777 Freighter: The Boeing Company's Newest Bird

By: Lance Winslow
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:42:51
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Boeing announced it is now offering a 777 Airliner in a Cargo Configuration. This will make it the largest twin-engine cargo plane in the world. Since the Boeing 777 is has one of the best fuel efficiency ratings and range it makes it an ideal aircraft for air-cargo companies. The 777 Freighter is capable of flying 4,965 miles at full payload. The 777 maximum takeoff weight is 766,000 lbs. and can carry 229,000 pounds of cargo. These are incredible stats and it insures Boeing many more orders to come. Boeings future in commercial aviation will be largely a matter of air cargo demands in the years to come.

When one studies the future of world markets, they see a very nice future for air-freight. By 2025 we will most likely see an 85% increase and that will mean converting older aircraft and retrofitting them. Many older Boeing 747 aircraft are being retrofitted now. And it will mean good things for both Boeing and Airbus. The Boeing Company said the 777 Freighter will accommodate the same 10-foot high pallets as the 747-400 freighter. I expect many current aircraft flying passengers and taken out of capacity as this current sector rotation rounds out (fuel prices will increase that) and new more efficient aircraft come onto the scene. Recently we saw another merger and pending lay-offs with US Air and America West. We see Delta is struggling and the other large carriers are indeed under severe stress.

I predict that 66% of the growth will come from conversion of current passenger aircraft while there will be 33% new aircraft which do not require pilots at all. Flying freight around the world. This will mean a market of over 170 Billion in retrofits and new aircraft for people like Pimco and Timco and others. If you look at these numbers you can see a future for laid off aerospace workers from Everette, Wichita, Dayton, Long Beach and other locations. With these aging aerospace workers it will most likely mean a need for newer entrants into that labor force. I would also say that 40% of such growth would be to service North America and her growing middle class as they partake in products from world markets. With this increase we could expect the current 1700 plus air freight fleet to grow to over 3200 by 2025. Although these are long-term predictions they do account for normal cycles such as 15-year cycles or 2-3 year economic cycles. Also GE will benefit along with component makers of aircraft parts.

Air France ordered five Boeing 777s with option for more to retire their old fleet of 747-200s. Air Canada is also wishing to move it’s fleeting into place with Boeing 777 Freighters and 787s. Boeing is forecasting large wide-body freighters will be 31 percent of the air cargo market by 2023. They may be correct and it could even be greater. This is excellent news for cities such as Wichita, KS where a large percentage of the new 777s will be built. It is also a good strategic move for Boeing to meet the future demands of air cargo. Commercial Aviation is not dead it is just refining itself in the short term to take advantage of the long term market needs. Think about it.

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