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717 In Trouble?  
Posted (15 years 2 months 1 week 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 841 times:

Reading many posts on the Forum, it seems the 717 has lost many significant orders. And I've also read posts stating that certain orders could make or break the aircraft. So soon after its introduction and certification, is the 717 already doomed? Will it go the way of the MD90 and F100 and fade into airline history?

Any comments and contributions welcome!

3 replies: All unread, jump to last
User currently offlineZebraboy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 1, posted (15 years 2 months 1 week 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 733 times:

I worked at the Douglas plant 1987-1990 and still have friends on the inside who report that Boeing is undecided whether they want to be in the "regional transport" market and consider the 717 and any potential smaller version a regional jet. Boeing doesn't want 717 to steal marketshare from 737 so are trying to differentiate it. My understanding is they have a huge consulting effort underway to try to squeeze $4 million out of the production costs of the 717.

I personally like the 717 (and all it's predecessors) and believe that with F-100 no longer in production, there is a market for it. Hopefully Boeing will choose to support 717, there are still a huge number of aging DC-9's out there which will be forced into retirement and require replacing in coming years.

User currently offlinePilot21 From Ireland, joined Oct 1999, 1386 posts, RR: 2
Reply 2, posted (15 years 2 months 1 week 1 day ago) and read 687 times:

The B717, appears to be a good replacement for the DC9-30 aircraft, but in todays finance driven airline industry, it doesn't make economic sense for airlines to buy it. The reason is commonality, I know Boeing tried to distinguish it from the B737-500 etc, but when it comes down to it, it carries roughly the same amount of people. So even with lower operating costs, the costs saved by airlines in cross training crews on several types of B737's compared to just having them trained on one B717 type are greater. The new A318 just launched by Airbus has the same financial favour going for it, it may have a heavier operating weight, but with cockpit commonality with the A320 family, it will do better. Thus unless Boeing can produce several varients soon, it could be a white elephant!!!

User currently offlineDucker From United States of America, joined Jun 1999, 137 posts, RR: 0
Reply 3, posted (15 years 2 months 1 week 1 day ago) and read 679 times:

The 717 was a low risk to Boeing, since McDonnell-Douglas had lined up so many risk-sharing partners to produce reduce the prime contractors costs of the plane. Boeing has little to lose, since their money wasn't tied up in the original designand may just be happy with the incremental sales it produces. Boeing will be able to use their muscle to persuade the other risk-sharing companies reduce their costs, to reduce the 717's price, to increase sales.

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