Top Boeing customer questions future of short-range 787 version

In an interview at the Singapore Air Show, influential aviation executive Stephen Udvar-Hazy said the short-range variant of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, the 787-3, is too heavy to make sense in any market outside Japan.

That's a discomfiting assessment for Boeing, which must produce the 787-3 to please launch customer All Nippon Airways (ANA).

Talking to Jon Ostrower of Flight International's Flightblogger Web site, Hazy also discussed "weight creep" on the current 787 models.

And looking further out, Hazy said he's encouraging Boeing and Airbus to develop short, fat, twin-aisle jets to replace the current single-aisle 737s and A320s.

Hazy is founder and chief executive of the world's largest aircraft-leasing company, International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC), which is Boeing's single biggest customer. In 2006 his forceful criticisms prodded Airbus to redefine its planned A350.

In the Singapore interview, Hazy said that for short- to medium-haul routes, he's encouraging Boeing to come up with a new, "more practical" 787 derivative that would have "wide global appeal."

"The -3 doesn't quite do it," Hazy said. "It's too heavy."

The 787-3 was designed to draw in ANA as a launch customer on the Dreamliner. It has a shorter wingspan that fits better at Japanese airport terminals and is intended for use on Japan's short, frequent and densely packed routes.

The Dreamliner has a total of 857 orders but only 43 for the -3 version, all from just two customers: ANA and Japan Airlines.

"Its not viable outside Japan," Hazy said flatly.

Spokeswoman Lori Gunter said Boeing is firmly committed to building the 787-3 and that it's premature to talk about other new derivatives.

Hazy's comments on the Dreamliner were mostly positive. "The design is sound," he told Ostrower.

But he said the initial Dreamliner models are overweight, causing Boeing to trim their range capabilities. He said flight tests beginning this summer should reveal the extent to which Boeing can cut out some of the excess weight.

In the meantime, Hazy said, Boeing's development of the next major Dreamliner derivative — the bigger 787-10 — has slowed down because the extra weight on the base airplane means the bigger derivative will need engines with more thrust than originally planned, as well as stronger landing gear.

Gunter confirmed that Boeing cut its range forecast for the initial Dreamliners about a year ago because of increased weight. But she cautioned that Boeing is focused now on getting the first 787-8 to fly, and said it's too early to talk about the future 787-10 being stalled.

"The production line is sold out basically through 2016," she said. "Moving forward with any great speed on a future derivative ... just doesn't make sense."

Longer-term, Hazy also looked out to the aircraft that will be launched after the 787 to replace the Renton-built single-aisle 737.

Because of infrastructure constraints and traffic growth, Hazy is thinking stubby. He said he has been lobbying Boeing and Airbus for seven seats abreast and two aisles.

"I am leaning more towards a small twin-aisle," Hazy said.

Dominic Gates: 206-464-2963 or dgates@seattletimes.com