Aviation

Boeing Forecasts Demand for More than 41,000 New Airplanes by 2041

Boeing predicts roughly 41,000 aircraft by 2041, when the aviation industry recovers from the COVID era. These are a mixed fleet, with narrow body and freighter aircraft in strong demand. #boeing #FARNBOROUGH #2041

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– International traffic gains momentum as restrictions ease; many domestic markets nearly or fully recovered from pandemic impact.

– Over the next 20 years, airplane deliveries and commercial services together valued at $10.8 trillion.

– Freighter fleet to grow by 80% including new and converted models.

With demand rebounding for international air travel following ongoing recovery in many domestic markets, Boeing [NYSE: BA] today projected demand for more than 41,000 new airplanes through 2041, underscoring aviation industry resilience two years after the pandemic began. Boeing released its 2022 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO), the company’s annual long-term forecast, in advance of the Farnborough International Airshow.

The CMO forecasts a market value of $7.2 trillion for new airplane deliveries, with the global fleet increasing by 80% through 2041 compared to 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Approximately half of passenger jet deliveries will replace today’s models, improving the global fleet’s fuel efficiency and sustainability. In addition, Boeing Global Services forecasts $3.6 trillion in demand in its market segments over the same time period, including strong demand for maintenance and modifications such as converted freighters; digital solutions that increase efficiency and reduce cost; and effective training to enable the supply of pilots and technicians.

“Despite the unprecedented disruption over the past two years, the aviation industry has shown incredible resilience adapting to the challenge,” said Ihssane Mounir, Boeing’s senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. “The 2022 CMO draws upon our expertise forecasting market trends to demonstrate the strong demand for new airplanes and related services in the coming decades, providing a waypoint as the industry continues to navigate its recovery.”

The 2022 CMO includes these regional projections in the next 20 years:

Continuing their strong growth story, Asian markets account for roughly 40% of long-term global demand for new airplanes. Europe and North America each account for just over 20% of demand, with 15% of deliveries going to other regions.
South Asia’s fleet continues to lead global growth, at 6.2% annually. Led by India, the region’s fleet will nearly quadruple from 700 airplanes in 2019 to more than 2,600 airplanes through 2041. Southeast Asia is projected to see the second-fastest growth with a near-tripling of its commercial fleet to 4,500 airplanes.
This year’s CMO does not include a forecast for airplane deliveries to Russia due to sanctions against aircraft exports. This change reduces global 20-year demand by about 1,500 airplanes compared to last year’s CMO.

Single-aisle airplanes will account for 75% of all new deliveries, unchanged from last year’s CMO, and totaling nearly 31,000 airplanes. Through 2041, new widebody airplanes will account for about 18% of deliveries with more than 7,200 airplanes, enabling airlines to serve new and existing markets, passenger and cargo, more efficiently than in the past.

The CMO also predicts continued robust demand for dedicated freighters to support global supply chains and growing express networks. Carriers will need 2,800 additional freighters overall, including 940 new widebody models in addition to converted narrow-body and widebody freighters over the forecast period.

NEW DELIVERIES (2022-2041)
Regional Jet	2,120
Single Aisle	30,880
Widebody	7,230
Freighter	940
Total	41,170

Boeing has provided the CMO annually for more than 60 years. As the longest-running jet forecast, the CMO is regarded as the most comprehensive analysis of the commercial aviation industry. Learn more about the Commercial Market Outlook. In addition, Boeing will release its Pilot and Technician Outlook on July 25.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.