CRYSTAL CITY, VIRGINIA, July 21 (DC Times Online) — For Boeing, the biggest problem is not finding buyers for new planes. It is delivering the airplanes it already sold.
Chief Executive Kelly Ortberg said Boeing has begun early work on a possible new airplane design, but the company is not ready to move ahead. He said Boeing is spending “time and money” on the effort, yet “we don’t have a firm configuration right now” and are still “evaluating trade studies.”
A clean-sheet aircraft is a brand-new jet design, built from scratch rather than based on an older model. Ortberg’s message was that Boeing wants to keep studying that future plane, but its first job is to fix the work in front of it.
Why the delay?
Ortberg said Boeing wants to improve its finances, develop the technology it needs and deliver the airplanes that are already behind schedule before launching a new program. He said getting Boeing’s financial house in order will take “another couple years.”
He also said, “Orders are not our challenge. Our challenge is getting these orders delivered.” In other words, Boeing has plenty of demand, but not enough smooth production to turn those orders into airplanes fast enough.
In an Aviation Week interview, Ortberg described Boeing’s backlog as “half a trillion dollars” and said most of it is commercial products. That backlog helps explain why the company is being careful about a new aircraft: Boeing still has a long list of current planes to build, test and hand over first.
What is Boeing focusing on now?
Ortberg said the company is working through certification on 737 MAX variants, getting the 777-9 into service and continuing research for a future airplane. Boeing’s investor relations team said first delivery of the 777X family is now expected in 2026, after problems including a flight test pause and a work stoppage. The same company release said Boeing plans to finish building 767 Freighters in 2027.
Ortberg also said Boeing is increasing spending and adding engineering and production staff on the next-generation Air Force One program, known as VC-25B, so it can keep a 2028 delivery target on track.
What does this mean for airlines and cargo carriers?
It means Boeing is unlikely to unveil a new commercial jet soon. Airlines that want newer, more efficient planes will have to wait while Boeing works through its current production backlog and certification tasks. Cargo operators face a similar reality as Boeing winds down 767 Freighter production and continues to focus on delivering aircraft already on order.
Ortberg’s bottom line is simple: Boeing has started thinking about the next airplane, but the company says the next airplane will have to wait until the present one is more under control.
