Boeing CEO: ‘new airplane' to replace 737

Boeing is sending its strongest signals yet that it plans to build a new plane to replace its 737. Boeing Chairman and CEO James McNerney told analysts Thursday, “We're going to do a new airplane.” He then seemed to backtrack a little, saying, “We're not done evaluating this whole situation yet, but our current bias … is to move to a newer airplane, an all-new airplane, at the end of the decade (or the) beginning of the next decade. It's our judgment that our customers will wait for us.” After the statements by McNerney, the company tweeted that it expects to have more clarity by the middle of this year on its plans for the 737. The aircraft manufacturer builds more 737s than any other model. It competes with the A320 made by Airbus, which recently said it will make a version with new engines that it hopes to bring to market in 2016.