Bucking Bar

What Boeing wants your local politicians to give it from your money to to outsource work to your State (if you don't happen to live near Washington, or an IAM outpost):

1. A single 4.2 million-square-foot facility that would build the entire airplane, costing $7 billion to $10 billion for the building and equipment.
2. Or two plants in different places: one at 3.1 million square feet, costing $4 billion to $6 billion, for fuselage and final assembly, and a second, 1.1 million-square-foot plant, costing $2 billion to $4 billion, to build 777X's 114-foot-long carbon wing.
3. In both cases, Boeing says, "transportation is one of the most critical site selection determinants," with air, road and rail links.

"The ideal site would be located immediately adjacent to a major international airport," with a 9,000-foot runway capable of landing 777X and 747-400 freighter airplanes (Lambert-St. Louis International Airport would apparently qualify). Boeing also wants "easy access to a major highway" and a dedicated direct rail spur into the site for parts delivery.

Listed as "Desired:" A seaport with the ability to handle container ships and regular international ocean carrier service, presumably to easily handle shipments of parts from overseas suppliers.

The document also lists "significant institutional factors" that it will evaluate, saying "company preference is toward a location that will share in the cost of capital expenditures" such as buying, building and equipping the plant. It also lists overall cost of doing business, workforce availability, quality and cost (though it makes no mention of union workers one way or the other) and a stable regulatory environment. And there's a list of "desired incentives." Among them:

• Site at no cost, or very low cost, to project.
• Facilities at no cost, or significantly reduced cost.
• Infrastructure improvements provided by the location
• Full support in worker training
• "Entire applicable tax structure including corporate income tax, franchise tax, property tax, sales/use tax, business license/gross receipts tax and excise taxes to be significantly reduced."

So isn't this great? 10 Billion gift, then pay no taxes and get infrastructure built to the door.
Ain't outsourcing great? But, I am not sure how you bring the Pacific, or Atlantic, Ocean to St. Louis. Ugh, Douglas .... hey, how about Long Beach?

Check Essential

Bar-
I like the rear end of the new Mustangs but I'm not thrilled with the new grills.

Bucking Bar

Check,

That's the EVOS based design study. The real grille is different.



The GT Grille has the upright "fangs" that direct air like the previous GT500. Ford says no more fake scoops. Everything is functional. The wheel choice for some of these early prototypes are off. For instance the car above has the base model's 18 inchers and ....



This is the base model in NYC this morning, with the optional GT wheels (go figure).

I imagine some version will get the fog lamps in the grille like the current GT, but I've not seen that outside of these early design renders at Ford.



Three final design studies with the fog lamps in the grille. If that's what you like I am sure someone will offer a kit for ~$500 to stick them in there.

TheManager

Going with Bar on this.

Labor problems, if they escalate to picketing and an active media campaign, cause a drop in bookings. This has been clearly demonstrated.

A drop in bookings is a loss of revenue.

Analysts downgrade earnings on the declining revenue and thus likely the stock.

The stock price drops.

Bucking Bar

The new "Spirit of Seattle"

slowplay

Did it scrape the tail or have to stop for fuel?

Bucking Bar

I don't know. The FO went to stow his bag, check the potable water and lav ... hasn't been seen since. Must be still walking ...

Ever notice in the pictures where Boeing's folks are flying, it appears 1 knot slow of landing on the nose wheel? Do they know something we don't?

Check Essential

The fog lights help but I also like the old style with the headlights further up and more prominent along side the grille.

The new one is just wrong. The lower corners wider out than the upper ones make it look wrong. I've been trying to figure out what it reminded me of.
Its the mouth on a whale shark .





And call me a traditionalist but the pony has to be there too.

Bucking Bar

OH Jeesh; OK Bud Ro, back at you Boss.





I like the mouth on that!

Jude Law is an idiot.

Check Essential

I think you're right.
Those test pilot boys always seem to fly it on rather than flare it.