Boeing Mulls All Out War with Sonic Cruiser

Having made the decision to battle Airbus with the development of the Sonic Cruiser, Boeing officials are starting to explore whether it can also go after other markets, such as those being serviced by business jets.

Asked about the attractiveness of the business jet market, which has been highly financially successful in recent years, Alan Mulally, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes said, "we are watching it closely." The business area is "pretty robust right now" and Boeing would "love to" play in it, he added on Friday on the eve of the Paris Air Show.

All the work being done for the Sonic Cruiser can apply to a sonic business jet, the Boeing exec maintains. Boeing has initially planned the Sonic Cruiser concept, which is still early in its design stage, to be about the size of a 767. But, Mulally noted, "I can envision, over time, a new family of airplanes."

The Sonic Cruiser is expected to fly at Mach 0.95 to 0.98 or faster. However, issues such as aircraft range, cross-section, and other details remain to be worked out. Mulally indicated it could take about two years to determine the final configuration, which will be done in conjunction with airlines. Within the next year Boeing expects to know with a high degree of certainty whether the Sonic Cruiser can be made a success. Mulally is treating the project as having been launched, however, and indicated that only significant, unanticipated problems-such as a change in the market-would derail Boeing.

First delivery is slated for 2006-2008, although manufacture of the first aircraft isn't expected until at least 2003. Boeing is considering building a model or prototypes to mature its concept.

One of the concerns Boeing has about attacking the business jet market is that company officials aren't certain how a downturn in the global economy might affect sales.

Meanwhile, Boeing also is looking at other areas where it might consider future developments. For instance, designing a single aircraft to replace both the 767 and 757 is garnering some interest. "That probably would be an area that would be good," Mulally said. The problem would be getting an aircraft as efficient as the 757 while capable of both missions, he noted, speaking notably less exuberantly than when addressing Sonic Cruiser questions.

One project that appears to have fallen out of favor, for the time being, with Boeing's commercial aircraft unit is the Blended Wing Body. Mulally noted that such an aircraft would compete with the 747 market but doesn't show the same efficiency, yet. He said technologies will continue to be explored to make the blended wing design a success.

In touting the efficiency of the 747, Mulally also took the opportunity to blast Airbus's A380, pointing out that it will weigh 400,000 pounds more than the Boeing aircraft. "It'll probably be years before the A380 can reach the efficiency of the 747," he said.