The trend toward incremental change means that passengers hoping for a significantly better flying experience and aviation buffs excited by the latest technology should probably rein in their hopes.
Shareholders point of view: incremental improvements are a lower-risk course of action than developing all-new designs. Even with less reliance on dramatic new designs, Airbus and Boeing have huge numbers of orders to fulfill as Asian airlines boom and all airlines struggle with high fuel prices.
“There’s a seven-year backlog without even taking new orders,” said Ben Moores , a senior analyst with IHS Jane’s for www.cnet.com. “You’re going to see a doubling of wide-body production over the next several years.”
That’s why the industry is focusing on faster production and updates to existing designs rather than new jets that are costly to design, test, and bring to market.