Boeing has released its 2009 sales and delivery figures which show a dramatic drop in new aircraft sales compared to the records of recent years, although it did meet its delivery target for the year.
In 2009, Boeing recorded 263 new commercial aircraft orders but only 142 net orders after cancellations were taken into account. By comparison, Airbus is expected to log about 270 net orders for 2009.
“2009 was not without its challenges but it also was a year of exciting achievements for our company and our industry,” said Jim Albaugh, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO. “With signs of economic recovery emerging in 2010, we look forward to better days ahead.”
The 737 was again Boeing’s best seller, logging 178 net orders for the year, with the 777 logging 19 net orders. And while the slow selling 747-8 and 767 programs logged just two net orders each, the delayed 787 lost 59 orders from its previous year’s tally. Boeing currently has a backlog of 2076 737s, 281 777s, 108 747-8s, 59 767s, and 851 787s, for a total of 3375 commercial aircraft.
Boeing also took a sizeable chunk out of that backlog last year after delivering 481 new aircraft, comprising 372 737s, 88 777s, the final eight 747-400Fs, and 13 767s, in line with its predicted target of 480-485 deliveries.
