Boeing discarded 757 12 years ago. Needs it desperately now

[jimntx]

Read and discuss.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/airline-pilot-reveals-why-plane-143700998.html

I was particularly interested in the talk of problems with expanding the capacity of the 737 connected to the inability to put larger engines on it. I got the impression that the problem is physical. The 737 is just too low to the ground to add engines any larger than currently used without re-engineering the under carriage of the airplane.

 

[Kev3188]

Interesting how the '57 has been sort of left behind. I can remember the -300 being heralded as the replacement for the DC-10...

 

[dash8roa]

Its a shame the 757 was dropped, if the 747-8 can go on with a production rate of less than one a month, the 757 should have been retained. Launched in 1982, it could have been upgraded, new engines, weight trimmed off and other small tweaks to keep its fuel numbers up to date.
Nothing in current production or newer frames coming on line in the near future can match its performance and range. I don't think the A321NEO will have all of the 757's characteristics such as short field performance, range and hot and high airport capabilities.
Boeing pulled the plug too soon in my opinion.

 

[eolesen]

While I'd loved to have seen it continue in production, the reality is that the engineering cost alone for a new engine on the 757 was pegged at around $1B. That's a pretty big commitment and one Boeing probably didn't see being recovered, hence it was closed down. If I'm remembering correctly, the -200 airframe went for over three years without a single significant sale, with the bulk from 1999 onward being for the -200PF and the -300.

The more likely scenario is one that doesn't get a lot of press -- new single and twin aisle designs that can take the best of the design and roll-out lessons learned from the 787. Boeing is said to be considering a dual launch similar to how the 757 and 767 were developed.