HMM: Why Boeing Needs A New Plane — Soon.

Analysts expect the next CEO to take a fresh look at developing a new airplane.

Airbus’ A320neo family has outsold the 737 Max line nearly 2 to 1, largely on the strength of the largest planes, the A321 and A321XLR. They can carry more passengers farther than the 737 Max 10, the biggest Max variant, which Boeing has yet to bring to market. Meanwhile, Airbus has a newer, more efficient small airliner, the A220, that it’s considering stretching into a larger version that would threaten the lower end of the 737 line.

“Boeing’s in the middle” between the A321 and A220 “with an aircraft that’s had trouble — not a great place to be,” Robert Spingarn, an analyst at Melius Research, told Forbes. “You’re getting to the point where your competitive edge is at risk.”

With everything that will be on the new CEO’s plate – including what promise to be difficult contract talks with Boeing’s machinists in Washington state – there’s a risk that person won’t want to touch a new airplane till the near-term problems are solved. That would be a mistake, said Spingarn.

“They should be able to do both of these things simultaneously, get the safety and quality back to where it needs to be, and at the same time figure out what the future is going to hold.”

I’d love to see a new plane from Boeing, designed and manufactured with the old “If it’s not Boeing, I’m not going” spirit.