Remarkable year for Boeing and Airbus in 2013 - OEMs more cautious on growth in 2014
The rude good health of the global commercial aircraft industry is clear in the data concerning deliveries and orders by both Airbus and Boeing during 2013.
The delivery figures last year represented a 7% year on year increase for Airbus and a 8% rise from Boeing as higher production rates helped ship new planes from manufacturing plants. It is, however, orderbooks that determine how this delivery programme will evolve for the future and here too the facts are compelling.
'New technology aircraft lie at the heart of these order books. Airbus secured demand for 876 A320 NEOs and 230 orders for its widebody A350 which is in test flight mode presently. Boeing won orders for 699 737 MAX aircraft, 66 777Xs and 182 787s.
Airbus secured net orders for 1503 aircraft by the end of December 2013 while Boeing booked 1355 sales. This demand exceeded both OEMs expectations last January and have helped build material backlogs. At Airbus the outstanding book of demand is for 5559 aircraft while in Boeing it is 5080. That's about 9 years of output for the European manufacturer and 8 years for Boeing.
Unsurprisingly the two leasing OEMs are being cautious about momentum in 2014. Airbus is targeting demand that slightly exceeds supply which implies orders of over 630 aircraft and Boeing is equally reticent about being overly bullish.
New technology aircraft lie at the heart of these order books. Airbus secured demand for 876 A320 NEOs and 230 orders for its widebody A350 which is in test flight mode presently. Boeing won orders for 699 737 MAX aircraft, 66 777Xs and 182 787s. This pattern underlines the value and importance of bringing improved performance and fuel efficiency to the market on a consistent and sustained basis, something that both OEMs ensure through high levels of research and development spending.
Unsurprisingly the two leasing OEMs are being cautious about momentum in 2014. Airbus is targeting demand that slightly exceeds supply which implies orders of over 630 aircraft and Boeing is equally reticent about being overly bullish. Off a sequence of multi-year record orders this is a prudent approach to the year although demand for fuel efficiency, replacement of older aircraft and the remorseless growth in demand for air travel will remain defining features of the commercial aviation market.