Everyone knows that Boeing is going through some tough turbulent times. Without a doubt a 360-degree turnaround is need and David Calhoun CEO of Boeing will step down. He will step down and depart Boeing with a hefty, padded check for $24 Million!

As editor of this article, it must be said from personally seeing the earlier days were the better days. From the late 1980’s to early 1990’s was a great feeling to be Boeing. Ask any employee from those days, they were proud. Before McDonnel Douglas was purchased the pride was even at high standards at Long Beach production. Loved those days when many enjoyed working for them.

As airlines look ahead many will make immediate changes to this year and next year’s schedules to reflect the shortage of deliveries originally planned. Southwest and United are the first of many that will do so. In reflection of this a trickle-down effect will cause flights to be more expensive to the public among other restraints by the airlines.

Time to look at Embraer and Airbus for the five-to-Ten-year plan is one option. Anyone in the airline industry or other will realize this is not an overnight fix and for years this will affect the industry. Another strong solution is to extend the life of your airline fleet longer. Some may have to go back to the storage facilities and reactivate the most recently retired aircraft.

Even start up airlines in the past have become successful by buying or leasing used aircraft, we can go back as far as December 1984 when Richard Branson started Virgin Atlantic with a used Boeing 747 200. In recent years he founded because Laker Airways folded suddenly in 1982.

Other airlines like Breeze Airways started with used Canadian Embraer’s or Avelo Airlines who started with used Southwest Airlines Aircraft. The list of airlines can go on. There needs to be a step back in the airline industry during these turbulent times for Boeing.

Editorial Fire and Aviation TV March 26, 2024