Features

A comparative study of Boeing and Airbus – Part II

Published

8 months ago

2025/07/1

(First part of this article appeared yesterday.)

While Concordes operated by British Airways and Air France became the airplane of choice for trans-Atlantic travel – albeit only by the most affluent segment of the passenger market – Boeing produced the 747 ‘jumbo jet’. Intended as a ‘stop-gap’ before Boeing could introduce its own ultimately stillborn Super Sonic Transport (SST) to rival the Concorde. The 747 went on to become yet another trend-setting ‘winner’ for the ‘planemaker from Seattle, Washington, reprising its successes with the 707 and 727. Also not to be discounted is Boeing’s small twin-jet, the 737, the most produced airliner in the world with nearly 12,000 examples of different sub-types and sizes built as at February 2025.

By 1965, the British government had talks about pooling the nation’s aircraft manufacturing resources to build a 250- to 300-passenger aircraft to compete with Boeing. BAC was already involved with its own One-Eleven – a rear-engined twin-jet similar to the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 and Sud Aviation Caravelle – so a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was drawn up between the governments of Britain, France and Germany in 1970 to launch an international company named Airbus Industrie with its primary focus on building a wide-body twin-jet to be named the Airbus A300.

The main components of the new airliner were built in each of those three countries, with final assembly taking place in Toulouse, France. The A300 was designed to be a three- or two-pilot, twin aisle aircraft, based on reasoning that two engines would be more profitable while consuming less fuel, and therefore an attractive proposition to airline operators. In addition, the A300 boasted new innovations such as the first use of composite materials in commercial aircraft, electrically controlled braking, and an advanced autopilot system. First flying in 1972, the A300 entered service with launch customer Air France in 1974.

Before long the A300 had begun replacing the now-outdated Boeing 727. Airbus even broke into the US market with sales of 23 examples of the A300 to Florida-based Eastern Air Lines. By the end of the 1970s, 81 A300s were flying in 14 airlines with 133 on order.

Boeing, meanwhile, was working on the single-aisle (narrow-body) 757 and twin-aisle (wide-body) 767, both twin-jets, with launch dates for the new types scheduled for the early 1980s. Both aircraft had ‘glass cockpits’ (i.e. fully digitised instrumentation), and were capable of being flown by two pilots only without the need for a flight engineer. They could also be certified for operation by pilots with a common rating on both types. (Ansett Airlines of Australia did, however, in response to union demands, specify the addition of flight engineer panels on the five 767s they ordered in 1980, making Ansett the only airline in the world to operate brand-new Boeing 767s with a three-person crew.)

In response to airlines which were experiencing excess capacity with the A300, Airbus built a smaller version of the latter, named the A310. Constructed with increased use of composite materials and equipped with digital instruments, the A310, which first flew in 1982, was intended to compete with the Boeing 767.

But the real breakthrough for Airbus came in 1987 with its introduction of the A320. This radically innovative airplane was evolved in partnership with German flag-carrier Lufthansa. It was the world’s first fly-by-wire commercial airplane, making use of seven flight computers to electronically transmit the pilots’ inputs on the controls to the external flight control surfaces themselves, namely the ailerons (on the wings), elevators (on the tailplane) and rudder (on the tail fin). There were no cables and pulleys, thus saving weight. We were told that it was estimated to take 800 man-years to check out the software of the flight control computers. So Airbus did the next best thing by getting two software producers to provide the software, one monitoring the other.

Although designed as a super-safe aircraft, the twin-engine A320 was involved in three crashes not long after introduction, mainly due to pilots’ unfamiliarity with the new method of control demanded by the man/machine computer interface. In fact they (Airbus) was attempting to eliminate the human out of the system. Two things the pilots always said while flying were “What is it doing now?” and “I have never seen that happen before” It was a case of old dogs learning new tricks!

But as the A320 began proving its reliability, while gaining favour with pilots, sales rolled in from many parts of the world. Buoyed by this success, Airbus took another bold step and introduced the four-engined, long-range A340 jetliner, with Air Lanka becoming the first Asian airline to operate the new type.

Significantly, the A340 shared a common flightdeck layout with the smaller A320, enabling pilots to easily transition from one type to the other without laborious and time-consuming conversion training programs. A later version of the A340, the ‘Dash 500’, or A340-500, was capable of flying ultra-long-range routes such as Singapore to New York, non-stop.

Cockpit commonality in Airbus airliners was continued with the A330 twin-jet, which even shared fuselage similarities with the previous A340.

Not to be left behind in the field of fly-by-wire technology, Boeing introduced the 777. Although electrical impulses transmitted pilot inputs (hand and foot movements) via computers to the control surfaces, the 777 had a conventional control yoke (sophisticated ‘joystick’) with semi-circular ‘steering wheel’ in contrast to the Airbus family types which were equipped with a side-stick controller, not unlike a device used to play video games.

As Airbus continued to develop its successful A320 into a family of derivatives of varying sizes, seat configurations, ranges, payloads, etc., i.e. the A318, A319, and A321 – not unlike what Boeing was doing with its best-selling 737 range – in 2007 the European-based consortium launched its largest type ever, the double-deck A380. Capturing the imagination and excitement of air travellers and even the non-flying public, in a way the Boeing 747 ‘jumbo jet’ did in the early 1970s, the gigantic A380 ‘super jumbo’ was undeniably impressive in more ways than just its sheer size.

Boeing countered with its 787 Dreamliner, a much smaller wide-body twin-jet. While the A380’s makers’ original intention was for their ‘super jumbo’ to transport large number of passengers directly from one point to another, current philosophy suggests that the type has recently been using the ‘hub’ system, while the Dreamliner flies directly while short-circuiting the inconvenience of passengers having to make intermediate stops at hub cities.

However, the latest Airbus product, the A350, which has all the innovations of the A380, is already seen to be capturing market share from Boeing’s 787.

Away from the airline world, both Boeing and Airbus are involved in the space industry, while producing military airplanes and rotorcraft (helicopters, etc).

The search for greater safety was a driver of innovation in the Boeing Company, as well as other airplane builders. In this writer’s opinion, the checklist is one of the greatest safety innovations, introduced in 1935 after the crash of the Boeing B-17 prototype, when an experienced army pilot forgot to remove the control locks before takeoff. With aircraft acknowledged as becoming a ‘handful’ to fly, as a result of increasing technological complexity, a simple checklist was introduced by Boeing to help pilots do things right. This was adopted by all manufacturers, and now a further innovation is available in the form of electronic displays on all modern Boeing and Airbus aircraft.

After the formation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in 1944, an Annex 13 to the Chicago Convention was formulated providing guidelines to the country of occurrence to conduct accident investigations. This process helped identify the ‘cause behind the cause’ and spurred the need for further research and development to rectify problems and prevent recurrences. These being ICAO recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), both Boeing and Airbus must ensure that their airplanes include all mandatory industrial innovations to an absolute minimum standard.

Lessons from each other

Research and development after the de Havilland Comet crashes, and the resulting construction modifications on subsequent Comet models, also benefitted Boeing’s product. Airbus, from inception, by the very nature of its multinational origins, was a master at outsourcing the manufacture of components. Accordingly, the company has implemented a system of multiple suppliers who send their components to the four final assembly points in Toulouse (France), Hamburg (Germany), Tianjin (China) and Mobile, Alabama (USA).

The various components, including large wing and fuselage sections, are built to exacting specifications, and are closely supervised and controlled by Airbus throughout the manufacturing process. In some instances, the plants are close to customers’ locations to save money.

Conversely, when Boeing attempted to outsource the design and manufacture of components for its 787, based mainly on short-term labour costs, the result was cost overruns and delays. Overall, Airbus has been more conservative by outsourcing construction of only 52 percent of the A380 airframe, while Boeing subcontracted about 65 percent of its 787 airframe to more than 12 suppliers in Japan, Sweden, Australia, France, Italy, South Korea, Canada, and the USA.

In January 2010 Boeing reverted to implementation of a ‘One Boeing’ Policy, bringing together over 4,000 research and technology development engineers under one umbrella in 23 sites globally. In a speech at the Wings Club New York on November 11 that year, Boeing CEO Jim McNerney declared: “In retrospect, our 787 game plan may have been overly ambitious, incorporating too many firsts all at once … in the application of new technologies, in revolutionary design-and-build processes, and in increased global sourcing of engineering and manufacturing content.”

Perhaps Boeing could have learnt from Airbus on these matters. Airbus philosophy had always been that innovation must develop within its own departments and cannot be delegated. Boeing, on the other hand, initially left the innovative management to individual suppliers, worldwide. Since 2010, Boeing’s Commercial Airplanes, Defence, Space & Security research and development teams have been doubled and centralised, saving millions and eliminating research redundancy of small but interconnected groups functioning independently.

In an interview the author conducted with the late Gemunu Silva, a brilliant aeronautical engineer then, retired from the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), who was awarded a scholarship for his MSc from the University of Toulouse in 1972, claimed that research done by him and his team on ‘fly by wire’ algorithms were used on a French fighter aircraft and subsequently on the Airbus A320. He believed it was perfectly logical to have a proof of concept in the military before diffusing the technology down to civil aviation; for example, what Boeing did with the Model 367-80 (‘Dash 80’) prototype before developing the military KC-135 Stratotanker and only then the 707 civil airliner.

Today, Boeing has surpassed almost all of its competition in the USA. Similarly with Airbus in Europe, and even globally. Yet, the telling statistic is that in 2024 Airbus delivered 766 airplanes compared to only 348 from Boeing.

Into the Future

The Boeing plant in South Carolina, USA, opened in 2011 following the company’s acquisition of Vought and Global Aeronautica in 2008 and 2009, respectively, is a 100% renewable-energy facility with the future green trends in mind. Boeing has also instituted development programs for leaders of tomorrow.

At Airbus, eco-sensitive innovations are being pursued with the goal of low carbon emissions and use of biofuels which have already been tried out. It must also be remembered that it is a mercenary world.

Importantly, all innovation should be safety-orientated and address outstanding air safety concerns of the future, such as increased volume of air traffic including unmanned drones. Air Traffic Management (ATM) using new on-board systems will also be the future, with avoidance of over-automation. There has to be a level of automation which facilitates a perfect match between man and machine, mindful of the fact that computers can sometimes be ‘dumb and dutiful’.

by Capt. G A Fernando

gafplane@sltnet.lk

RCyAF/ SLAF, Air Ceylon, Air Lanka, Singapore Airlines Ltd and SriLankan Airlines.

Types Flown: DH Tiger Moth, DH Dove, HS 748, Boeing B707, B737, B747, Lockheed L1011, Airbus A320, A340 and A330

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Features

Crucial test for religious and ethnic harmony in Bangladesh

Published

16 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

A political protest that led to governmental change in Bangladesh mid last year. (photograph: imago)

Will the Bangladesh parliamentary election bring into being a government that will ensure ethnic and religious harmony in the country? This is the poser on the lips of peace-loving sections in Bangladesh and a principal concern of those outside who mean the country well.

The apprehensions are mainly on the part of religious and ethnic minorities. The parliamentary poll of February 12th is expected to bring into existence a government headed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist oriented Jamaat-e-Islami party and this is where the rub is. If these parties win, will it be a case of Bangladesh sliding in the direction of a theocracy or a state where majoritarian chauvinism thrives?

Chief of the Jamaat, Shafiqur Rahman, who was interviewed by sections of the international media recently said that there is no need for minority groups in Bangladesh to have the above fears. He assured, essentially, that the state that will come into being will be equable and inclusive. May it be so, is likely to be the wish of those who cherish a tension-free Bangladesh.

The party that could have posed a challenge to the above parties, the Awami League Party of former Prime Minister Hasina Wased, is out of the running on account of a suspension that was imposed on it by the authorities and the mentioned majoritarian-oriented parties are expected to have it easy at the polls.

A positive that has emerged against the backdrop of the poll is that most ordinary people in Bangladesh, be they Muslim or Hindu, are for communal and religious harmony and it is hoped that this sentiment will strongly prevail, going ahead. Interestingly, most of them were of the view, when interviewed, that it was the politicians who sowed the seeds of discord in the country and this viewpoint is widely shared by publics all over the region in respect of the politicians of their countries.

Some sections of the Jamaat party were of the view that matters with regard to the orientation of governance are best left to the incoming parliament to decide on but such opinions will be cold comfort for minority groups. If the parliamentary majority comes to consist of hard line Islamists, for instance, there is nothing to prevent the country from going in for theocratic governance. Consequently, minority group fears over their safety and protection cannot be prevented from spreading.

Therefore, we come back to the question of just and fair governance and whether Bangladesh’s future rulers could ensure these essential conditions of democratic rule. The latter, it is hoped, will be sufficiently perceptive to ascertain that a Bangladesh rife with religious and ethnic tensions, and therefore unstable, would not be in the interests of Bangladesh and those of the region’s countries.

Unfortunately, politicians region-wide fall for the lure of ethnic, religious and linguistic chauvinism. This happens even in the case of politicians who claim to be democratic in orientation. This fate even befell Bangladesh’s Awami League Party, which claims to be democratic and socialist in general outlook.

We have it on the authority of Taslima Nasrin in her ground-breaking novel, ‘Lajja’, that the Awami Party was not of any substantial help to Bangladesh’s Hindus, for example, when violence was unleashed on them by sections of the majority community. In fact some elements in the Awami Party were found to be siding with the Hindus’ murderous persecutors. Such are the temptations of hard line majoritarianism.

In Sri Lanka’s past numerous have been the occasions when even self-professed Leftists and their parties have conveniently fallen in line with Southern nationalist groups with self-interest in mind. The present NPP government in Sri Lanka has been waxing lyrical about fostering national reconciliation and harmony but it is yet to prove its worthiness on this score in practice. The NPP government remains untested material.

As a first step towards national reconciliation it is hoped that Sri Lanka’s present rulers would learn the Tamil language and address the people of the North and East of the country in Tamil and not Sinhala, which most Tamil-speaking people do not understand. We earnestly await official language reforms which afford to Tamil the dignity it deserves.

An acid test awaits Bangladesh as well on the nation-building front. Not only must all forms of chauvinism be shunned by the incoming rulers but a secular, truly democratic Bangladesh awaits being licked into shape. All identity barriers among people need to be abolished and it is this process that is referred to as nation-building.

On the foreign policy frontier, a task of foremost importance for Bangladesh is the need to build bridges of amity with India. If pragmatism is to rule the roost in foreign policy formulation, Bangladesh would place priority to the overcoming of this challenge. The repatriation to Bangladesh of ex-Prime Minister Hasina could emerge as a steep hurdle to bilateral accord but sagacious diplomacy must be used by Bangladesh to get over the problem.

A reply to N.A. de S. Amaratunga

A response has been penned by N.A. de S. Amaratunga (please see p5 of ‘The Island’ of February 6th) to a previous column by me on ‘ India shaping-up as a Swing State’, published in this newspaper on January 29th , but I remain firmly convinced that India remains a foremost democracy and a Swing State in the making.

If the countries of South Asia are to effectively manage ‘murderous terrorism’, particularly of the separatist kind, then they would do well to adopt to the best of their ability a system of government that provides for power decentralization from the centre to the provinces or periphery, as the case may be. This system has stood India in good stead and ought to prove effective in all other states that have fears of disintegration.

Moreover, power decentralization ensures that all communities within a country enjoy some self-governing rights within an overall unitary governance framework. Such power-sharing is a hallmark of democratic governance.

Features

Celebrating Valentine’s Day …

Published

16 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love, romance, and affection, and this is how some of our well-known personalities plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day – 14th February:

Merlina Fernando (Singer)

Yes, it’s a special day for lovers all over the world and it’s even more special to me because 14th February is the birthday of my husband Suresh, who’s the lead guitarist of my band Mission.

We have planned to celebrate Valentine’s Day and his Birthday together and it will be a wonderful night as always.

We will be having our fans and close friends, on that night, with their loved ones at Highso – City Max hotel Dubai, from 9.00 pm onwards.

Lorensz Francke (Elvis Tribute Artiste)

On Valentine’s Day I will be performing a live concert at a Wealthy Senior Home for Men and Women, and their families will be attending, as well.

I will be performing live with romantic, iconic love songs and my song list would include ‘Can’t Help falling in Love’, ‘Love Me Tender’, ‘Burning Love’, ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’, ‘The Wonder of You’ and ‘’It’s Now or Never’ to name a few.

To make Valentine’s Day extra special I will give the Home folks red satin scarfs.

Emma Shanaya (Singer)

I plan on spending the day of love with my girls, especially my best friend. I don’t have a romantic Valentine this year but I am thrilled to spend it with the girl that loves me through and through. I’ll be in Colombo and look forward to go to a cute cafe and spend some quality time with my childhood best friend Zulha.

JAYASRI

Emma-and-Maneeka

This Valentine’s Day the band JAYASRI we will be really busy; in the morning we will be landing in Sri Lanka, after our Oman Tour; then in the afternoon we are invited as Chief Guests at our Maris Stella College Sports Meet, Negombo, and late night we will be with LineOne band live in Karandeniya Open Air Down South. Everywhere we will be sharing LOVE with the mass crowds.

Kay Jay (Singer)

I will stay at home and cook a lovely meal for lunch, watch some movies, together with Sanjaya, and, maybe we go out for dinner and have a lovely time. Come to think of it, every day is Valentine’s Day for me with Sanjaya Alles.

Maneka Liyanage (Beauty Tips)

On this special day, I celebrate love by spending meaningful time with the people I cherish. I prepare food with love and share meals together, because food made with love brings hearts closer. I enjoy my leisure time with them — talking, laughing, sharing stories, understanding each other, and creating beautiful memories. My wish for this Valentine’s Day is a world without fighting — a world where we love one another like our own beloved, where we do not hurt others, even through a single word or action. Let us choose kindness, patience, and understanding in everything we do.

Janaka Palapathwala (Singer)

Janaka

Valentine’s Day should not be the only day we speak about love.

From the moment we are born into this world, we seek love, first through the very drop of our mother’s milk, then through the boundless care of our Mother and Father, and the embrace of family.

Love is everywhere. All living beings, even plants, respond in affection when they are loved.

As we grow, we learn to love, and to be loved. One day, that love inspires us to build a new family of our own.

Love has no beginning and no end. It flows through every stage of life, timeless, endless, and eternal.

Natasha Rathnayake (Singer)

We don’t have any special plans for Valentine’s Day. When you’ve been in love with the same person for over 25 years, you realise that love isn’t a performance reserved for one calendar date. My husband and I have never been big on public displays, or grand gestures, on 14th February. Our love is expressed quietly and consistently, in ordinary, uncelebrated moments.

With time, you learn that love isn’t about proving anything to the world or buying into a commercialised idea of romance—flowers that wilt, sweets that spike blood sugar, and gifts that impress briefly but add little real value. In today’s society, marketing often pushes the idea that love is proven by how much money you spend, and that buying things is treated as a sign of commitment.

Real love doesn’t need reminders or price tags. It lives in showing up every day, choosing each other on unromantic days, and nurturing the relationship intentionally and without an audience.

This isn’t a judgment on those who enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day. It’s simply a personal choice.

Melloney Dassanayake (Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2024)

I truly believe it’s beautiful to have a day specially dedicated to love. But, for me, Valentine’s Day goes far beyond romantic love alone. It celebrates every form of love we hold close to our hearts: the love for family, friends, and that one special person who makes life brighter. While 14th February gives us a moment to pause and celebrate, I always remind myself that love should never be limited to just one day. Every single day should feel like Valentine’s Day – constant reminder to the people we love that they are never alone, that they are valued, and that they matter.

I’m incredibly blessed because, for me, every day feels like Valentine’s Day. My special person makes sure of that through the smallest gestures, the quiet moments, and the simple reminders that love lives in the details. He shows me that it’s the little things that count, and that love doesn’t need grand stages to feel extraordinary. This Valentine’s Day, perfection would be something intimate and meaningful: a cozy picnic in our home garden, surrounded by nature, laughter, and warmth, followed by an abstract drawing session where we let our creativity flow freely. To me, that’s what love is – simple, soulful, expressive, and deeply personal. When love is real, every ordinary moment becomes magical.

Noshin De Silva (Actress)

Valentine’s Day is one of my favourite holidays! I love the décor, the hearts everywhere, the pinks and reds, heart-shaped chocolates, and roses all around. But honestly, I believe every day can be Valentine’s Day.

It doesn’t have to be just about romantic love. It’s a chance to celebrate love in all its forms with friends, family, or even by taking a little time for yourself.

Whether you’re spending the day with someone special or enjoying your own company, it’s a reminder to appreciate meaningful connections, show kindness, and lead with love every day.

And yes, I’m fully on theme this year with heart nail art and heart mehendi design!

Wishing everyone a very happy Valentine’s Day, but, remember, love yourself first, and don’t forget to treat yourself.

Sending my love to all of you.

Features

Banana and Aloe Vera

Published

16 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

To create a powerful, natural, and hydrating beauty mask that soothes inflammation, fights acne, and boosts skin radiance, mix a mashed banana with fresh aloe vera gel.

This nutrient-rich blend acts as an antioxidant-packed anti-ageing treatment that also doubles as a nourishing, shiny hair mask.

* Face Masks for Glowing Skin:

Mix 01 ripe banana with 01 tablespoon of fresh aloe vera gel and apply this mixture to the face. Massage for a few minutes, leave for 15-20 minutes, and then rinse off for a glowing complexion.

* Acne and Soothing Mask:

Mix 01 tablespoon of fresh aloe vera gel with 1/2 a mashed banana and 01 teaspoon of honey. Apply this mixture to clean skin to calm inflammation, reduce redness, and hydrate dry, sensitive skin. Leave for 15-20 minutes, and rinse with warm water.

* Hair Treatment for Shine:

Mix 01 fresh ripe banana with 03 tablespoons of fresh aloe vera gel and 01 teaspoon of honey. Apply from scalp to ends, massage for 10-15 minutes and then let it dry for maximum absorption. Rinse thoroughly with cool water for soft, shiny, and frizz-free hair.