Boeing has "some" time before having to decide about launching a "middle of the market" aircraft that would fit between its 737 narrowbody family and 787 widebody series, in the view of the manufacturer's marketing vice-president Randy Tinseth.
Speaking to Flightglobal in London, Tinseth said Boeing had been talking to customers about such a clean-sheet design "for a while" as "there is a lot of tension in the middle of the market".
He indicates that the discussions have been focused on potential aircraft configurations, performance specifications, technologies, and the commercial outlook for such a project.
However, he adds that talks are "still in the relatively early stages", and such a new aircraft is unlikely to become available before 2023: "With all of the things [new aircraft programmes] we have on the table today, we have got some time."
The development backlog already includes the 737 Max, the 787-10 and 777X, respectively scheduled to enter service in 2017, 2018 and 2020. While the 777-9X should enter service in 2020, its smaller 777-8X sibling is set to follow in 2022 or 2023, Tinseth notes.
A potential new aircraft programme would need to be launched much earlier, as development typically takes between five and seven years, depending on technologies being employed, Tinseth acknowledges. But he insists: "Fact is, we have got a lot of things to do – and I know our competition does as well."
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