Boeing Co. has confirmed it managed to deliver only 35 jets for the month of August and in total 344 planes to customers for the first eight months of the year. This is in comparison to Airbus, Boeing’s European rival, which delivered 52 aircraft in August and 422 for the first eight months of the year.
Boeing’s output is the lowest figure since April and is the direct result of what has proved to be time-consuming work correcting manufacturing flaws on the constantly troubled 737 MAX. One of the major flaws has required the redrilling. Because of this problem, thousands of misdrilled holes on the pressure bulkhead of the 787 MAX have to be inspected and fixed.
Last month’s deliveries included only 22 narrowbody 737s MAXs, of which one was a Boeing Business Jet. Boeing CFO Brian West said on Thursday that the company would be on the “low end” of its 400-450 target for 737 deliveries this year.
Boeing took new orders for 43 planes after factoring in two cancellations.
The total for August included a previously unannounced sale of 25 737 MAX 8 planes to aircraft lessor SMBC Aviation Capital. Airbus, however, sold 117 planes during the month of August. In addition to 737 MAXs, Boeing handed over 13 wide-body jets which included five 787 Dreamliners, three 767s – including three KC-46 tankers for the U.S. Air Force and two freighters for FedEx – plus three 777 freighters.
Boeing’s gross orders since the start of January rose to 624 in August, or 510 net orders after factoring in cancellations and conversions and 737 net orders after accounting adjustments. Airbus has booked 1,257 gross orders or 1,218 after cancellations.
