Rather than plunge into the development of two new clean sheet designs, it now seems like Boeing is going to spend a few years concentrating on the tried and true. Numerous industry publications are reporting that production of the 767-300 will be ramped up in response to airlines that need a 250- to 350-seat airliner that doesn’t need the range or come with the price tag of the 787 Dreamliner. A 767 is about half the price of a $275 million 787. It’s also the second-oldest design still in production by Boeing (the 737 is the oldest) and entered service in 1982.
According to industry newsletter Leeham News and Comment, Boeing has been polling its supply chain on the feasibility of building more 767s and that seems to have gone well. But putting resources into that appears to have pushed back the timelines of building what has become known as the New Midmarket Aircraft (797) and the long-awaited clean-sheet baby Boeing to replace the 737. It now looks like the 797 will be in revenue service in 2027 instead of 2024 (assuming it’s launched) and the 737 replacement will be ready for passengers in the 2030s.
