The regional airliner market de­clined 5.1% by value last year. Much of this weakness was due to the tran­sition between Embraer’s E-Jet E-1 Series and the E-2, which first ar­rived last year. But there are several secular trends that are also damaging this segment, with a -5.2% com­pound annual growth rate (CAGR) in 2014-2018 and a -3.1% CAGR in 2008-2014.

Boeing recently decided to move the majority of its defense services and support work out of Seattle. The primary goal was to cut expenses; Seattle is a high-cost area, and the jobs will go to cheaper St. Louis and Oklahoma City. The move also reinforces Boeing's industrial footprint and political presence outside of Washington state. Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) CEO Chris Chadwick termed the moves "necessary if we are going to differentiate ourselves from competitors and stay ahead of a rapidly changing global defense environment."

I don't want to make a documentary. I want to make a documentary about the making of a documentary. This meta concept seems appropriate after watching Al Jazeera's Broken Dreams. You can find it at www.aljazeera.com/investigations/boeing787. I make a few appearances, but that's why DVRs have fast-forward buttons. The documentary does not make a persuasive case against the 787 and is somewhat sensationalist. But it also tells us a lot about the state of things at Boeing. Boeing management's actions have produced a deeply angry work force. This documentary depicts some of the damage from that anger, and there's likely more blowback to come.

At last month's Singapore Airshow, Boeing executives discussed the 200-280-seat segment as a potential market for the company's next new jet. Airbus also has examined a new jet in this class. There are valid reasons to believe this will be the next new jetliner that one or both companies pursue, and that it will open a pivotal battleground.