Chapter 260 The End of Boeing

“trouble?”

“What trouble?”

“Another plane crash?”

Kelly put down the financial report in his hand with a grim look.

For Boeing, the troubles in recent years have been too numerous to count.

Things like quality inspection whistleblowers, astronauts stranded in outer space, landing gear failing to release properly, tail rudder quality issues, and even more deadly flight control systems and pilots fighting for flight control, etc.

The former overlord of commercial aviation has now become a laughing stock among netizens around the world.

Boeing CEO Kelly has become numb to the humiliation he has suffered.

In Kelly’s view, as long as Boeing does not have a major crash, such as the physical elimination of more than 100 passengers, it will not be a big problem for Boeing.

But when the marketing executive took out a promotional video that had floated over from the other side of the ocean, Kelly was stunned for several seconds by the cube-shaped aircraft shown in the video!

“What the hell is this?”

“Thomson, are you sure you’re showing a promotional video for the latest commercial aircraft? And not a clip from a Hollywood blockbuster?”

Kelly looked incredulous.

“Boss! I can guarantee with my position and salary that this is not a special effect rendered in a movie, it is indeed the latest commercial aircraft launched by China!”

“As you know, China is holding the Haizhu Air Show right now. This electric aircraft named ‘Flying Cube’ appeared at the air show in a vertical descent just half an hour ago, and…” Thomson stammered.

Kelly frowned: “And what?”

Seeing this, Thomson quickly opened another video.

In this footage captured from the scene, there is a silver cube full of science fiction.

After making an emergency landing on the stage in the picture in a very smooth and steady manner, more than 200 passengers actually poured out from it.

This scene made Kelly’s eyes widen!

“Houleishete!”

“Is this actually a real live video?”

“Are you sure it’s not AI synthesis?”

Kelly screamed, took the iPad and watched it over and over again, almost burying his face in the screen.

Because as shown in this video, this sci-fi aircraft called “Flying Cube” has a passenger capacity comparable to that of Boeing’s medium-sized passenger aircraft.

What’s even worse is that the noise during vertical take-off and landing, as well as the incredible speed at which passengers disembark, are irritating the brain nerves of Kelly, the CEO of Boeing.

If the Haizhu Air Show on the other side of the ocean only releases the latest information such as China Commercial Aircraft Corporation’s C919.

Kelly wouldn’t be worried at all.

Because half of China’s C919 large aircraft’s technology comes from abroad.

For example, the engine system of large aircraft is purchased from CFM International.

This is an international aero engine company jointly established by Snecma of France and General Electric of the United States. Its purpose is to form a monopoly in the supply of aero engines for large commercial aircraft around the world.

It’s not that China is incapable of producing advanced, durable and reliable passenger aircraft engines.

As the world’s largest industrial country, there is nothing that China cannot produce in the field of cutting-edge manufacturing.

It is because the two big gangsters behind CFM International have implemented a monopoly in the commercial aviation field.

If you don’t buy their engine and component technology, you won’t be issued an international airworthiness certificate.

By then, the C919 will not be able to fly international routes and can only circle in domestic airspace. Isn’t that nonsense?
So, when Kelly, the CEO of Boeing, saw through the video that the Flying Cube had achieved manned flight, and then listened to Thomson’s report on some of the performance parameters of this electric aircraft, an inexplicable sense of unknown fear rose from under his feet!

Let’s not talk about whether the energy consumption of 15 kWh per kilometer is real.

Just the fact that the CEO of the Cube Group mentioned in the live broadcast that a single charge can provide 6000 kilometers of driving range is enough to make Kelly feel cold! Regardless of whether the driving range data is fake or not, it is enough to show that this flying cube is already capable of long-distance flights.

Because Kelly knew that given the stringency of China’s commercial aviation and the importance that Chinese airports place on security checks, it would be impossible to allow an immature electric aircraft carrying 200 people to fly to an altitude of meters.

This manned aircraft, named ‘Flying Cube’, must have undergone the most stringent quality inspection in China.

Otherwise, it would not be released at the end of the Haizhu Air Show as the finale!
Just as Kelly and Thomson were discussing this Chinese aircraft, another Boeing executive rushed in from outside the office.

“Boss!”

“The sales department received a large number of order cancellation notices from three airlines: Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines!”

“More than 216 Boeing 737s were cancelled! This includes a 6Max that will be rolled off the production line on the 737th of next month, which was also cancelled by China’s Spring Airlines!”

Kelly, who was already feeling cold behind his back, jumped up from his seat immediately after hearing this: “Jason, what did you say? All orders were cancelled? Aren’t these Chinese companies afraid of the liquidated damages that will be incurred if they default on their orders?”

Jason said with a sad face: “Boss, have you forgotten the serious air crash caused by the tail rudder quality problem? In order to give an explanation to the Chinese partners, all subsequent orders for aircraft models have cancelled the unilateral breach of contract compensation.”

Kelly’s scalp exploded when he heard the news!
“Fuck Fuck!”

“Damn the legal department! Do those idiots get paid so much every day just to eat shit? Why would such an important clause be cancelled?”

Kelly roared in his office.

In order to clarify this, he even called in the head of the legal team for a lecture.

After reading the details of the breach of contract one by one on the paper in black and white, Kelly slumped in his chair.

He scratched his hair into a mess with his hands, and hurriedly picked up the landline phone on the desk and told his secretary: “Mary! Help me contact all the board members in the shortest possible time!”

“I need to have an online video conference call in 10 minutes!”

Because Kelly knew that if the large-scale order cancellations caused by the release of the Flying Rubik’s Cube were not handled properly.

There is no other option for Boeing except bankruptcy and acquisition.

……

Meanwhile, at the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, southwest of Washington.

This is the office center of the US Department of Defense and a frequent visitor in various Hollywood movies and the 911/ incident.

Due to the time difference, when the press conference at the Haizhu Air Show was in full swing, the Pentagon was still shrouded in 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning.

Colonel Mike, who was on duty at the Pentagon’s Information Intelligence Operations Center, was holding a cup of hot coffee, crossing his legs, and looking at the daily situation summary of 1557 military bases around the world.

The data on the big screen and the rusty aircraft carrier battle groups in the remote monitoring images indicate that the US military war machine is going downhill from its peak.

“A small bag of screws for $9?”

“Commissioner Smith and his colleagues are so cruel! If they continue like this, the USA’s existing fleet will be embezzled!” Colonel Mike complained wildly in his heart.

After graduating from West Point Military Academy, he was full of passion to serve his country.

As a result, after entering the Pentagon, he was faced with either military officers forming cliques or collective corruption within the US military.

To the extent that staying up late to work shifts like this has almost become a daily routine for Colonel Mike to earn extra overtime pay.

As for the information from all over the world, just take a quick look at it.

As a colonel, all he could do was to filter out unimportant intelligence, and then make a list and priorities of the rest for those generals who were living on dollars to review.

Just as Colonel Mike took two sips of coffee and was daydreaming, a red-marked urgent message appeared on the big screen.

“Sir!”

“Emergency code: 51.”

“There is important information from the China Haizhu Air Show!”

“Should we start now?”

(End of this chapter)