BA
GE
The comeback tour hits a speed bump
Boeing is still trying to turn “almost there” into actual airplane delivery momentum, and Wednesday’s update was a reminder that the aerospace giant lives and dies by the supply chain. The 737 production ramp has climbed to 47 jets a month, but Boeing says the Renton wing line is still the piece of the puzzle holding everything back.
China? Not the giant order people were dreaming about
CEO Kelly Ortberg also poured a little cold water on the idea of a massive China win landing all at once. He said Boeing did not get a 200-plane order earlier this year — instead, Chinese officials signaled purchases would move forward gradually, with individual airlines likely announcing orders one by one.
The engine room is doing the deciding
The 777X is still waiting on GE Aerospace’s engine mid-seal certification plan before ETOPS testing can really move ahead, and that could push some milestones into next year. Boeing is also leaning on steadier engine deliveries to lift 787 output from 8 to 10 planes a month, which means the production story is still a delicate juggling act, not a victory lap.
Why investors should care
CFO Jay Malave stuck to Boeing’s 2026 free cash flow guide of $1 billion to $3 billion, but the company now sounds less confident about landing near the top of that range. Translation: the runway is still there, but the takeoff is taking longer than hoped.
Big picture: Boeing is making progress, but the market wants clean execution — not another chapter of “coming soon.”