Boeing’s Cancelled Double Decker, The NLA

Boeing once studied a full double-decker, the NLA. However, the manufacturer eventually canceled the development study.

Since then, the industry has seen many shifts in development as manufacturers have been forced to react to customers’ changing strategies and industry trends.

Not all planes that hit the drawing board get released, and some remain as concepts. Thus offering an insight into what could’ve been but never was.

Boeing’s New Large Airplane

The Boeing NLA (New Large Airplane) program was a concept Boeing developed in the late 1990s and early 2000s to explore the possibility of a new aircraft.

It would be an advanced widebody designed to rival existing, especially upcoming, long-haul airliners. Boeing also wanted to address the emerging market demands as the appetite for travel continued to grow.

A Boeing NLA would also compete with the A3XX program Airbus was studying, which would become the A380. Interestingly, Airbus’ way of competing with Boeing and the long-standing 747.

Although the NLA never reached production, it was pivotal to Boeing’s strategic planning and paved the way for future aircraft development.

This statement rings true for several concepts developed over the decades. While these concepts may not get off the ground, studying them can still be pivotal to other types that are eventually released.

Understanding The Purpose Of The NLA

The Boeing NLA program’s primary objective was to meet airlines’ ever-changing needs with a new large aircraft type. Boeing wanted to extend its grip on the long-haul sector and fend for emerging competition.

Boeing’s NLA would’ve accommodated about 600 passengers in a three-class configuration. It would’ve also been a worthy upgrade to the 747 in the widebody long-haul market.

Targeting a range of 7,800 nautical miles or 14,400 kilometres, the jet would’ve used four General Electric GE90s, according to the Seattle Post.

Ultimately, the range and overall capacity specifications would always be subject to change. Boeing’s figures are only a guide, like any other released program.

If this plane were released, customers would kit it out as they see fit, and these specifications would fluctuate.

A Full Double Deck?

One of the most prominent visible features would’ve been the NLA’s double-deck nature.

Yes, that’s right. To increase capacity over the 747, Boeing would’ve removed the iconic hump and stretched the top deck all the way to the tail.

Had the NLA progressed, it would’ve been similar in design to the Airbus A380, which was revolutionary then.

With a mission focused on long-haul routes, Boeing wanted its NLA to slot into this market seamlessly and take on the role that, at the time, the American plane maker believed twin-engined aircraft couldn’t fill.

Why Study An NLA Though?

Why did Boeing initiate the NLA program, especially given what was happening at the time with conceptual aircraft and the significant shift in customer trends?

Boeing believed there was a need to offer a successor to the 747. Ultimately, the series was not getting any younger at the time of the NLA study.

The 747 had been an icon of the skies for decades. However, the plane had also fundamentally changed long-haul travel. Boeing held a firm grip on the long-haul market and believed a new design would let it keep it.

Additionally, discussion of an NLA followed Airbus’ continued persistence in releasing their super jumbo.

Boeing needed to keep a close eye on how the European plane maker progressed.

It was in Boeing’s best interests to study ways to fend off any potential attempts by Airbus to take market share away from the multi-decade gains Boeing had accumulated.

So, the NLA was indeed intended to replace the 747, but mainly to compete with the A3XX or A380 program.

Airbus and Boeing, with their superjumbos, were targeting the same customer base. As is known, with the eventual release of the A380 and 747-8, these planes would struggle to attract the substantial orders their respective manufacturers had anticipated.

Why Didn’t The NLA Release?

Boeing never moved forward with the NLA, but why? Several vital reasons explain why the NLA and other quad-engine concept planes didn’t get off the ground.

Boeing ultimately believed that the NLA wasn’t sustainable, given how industry trends were heading. As mentioned, these companies were targeting twin-engined, fuel-efficient designs, and while the NLA promised customers a lot, it lacked other crucial areas.

Because of shifting trends, Boeing could not gauge customer interest accurately. Given that, it would’ve been a considerable investment.

Boeing needed to get it right and have customer backing. Without it, the large amounts required and allocated resources would be pointless.