Aircraft
Boeing Enters 2016 On Heels of Late Order Surge
Highlights Close of 2015 with 737 Max Rollout
A crowd of mainly Boeing employees celebrates the December 8 rollout of the 737 Max. (Photo: Boeing)
A crowd of mainly Boeing employees celebrates the December 8 rollout of the 737 Max. (Photo: Boeing)

As 2015 came to a close and Boeing shut its factory doors for a traditional 10 days’ respite, the year’s jetliner sales tally fell decidedly in favor of archrival Airbus, as the European manufacturer claimed sales of 1,007 airplanes for the year. But Boeing continued to push skyward, registering orders for another 166 airplanes in late December and raising its 2015 total to 843. Take into account cancellations and Boeing’s net orders for delivery dropped by 100. Although single-aisle activity accounted for much of the order imbalance, Boeing 737 Max vice president and general manager Keith Leverkuhn wouldn’t let questions about the sales lead the Airbus A320neo enjoys over the Max dampen enthusiasm for the latest 737 variant during its December 8 rollout in Renton, Washington.