Boeing 737 MAX

US-based aircraft manufacturer Boeing has so far secured more than 1,000 new orders this year, placing it on track to surpass its rival Airbus for the first time since 2006.

Up to 6 November, Boeing has reported 1,009 net new orders, driven mainly by demand for its narrow body 737 aircraft, while Airbus received 382 net new orders at the end of September.

Out of the total orders, 990 were for 737s, with 938 of those being for the upgraded MAX model.

The 737 MAX builds on the strengths of twin-engine narrow-body 737 aeroplane and is scheduled to be delivered to US-based Southwest Airlines in 2017.

As the demand for more fuel-efficient aircraft is increasing, the Chicago-based manufacturer is boosting production and revamping its existing variants.

As well as planning to redesign its 777 variant, the Boeing is set to expand the Dreamliner range with a proposed larger 787-10 model and is holding talks with potential customers, reports the Wall Street Journal.

The 787-10 would be the third Dreamliner variant and is expected to accommodate up to 323 passengers, nearly 13% more than the 787-9 version. Deliveries to the first customer are scheduled for 2014.

"As the demand for more fuel-efficient aircraft is increasing, the Chicago-based manufacturer is boosting production and revamping its existing variants."

Expected to compete with the medium-range A330-300 of Airbus, the proposed third model was approved by the company’s commercial-airplane division on 12 October 2012 as a part of a final assessment before placing it to the board for approval.

Earlier, talks were held with customers to identify their requirements for the 787-10 model, but now discussions are focused primarily on securing deals.

The Dreamliner is the first aeroplane model to be built mainly of lighter weight plastic composites instead of heavier aluminum. The first 787-8 version debuted in late-2011 following more than three years of production delays and supplier issues.

In October, the company said that work on the 787-9 model was underway; the aircraft can accommodate 16% more passengers than the first version.

To date, Boeing has received 838 orders for the existing 787 variants.

Image: Out of the 1,009 net orders logged by Boeing, 990 were for 737s, with 938 for the 737 MAX variant. Photo: courtesy of Boeing.