Aircraft
Evaluating Next Generation Airliner Contenders: Part 1
Leeham News and Analysis assesses the first five of 13 possible new commercial airliners
Leeham News and Analysis's concepts for new commercial airliners
Leeham News and Analysis's is assessing 13 different concepts for new commercial airliners.

Some urge Boeing to take the plunge “now” to launch a new airplane program. Institutional knowledge is slipping away, they say. Boeing hasn’t launched a new airplane since December 2003 (the 787). The 737 Max is selling at a poor second to the Airbus A320neo family. Boeing continues to lose market share. On the other hand, Airbus is in no hurry to launch a new airplane program—or so it says. It can’t keep up with current demand.

Against this backdrop, Leeham News and Analysis, which is now part of the AIN Media Group, has evaluated 13 next-generation airliner contenders. This is our take on prospects for these possibilities, starting with concepts 1-5 from the list below. Concepts 6-13 will be assessed in the Wednesday edition of AIN’s Dubai Airshow News.