With fuel prices at unprecedented levels, several U.S. carriers have elected to reduce capacity later this year. What we’re seeing is the removal of the oldest and least efficient airplanes from fleets - the MD-80 series aircraft as well as “Classic” 737 airplanes (737-300, -400, and -500).
You might ask, what does this mean for Boeing and for the industry as a whole? It means that airlines will continue to have strong demand for the world’s most capable and fuel-efficient commercial airplanes - such as the Next-Generation 737.
When you compare a 737-800 to an MD-83, for example, the 737-800 carries about 18 more passengers, has about 720 nautical miles more range, a 17% lower fuel burn per trip, a 27% lower fuel burn per seat, 19% overall lower cost per seat, and a 50% smaller noise footprint.
This is why there are 2,200 Boeing Next-Generation 737s on order right now. So, just how efficient is the Next-Generation 737? Some argue that it is as fuel efficient (or more) as a Toyota Prius. Check out this interesting piece.
My thought - if you were really to drive from New York to Los Angeles as they suggest in the story, it would take a couple of days by car nonstop instead of just a few hours by air. As the article points out, “if you have to be somewhere and you don’t want to waste a lot of gas” and if you don’t want to leave a big carbon footprint, a Next-Generation airplane is the way to go.
Earlier I had said I would get more information on Boeing vs. Airbus. I came across this and wanted to pass it along, it is from a Boeing Blog! I haven't received a reply from American Thinker's Thomas Lifson to the Email I sent.
DKK
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