What do you think about COMAC - how much of a threat they are and where will they go over next few years?
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Yeah, COMAC is a real threat to both Airbus and Boeing. Airbus smartly recognizes this is still selling their airplanes at a positive profit margin so they can remain viable and develop new models as needed. Boeing fell on their own sword many years ago and is on way out much sooner than they would have been otherwise. But they wouldn't have survived in any event as history has shown that three world major airplane manufacturers always shrink to two.
Competition is always a good thing. Too bad Boeing can't compete in 2022. They are just stuck in the past trying to suck off the US taxpayers with their 50 year old antiquated designs and cr-p products that don't work.
Go COMAC!
Airbus competition is a good thing for the airlines. Boeing is no longer competitive and is not a good thing for anyone except their executives.
https://www.aviacionline.com/2022/05/boeing-and-airbus-have-a-rival-maiden-flight-of-the-first-production-comac-c919/
Me thinks Boeing stinks and Comac will rocket.
COMAC now has a better relationship with EASA and FAA than Boeing does. There have been a couple Boeing ex-executives, several ex-managers and many ex-engineers who have helped COMAC over many years. COMAC is taking their time and they have an unlimited budget. They don't compensate their leaders with stock options or have any need to appease Wall Street. They just need to satisfy the Chinese government that they can create a highly successful commercial airline industry. COMAC will do quite well.
It would be difficult to have a worse safety record than 737Max! Two 100% fatal accidents in less than 6 months is unprecedented.
The Asian community isn't happy how Boeing blamed their pilots and treated them in general. They have already moved away from Boeing.
COMAC has been expending much time testing and refining their airplanes and design/manufacturing processes. They know the world will be watching and that having a high quality and safe product is critical to their future. Something Boeing forgot...
Boeing’s biggest customer base is in Asia. They will switch to Comac if they have a good safety record. Airbus largest customer bases is in Europe.
More like 1/3 the cost of 737 Max 8 for C919:
https://www.businessinsider.com/this-how-china-c919-compares-to-boeing-and-airbus-narrowbodies-2022-2#that-is-about-60-less-than-boeings-737-max-8-and-55-less-than-airbus-a320neo-which-are-1216-million-and-1106-million-respectively-as-of-2021-40
"Although the exact price tag has not been made public by Comac, analysts estimate a single plane would cost buyers about $50 million. That is about 60% less than Boeing's 737 MAX 8 and 55% less than Airbus' A320neo, which are $121.6 million and $110.6 million, respectively, as of 2021."
Sad over the years the management and executives decided the short term benefits (stock increasing, revenue increasing) were worth the long term consequences (IP stealing) and the crows are coming home to roost. Will be hard to compete with a plane that is 1/2 the cost due to the cheaper labor etc.
COMAC already has half the backlog that Boeing has. Once they get their manufacturing rolling and demonstrate they have a good product like China has done for most everything, they will corner the China market and quickly make inroads in other countries. Most US companies have their products manufactured in China and much of Boeing's airplane components are made n China.. Th C719 is about 1/3 the cost of B737 and A320. The C719 performance isn't as good, but that will improve in coming years and the price will more than compensate for many airlines. COMAC will quickly rise to the #2 commercial airplane company...and Boeing won't be #1...