was a 717.... As a child of the 1970's, I always assumed they went from the 707 to the 727, 737 etc, and somehow skipped the 717 entirely. Wow!

 

[4regt4]

So, forecasters, what is Boeing doing after they have built the 797? Are they building the 717, or the 7A7?

There are always irrational numbers. 7i7, 7e7, 7pi7, etc.

Hans.

 

[BEC]

The 717 is taken. The last copies of the DC-9 (?) after the McDonnell merger were called 717s.

And, as noted in the Wikipedia article that @techrat linked to, that was a reuse of "717" from back when the KC-137 and the 720 were new-ish.

I would guess that they’ll stick to families. The 737 will always be the narrowbody, the 787 and 777 will always be medium and large widebodies, respectively. They’ll just add X or Sport, or whatever to differentiate.

I suppose that's possible, but there are ramifications beyond just a marketing name for model/series designators. I, too, am curious as to what happens here.

 

[terryg]

That's assuming that they can make the hard severe culture changes needed to survive. If not, then who ever buys up the pieces will be naming then.

 

[smstachwick]

The 717 is taken. The last copies of the DC-9 (?) after the McDonnell merger were called 717s.

I would guess that they’ll stick to families. The 737 will always be the narrowbody, the 787 and 777 will always be medium and large widebodies, respectively. They’ll just add X or Sport, or whatever to differentiate.

The 717 was indeed part of the DC-9 family, the program was launched under the MD-95 moniker and it is listed as a variant on the DC-9 type certificate data sheet. Conceived as a true replacement for the smaller OG DC-9s, it was originally intended to be stretched to the MD-80’s size and launch a new generation of DC-9-based airliners with a new set of engines and avionics.

Time ran out for McDonnell Douglas though and the 717 barely avoided being scrapped by Boeing at least once. The 100-seat market was congested, and this caused the folding of other companies entering that segment and limited production runs on others like the 737-600.

Interestingly enough, they are still well-liked by Hawaiian, Qantas, and a few other dedicated operators that continue to fly them. I’ve been lucky enough to catch an inter-island flight on one with Hawaiian. The new B-52J will also use a variant of the Rolls Royce BR700 family of engines that power the 717 and a few large-cabin business jet types.

The DC-9’s heritage can still be seen in the COMAC ARJ21 regional jet, which uses a similar fuselage, nose section, and tailcone. Since it sports a new wing, engines, and avionics, China claims it is an indigenous design, but that claim appears rather dubious since, well, this is China we’re talking about.

 

[BEC]

There are always irrational numbers. 7i7, 7e7, 7pi7, etc.

Hans.

The 787 was the 7e7 (or 7E7) internally (and, I think, in some marketing) before it was officially the 787. And there have been many things that started out as "7X7" or "7Y7" and one propfan design that never got past the study/mockup stage was known as the 7J7. Based on when this was, if it had actually gone into production it would have been called 777 instead of what that airplane actually turned out to be.

 

[4regt4]

The 717 was indeed part of the DC-9 family, the program was launched under the MD-95 moniker and it is listed as a variant on the DC-9 type certificate data sheet. Conceived as a true replacement for the smaller OG DC-9s, it was originally intended to be stretched to the MD-80’s size and launch a new generation of DC-9-based airliners with a new set of engines and avionics.

Time ran out for McDonnell Douglas though and the 717 barely avoided being scrapped by Boeing at least once. The 100-seat market was congested, and this caused the folding of other companies entering that segment and limited production runs on others like the 737-600.

Interestingly enough, they are still well-liked by Hawaiian, Qantas, and a few other dedicated operators that continue to fly them. I’ve been lucky enough to catch an inter-island flight on one with Hawaiian. The new B-52J will also use a variant of the Rolls Royce BR700 family of engines that power the 717 and a few large-cabin business jet types.

The DC-9’s heritage can still be seen in the COMAC ARJ21 regional jet, which uses a similar fuselage, nose section, and tailcone. Since it sports a new wing, engines, and avionics, China claims it is an indigenous design, but that claim appears rather dubious since, well, this is China we’re talking about.

View attachment 642249

That photo looks like my Lexxjet!

Hans.

 

[teepot]

I track a lot of defense stocks. Air Bus up 1.37%, Bombardier up 3.29%, Aerovironment up 6.87% wow, GE Aerospace up 8.86% triple wow. In fact 19 of the 21 stocks I watch were up. Some significantly. This trend has been going on for a while.