Walkaround

28 October 2026

Walkaround

Aviation news and fleet brief

What is going on with the aircraft you work on. Every page is a five minute read, and every claim carries at least two independent sources.

Today in aviation

The one or two things worth knowing right now. Each opens in full, with its own sources.

Boeing 737 MAX

Program and production

Boeing 737 rate 52 slips to 2027 as backlog tops $745 billion

Boeing's third quarter results confirmed a record $745 billion backlog, but shares fell about 10 percent after the company pushed its next 737 production step, rate 52, into the second half of 2027.

This week27 October 2026Read more

Boeing 737 NG

Technical and maintenance

FAA proposes CFM56-7B fan blade inspections after a fuselage breach

A fan blade broke free in flight, punched through the fuselage, and forced an emergency descent, and now the FAA wants every CFM56-7B fan blade checked.

This week27 October 2026Read more

Airbus A330 and A330neo

Technical and maintenance

FAA orders new flight computer standard for the A330 after a touchdown fault

A fault that once cost an A330 its autobrakes and thrust reversers on landing has pushed the FAA to mandate a new flight control computer standard.

This week27 October 2026Read more

Fleet brief

One page per type, kept current. All 15 types, with photographs and a size comparison.

Changed this week: Boeing 737 MAX, Boeing 737 NG, Boeing 777 and 777X, Airbus A320neo family, Airbus A330 and A330neo, Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Boeing

737 MAXMAX 7, MAX 8, MAX 9, MAX 10737 NG737-600, -700, -800, -900ER777 and 777X777-200ER, -300ER, 777-8, 777-9, 777-8F787 Dreamliner787-8, -9, -10767767-300ER, -300F, KC-46A747747-400F, 747-8F, 747-8I

Airbus

A320neo familyA319neo, A320neo, A321neo, A321XLRA330 and A330neoA330-200, -300, A330-800, -900, A330 MRTTA380A380-800A220A220-100, A220-300A350A350-900, A350-1000, A350FA320ceo familyA318, A319, A320, A321

Embraer

E-Jet E2E175-E2, E190-E2, E195-E2E-Jet E1E170, E175, E190, E195

Bombardier

CRJ familyCRJ200, CRJ550, CRJ700, CRJ900

Engines

Most of what goes wrong on a modern airliner goes wrong at the engine. All fourteen families.

CFM International

LEAPLEAP-1A, LEAP-1B, LEAP-1CCFM56CFM56-5A, CFM56-5B, CFM56-7B

GE Aerospace

GEnxGEnx-1B, GEnx-2BGE90 and GE9XGE90-115B, GE9X-105B1ACF6CF6-80C2, CF6-80E1CF34CF34-3B1, CF34-8C5, CF34-8E, CF34-10E

Pratt and Whitney

PW1000G geared turbofanPW1100G, PW1500G, PW1700G, PW1900GPW4000PW4000-94, PW4000-100, PW4000-112

Rolls-Royce

Trent XWBTrent XWB-84, Trent XWB-84 EP, Trent XWB-97Trent 1000Trent 1000, Trent 1000 TEN, Trent 1000 XETrent 7000Trent 7000Trent 700 and Trent 900Trent 700, Trent 900

Joint ventures

IAE V2500V2500-A5, V2500-D5Engine Alliance GP7200GP7270, GP7277

Technology

The fleet and engine pages track what is happening to the aircraft. These track what is happening to the job. All 9 topics.

On the aircraft

Electronic technical recordsElectronic tech logs, paperless records, digital signaturesHealth monitoring and predictive maintenanceACMS data, engine trend monitoring, prognostics, digital twinsComposite primary structureCarbon fibre fuselage and wings, composite fan blades, damage assessmentAI assisted inspectionBorescope image analysis, blade inspection, damage flagging

In the factory and the shop

Additive manufacturingPrinted turbine parts, consolidated assemblies, repair applicationsPowder metallurgyPowder metal turbine and compressor discs, contamination, inspectionEngine durability engineeringTurbine blade coatings, cooling geometry, time on wing

Around the aircraft

Air traffic modernisationSMART, traffic flow prediction, ageing telecom infrastructureCertification reformPost MAX oversight, delegated authority, the current reform push

By the numbers

Every figure below is the one published on the page it links to, so you can check it rather than take it.

Widest wing79.8 mA380Longest fuselage76.3 m747Narrowest wing24.9 mCRJ familyStill on four engines2747 and A380Engine families tracked14across five makersSpan ratio, biggest to smallest3.2 to 1A380 against CRJ family

Wingspan, to scale

  • A38079.8 m
  • 74768.4 m
  • 787 Dreamliner60.1 m
  • A320neo family35.8 m
  • CRJ family24.9 m