Technology Slice Blog

New Airbus A320 Engine - After months of consideration, European planemaker Airbus is expected to announce as soon as Wednesday that it will offer an updated version of its popular A320 single-aisle jet with more efficient, state-of-the-art engines supplied by General Electric Co. and Pratt & Whitney, according to people familiar with the plans. The decision will put additional pressure on rival Boeing Co. as it ponders the future of its competing 737. Boeing has said that it is unlikely to offer new engines on the plane, but may instead design an entirely new single-aisle jet that could enter service by the end of the decade. For Airbus, a unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co., the decision to offer new engines on the current A320 means that an entirely new replacement is unlikely to come before 2025, company officials have said. Airbus hopes that by offering new engines and other small upgrades to the A320 it can boost sales and extend the life of its most po...