With the 7E7 project, Boeing is aiming at a market that it forecasts at 2,500 units. For Airbus, its A330 exists already and responds to a requirement which is far from being so juicy. A new battle is underway between Airbus and Boeing, and looks set to heat up in coming months as the new long-range Boeing 7E7 gets nearer to a launch decision and obtains its first orders from Asian and European carriers. US carriers are expected to delay orders until they have extracted themselves from the post 11/9 crisis. If the announcements about the Sonic Cruiser brought plenty of chuckles from Toulouse, the 7E7, recently named Dreamliner in a popular vote, has come under a barrage of attack from Airbus chiefs, even as the aircraft is still firmly in the definition phase.
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