Airbus Tops Boeing in Order Total Through April

Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) wrote 37 new orders in April and has posted a total of 153 new orders year to date. Including cancellations, Boeing has taken 128 net new orders through the first four months of 2015.

In the deliveries race, Boeing delivered 66 new commercial planes in April, compared with 62 Airbus deliveries. Of Boeing’s total, 11 were 787s, 43 were 737s and nine were 777s. Airbus delivered 50 A320s, nine A330s and three A380s in the month. Through April, Boeing has delivered 250 new commercial jets to Airbus’s 196 total deliveries.

Boeing’s backlog totaled 5,667 planes at the end of April, compared with Airbus’s backlog of 6,339 planes. Boeing’s backlog includes 835 orders for 787s; 270 for the 777-300ER and 777 freighter; and 4,201 of the single-aisle 737. The backlog for the 747 is 33 and the 767 backlog totals 42 planes.

At Airbus, the backlog of orders includes 5,144 of the company’s single aisle A319, A320 and A321 aircraft; 319 A330 family planes; 778 A350s; and 158 of the super-jumbo A380s.

Boeing’s new Leap-1B engine for the 737 MAX family of planes began flight tests this week on a specially modified 737 owned by GE Aviation. The engine is made by CFM International, a joint venture between GE and Snecma, a subsidiary of France’s Safran. Boeing’s 737 MAX has accumulated 2,724 orders from 57 customers worldwide, according to the company.

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