J. VanDomelen Mil/Aero Blog
J. VanDomelen Mil/Aero Blog RSSPackages and Passengers
The Boeing Company was enjoying its newfound military aviation success, but never abandoned its pursuit of the growing international and domestic airmail delivery market.
In 1923, the company released the Boeing Model 40, which would go down in history as the first Boeing aircraft to carry passengers. Soon after, The Boeing Company produced the aircraft’s cousin, the Model 40A. This new mail aircraft sported an air-cooled engine from Pratt & Whitney that dramatically reduced the aircraft’s weight (to the tune of roughly 200 pounds). It was at this point that Boeing Air Transport (BAT) was born and won the U.S. postal service contract delivery route between San Francisco, Calif., and Chicago, Ill. With that, Boeing had essentially started its own airline (for mail transport).
BATs inaugural flight took place on 1 July 1927. Bertha Boeing, William’s wife, performed the inauguration ceremony, which took place deep in the midst of prohibition; rather than champagne, she used orange-flavored soda which “made a satisfactory fizz” according to all accounts.
The first passenger on this landmark flight was Chicago Herald Examiner Reporter Jane Eads. Eads made the 22.5-hour flight between Chicago and San Francisco in high heels, a business suit, and a boa (not the snake) within a passenger space roughly the size of a refrigerator. (The Model 40 was built primarily to carry mail, but its small cabin could accommodate two passengers.) BAT’s mail planes went on to carry 837,211 pounds of mail, 149,068 pounds of express packages, and 1,863 passengers.
Boeing Air Transport 80A
The growing popularity in passenger flight inspired Boeing to create the Model 80, a 12-passenger, three-engine biplane. This marked Boeings entry into the commercial passenger aircraft market, with the Model 80 specially designed to carry people. Its inaugural flight occurred on 27 July 1929; an upgraded version, the Model 80A, was produced shortly thereafter to hold 18 passengers and to help meet the growing demand for commercial passenger transport. Boeing became of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the country, employing 800 people by 1928.
This geek loves this history lesson! It’s amazing to be reliving the genesis of this American aerospace giant. It really is a story of ingenuity, innovation, and vigor!
Tags: aerospace, aviation, BAT, Bertha Boeing, Boeing, Boeing Air Transport, design, geek, mentor, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, mil-aero, milaero, military, Model 80, Model 80A, William H. Boeing
Boeing tenacity finds its bounty
The Boeing Company, perhaps contrary to popular belief, did not quickly or easily skyrocket to top of the aviation market; in fact, the company suffered several significant setbacks that would have caused many to throw up their hands and close their doors. Founder William Boeing would not be dissuaded or deterred, however.
In 1923, The Boeing Company started to turn around and began its transformation from a struggling company to an aviation powerhouse. What sparked its upward mobility? A dose of healthy competition: The race to design and build the best Army Air Service pursuit fighter biplane had begun, and pitted Boeing against another aircraft innovator, Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company.
Beating Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. would be no mean feat. The company, formed in New York in 1916 and headed by President Glenn Hammond Curtiss, was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States throughout the 1920s and 1930s. (Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor’s history is also fascinating.)
The Boeing Company prepared for battle with Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. The prize for victory was the first Army Air Service contract, and with it came the opportunity to build pursuit fighters. Ultimately, Curtiss Aeroplane’s design won the company the contract. Nonetheless, it didn’t stop Boeing!
Six months later, The Boeing Company unveiled its Model 15 (PW-9) pursuit biplane, which propelled the company into a decade of prosperity as the premier producer of military air fighters. In fact, Boeing went on to sell to the U.S. military 586 of a later model pursuit aircraft, the P-12/F4B, operated by the U.S. Army Air Corps and U.S. Navy. This geek’s retelling of an aviation giant’s history is not yet over—there’s more to come!
Tags: aerospace, aviation, Boeing, Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co., design, engineer, F4B, geek, mentor, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, mil-aero, milaero, military, Model 15, P-12, U.S. Army Air Corps, U.S. Navy, Warfighters, William H. Boeing
Birth of a giant, and a giant rivalry
The Boeing Company, William Boeing, and Pilot Eddie Hibbard all solidified their place in history in 1919, delivering mail internationally between Canada and the U.S.—first while flying a Boeing C-700 and later a Boeing B-1.
The historic Boeing B-1 aircraft was partially constructed of wood laminate veneer, plywood, and spruce. When aviation geeks think of wood planes, Howard Hughes no doubt comes to mind; yet, William Boeing enjoyed a long, prosperous history in the timber, furniture-making, and wood-infused aircraft.
Would you have felt confident and comfortable flying in or piloting a wood airplane?
When it comes to the Boeing B-1, with its laminate and plywood, this geek is amazed at the quality. The truest testament to the B-1’s construction materials and workmanship comes in the form of miles flown–350,000 to be exact and a figure that was unheard of at the time. The B-1 required six engine replacements over eight years of service on the international airmail route.
The Boeing BB-L6 Biplane
The next major milestone for The Boeing Company came on 24 May 1920, when the company’s BB-L6 took to the air. The BB-L6 was the first to conquer the heights of Mount Rainer, a towering stratovolcano that measures 14,411 feet (4,392 miles).
This geek is fascinated by aviation history. Stay tuned for insights on the birth of the highly competitive aircraft manufacturing landscape!
Tags: aerospace, BB-L6, Boeing, design, Eddie Hibbard, geek, hardware, mentor, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, mil-aero, milaero, military, Mount Rainer, William H. Boeing, Wood Plane
International mail and wood veneer
The Boeing Company was struggling after World War I, but Founder William Boeing and his management team pressed on, encouraging and funding the proactive research and development of many different commercial biplane designs. As it turns out, none of the new biplane designs ever made it into production. Not to be dissuaded by this unfortunate fact, Boeing continued to innovate and make history.
On 3 March 1919, Pilot Eddie Hibbard and Boeing carried 60 letters from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seattle, Washington, aboard the Boeing C-700. (Fun fact: The last U.S. Navy plane Boeing produced for WWI carried the serial number 699.) This trip by Hibbard and Boeing went down in history as the first international airmail delivery!
The Boeing Company continued along this delivery route, but not in the Boeing C-700. The now-famous Boeing B-1 mail plane was the aircraft of choice for the job.
The Boeing B-1 was a truly an innovative aircraft for the day. It sported a mono-hull design with a rear-facing engine and propeller. At the time, these types of planes were known as “pusher-style” flying boats.
The Boeing B-1
The B-1 made its maiden voyage on 27 December 1919. It carried a pilot, two passengers, and mail cargo. Hubbard piloted this plane to deliver international mail between Vancouver, B.C., and Seattle. The hull of the plane was constructed of a wood laminate veneer, and the wings were created from plywood and spruce. This geek wonders how many of us would board a wood plane today. Would you climb aboard?
Tags: aerospace, aviation, B-1, Boeing, C-700, Eddie Hibbard, engineer, geek, mentor, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, mil-aero, milaero, military, U.S. Navy, Warfighters, William H. Boeing
Boeing Nearly Goes Bust: A Lesson in Ingenuity
World War I ended in 1918 and brought with it a huge surplus of aircraft. This surplus caused the newly formed Boeing Company to experience some growing pains as the extra military aircraft were sold into the commercial aircraft market. Making things worse, the company’s commercial sales of the Model C biplane hit a slump at the same time. This challenging era did not bode well for the 337 people that Boeing had employed to complete its first major order of 50 Model Cs for the U.S. Navy in wartime. During the next year, Boeing continued to develop new and innovative aircraft. To pay the bills, company officials opted to produce some interesting, if not surprising, products.
William E. Boeing, originally a timber man that had acquired his wealth from the Pacific Northwest’s abundant wood industry, learned the ins and outs of products made from…well…wood. Shortly after WWI ended, he manufactured furniture. Yup you heard it correctly: Boeing resorted to building and selling furniture, such as dressers and counters to a corset company and a confectioner’s shop, to supplement the company’s income in 1918. Also during this time, Boeing, having had initial success in seaplanes, manufactured flat-bottom boats called Sea Sleds for mariners in and around the Puget Sound.
The Boeing Red Barn.
In 1919, The Boeing Company continued to struggle to make ends meet. The struggling company won a contract to produce 25 HS-2Ls, a military seaplane designed by Curtiss Aeroplane Company.
In trying and uncertain economic times, this geek finds inspiration in ingenuity. Leaders like William Boeing embody the spirit of America. He did everything in his power to keep his company afloat even if that included making furniture instead of aircraft.
Tags: aerospace, Boeing, Curtiss Aeroplane Company, geek, HS-2L, mentor, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, mil-aero, milaero, military, Model C, Red Barn, William H. Boeing
The Birth of Boeing
Virtually everyone knows of Boeing, but how many are aware of its history? This geek finds it fascinating.
In 1916, Yale University Alumnus William E. Boeing formed The Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington. Why Seattle? Seattle’s booming wood industry included a wealth of Spruce, a wood deemed to be perfect for manufacturing airplanes.
Interestingly enough, Boeing began his career in the timber industry and, in doing so, became very wealthy. It also afforded him a working knowledge of wooden structures—expertise that would prove invaluable in the construction of novel planes. Boeing opened his first airplane manufacturing facility, Heath’s shipyard on the Duamish River, in March 1910. He later incorporated the company on 15 July 1916 as the Pacific Aero Product Co.
When Boeing crashed a friend’s seaplane, he learned that replacement parts would take a considerable amount of time to procure. In fact, he and U.S. Navy Engineer George Conrad Westervelt decided they could build an entire plane from scratch in less time—and that’s just what they did.
In June 1916, the first B&W seaplane made its maiden flight—and a second flight followed shortly thereafter. Many of Boeing’s early projects were seaplanes, which are still popular today amongst Seattle pilots given easy access to the vast Puget Sound and surrounding lakes.
Reproduction of the first B&W Seaplane at the Museum of Flight located on Boeing Field
Pacific Aero Products Co. became the Boeing Airplane Company on 9 May 1917. Later that same year, the U.S. became embroiled in World War I. Boeing was certain that Navy pilots would love his new seaplanes, so he shipped two Model C twin pontoon seaplanes powered by Curtiss OX-5 engines to the U.S. Navy in Pensacola, Florida. This simple act proved to be a great business maneuver. U.S. Navy pilots and officials were so impressed with the two Model Cs that they promptly ordered 50 more! This early success was short lived, however.
This geek loves a suspenseful story with twists and turns, and hopes you do, too. Stay tuned for the rest of the story in upcoming blogs!
Tags: aerospace, aviation, B&W, Boeing, geek, George Conrad Westervelt, mentor, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, mil-aero, milaero, Navy, Pacific Aero Product Co., Seaplane, Seattle, William H. Boeing, Yale University
Birth of a Behemoth, the Airbus A380
The Boeing 747 was the pinnacle of success in aviation. The jumbo jet became the symbol for aviation and opened up the world to global travelers. Boeing was reaping the rewards and reveling in the success that was the 747. Airbus wasn’t resting on its laurels, however, and had set its sights on the popular jet.
In 1988, Airbus lead engineer Jean Roeder and a team of engineers began to develop an ultra-high-capacity airliner (UHCA) to compete with, and even surpass, the Boeing 747, which had no serious competition in the jumbo jet market at the time.
The Airbus team revealed plans at the 1990 Farnborough Air Show to create an aircraft with a 15 percent lower operating cost than the comparable Boeing 747-400. Such was the genesis of the Airbus A380. In 2005, the Airbus A380 made its debut and entered commercial service in 2007 as the largest airliner in aviation history.
All was going well at Airbus. Little did Airbus executives know, however, that in the coming years the company would face a major restructuring, resulting from mergers and acquisitions within the European Union (EU) consortium.
Following the consolidation of many European defense and aerospace companies in 1999 and 2000, Airbus was reborn as a joint-stock company in 2001. European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS formed of Aérospatiale-Matra, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, and CASA) and BAE Systems both held stock in Airbus, in the amount of 80 percent and 20 percent, respectively. In late 2006, BAE systems sold its 20 percent share to EADS for $4.17 billion, transforming Airbus into a fully owned subsidiary of EADS.
Fast-forward a decade and Airbus makes a huge splash at the 2011 Paris Air Show with the Airbus A320Neo. Airbus won orders for 1029 of these aircraft within the A320Neo’s six-month launch window, achieving a civil aviation industry record!
Airbus employs approximately 52,000 people globally. Much of its operations are concentrated among 16 facilities in four European Union countries: France, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Germany.
This geek applauds the innovation set forth by Airbus as they continue to flourish in the commercial airline business.
Tags: 747, A380, aerospace, Aérospatiale-Matra, Airbus, aviation, BAE Systems, Boeing, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, EADS, engineer, European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, geek, mentor, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, mil-aero, milaero, military, Paris Air Show, technology
Airbus Evolution
Airbus aircraft, in stark contrast to some Boeing airliners, are largely manufactured in Europe. The company’s origin as a consortium of European aerospace companies no doubt is a contributing factor; yet, the company is not entirely immune to outsourcing. In fact, Airbus opened a plant in China, one of the fastest-growing consumers of air travel, in 2009.
The name “Airbus”, interestingly enough, was an aviation industry term that was made popular in the 1960s and used to describe large commercial aircraft.
Airbus, founded in 1970 as Airbus Industrie, consisted of a consortium of European aerospace firms. The relationship between the companies stemmed from a 1967 government initiative between the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. The consortium’s goal was to compete with American aerospace moguls Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, and Boeing. Members included Aérospatiale (Aérospatiale-Matra), Deutsche Airbus (DaimlerChrysler Aerospace), Hawker Siddeley (British Aerospace and BAE Systems), Fokker-VFW, and later, Spanish firm CASA.
The Airbus A300, a medium range wide-body aircraft, debuted in 1972 and entered into service in 1974. Initial sales were sluggish, to the tune of just 15 orders received in 1972; yet, by 1979, Airbus had won 256 orders for the A300. Nonetheless, it wasn’t until the Airbus A320 launched in 1981 that Airbus secured its rank among the aerospace elite. Airbus had gained 400 orders for its A320 before the new aircraft took its maiden voyage.
Airbus’ first-ever demonstration tour to Latin America occurred in 1973 with the company’s original A300B jetliner.
Airbus continued its growth and success with the A320 throughout the 1980s. The company soon introduced two mid-sized airliners to its lineup: the Airbus A330 and Airbus A340.
The Airbus story is far from over, and this geek loves good old-fashioned competition. Be sure to read about how Airbus took on the popular Boeing 747 in the next installment!
Tags: A300, aerospace, Airbus, aviation, Aviation History, Boeing, geek, mentor, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, mil-aero, milaero, Outsourcing
How do they do it?
Airbus and Boeing have held a duopoly on the worldwide large commercial aircraft (LCA) market, which includes narrow-body aircraft, wide-body aircraft, and jumbo jets, since the 1990s. Both companies have effectively used outsourcing, government loans/contract/subsidies, technology, currency, tax breaks, and even the selection of engine manufacturers to gain a competitive advantage.
Many of the world’s airlines are still wholly or partially owned by their respective governments; and, in general, these governments are more likely to pony up cash for new aircraft when components of those aircraft are produced in (and bring jobs and more to) that country. A strategic advantage is gained, then, when an aircraft manufacturer issues subcontracts for aircraft components or opens facilities in particular countries.
A fine example of that practice centers on Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, the major components and assemblies of which were outsourced to Japan. What was the result of subcontracting to Japan? Boeing enjoys well-established relationships with companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) in Japan, where an estimated 35 percent of the 787 Dreamliner is produced. Boeing aircraft also now dominates the Japanese airline industry.
Extensive outsourcing doesn’t come without a price, however. “We outsourced too much,” admitted Boeing Commercial Airplanes Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jim Albaugh in March 2010. “We didn’t consider the extent of the risk we’d take on by going outside.” Boeing had unwittingly and in essence become the project manager on the 787’s production, fulfilling only the roles of design, assembly, and testing. Many blame this factor for the myriad engineering issues and, ultimately, the egregious (and even embarrassing) delays Boeing suffered in the release of its long-anticipated aircraft. This geek is pleased to see the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (finally) taking to the skies!
Tags: aerospace, Airbus, Boeing, duopoly, geek, Japan, Jim Albaugh, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, mentor, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, mil-aero, milaero, military, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Airbus vs. Boeing: The Battle Rages on as Both Sides Claim Victory…Again.
The rivalry between large civil aircraft (LCA) manufacturers Airbus in Toulouse, France, and The Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington, spans three decades—only now, though, is it getting particularly heated (and even ugly). The latest conflict centers on the legality of government subsidies and loans enjoyed by both parties.
On 12 March 2012, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body released its findings following an investigation, prompted by the European communities, into whether U.S. large commercial aircraft (LCA) manufacturers were being illegally subsidized.
Boeing had previously accused European Union LCA manufacturers, including Airbus, of accepting illegal subsidies and, thereby, gaining an unfair advantage and causing Boeing to lose business. The WTO’s investigation found that, in fact, Airbus had accepted $18 billion in questionable government loans.
The EU retaliated, requesting that the WTO investigate government subsidies received by U.S. LCA companies, including Boeing. This month, the WTO Appellate Body released its findings, not only affirming the illegality of the subsidies provided by the U.S. government and U.S. military to Boeing, but also affirming the legality of Airbus’ EU loan repayment.
The controversial findings made global headlines and social media outlets were a hotbed of activity. Airbus and Boeing brought their battle to Twitter, which was flooded with statements from both companies. Both companies claimed victory in the latest WTO finding. The Airbus Twitter handle (@Airbus) even produced a few memorable jabs, calling the Boeing 787 Dreamliner the “7-aid-7”.
The WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations, according to a spokesperson. “At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.”
In light of this recent WTO finding and the battle that continues to rage between Airbus and Boeing, this geek thought it was high time to do a blog series taking a closer look at these two aircraft-manufacturing behemoths.
Tags: 787, A350, aerospace, Airbus, aviation, Boeing, EU, European Union, geek, mentor, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, mil-aero, milaero, military, World Trade Organization, WTO
About J. VanDomelen Mil/Aero Blog
J. VanDomelen holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and myriad certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTia in varying facets of computer software, hardware, and network design and implementation. He has worked in the electronics industry for more than 12 years in varied fields, including advanced systems design of highly technical military and aerospace computer systems, semiconductor manufacturing, open source software development, hardware design, and rapid prototyping.
@JLVanDo tweets
- New blog up - Birth of a Behemoth, the Airbus A380. Check it out at Mentor Graphics blog site http://t.co/RBCBO0qD #
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Latest Posts
- Packages and Passengers
- Boeing tenacity finds its bounty
- Birth of a giant, and a giant rivalry
- International mail and wood veneer
- Boeing Nearly Goes Bust: A Lesson in Ingenuity
- The Birth of Boeing