A month ago, Chicago-based Boeing Co. reported delivering "as planned" 285 commercial airplanes in 2004. It projected 320 deliveries for this year and simply said "further increases" were expected in 2006. Boeing has now put numbers on next year: 375 to 385 airplanes. "The delivery forecast is sold out for 2005 and 78% sold out for 2006 at the lower end of the range," the company says.
Airbus SAS, Boeing's arch rival in the commercial aircraft market, has not yet projected 2006 deliveries. It does expect to deliver 352 aircraft this year, 32 more than Boeing.
