MarketWatch: Oil prices cloud airshow (Farnborough)

Oil to put a damper on mood at Farnborough
High fuel prices on everyone's mind at aerospace industry's top gathering
By Aude Lagorce, MarketWatch



LONDON (MarketWatch) -- A new kind of tally will take center stage at the Farnborough International Airshow this year.

Instead of keeping close tabs on the number of orders Airbus and Boeing score at the aerospace industry's top annual event, observers will be feverishly computing the deferrals and cancellations the two manufacturers suffer when the show kicks off Monday.

The atmosphere will be a far cry from that of the 2007 Paris Air Show, when neither a severely overstretched supply chain nor massive air conditioning failures could deflate the ebullient mood of the 1,500 exhibitors attending from 35 countries.

At that time, Airbus, a unit of EADS, trumpeted its return to form, winning a flurry of orders for its new A350 XWB long-range aircraft and flaunting yet another management team.

Rival Boeing, high on unabated demand for its787 Dreamliner, talked of boosting production capacity. The airlines -- about to collectively return to a profit for the first time since 2000 -- optimistically stacked the shopping trolley, bickering only over delivery slots. A barrel of oil cost around $70. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/oil-put-damper-mood-farnborough/story.aspx?guid=%7B8027B463%2DB5BE%2D4C83%2D80B5%2D3BBD9FB9ED2E%7D#comments

You can gasp in amazement at all the wonderful things they can do.

You can't see them unless you have the correct kinds of radars. They can go supersonic without using the afterburner. But they sure fly purdy. And they cost $355,000,000 a pop.

Now that we're bombing the local Iraqi (brown) people with 100 lb / 200 lb laser guided precision munitions, a Spad would be slightly more fuel efficient.