The Boeing Co. has raced out to a lead over Airbus in commercial aircraft orders during the first five months of 2014, having nearly doubled its rival's order total so far.
Boeing (NYSE: BA) reports a total of 394 net orders through June 3, with all but nine of those coming from the company's 737 family of aircraft.
Airbus, meanwhile, has reported a total of 203 net orders through the end of May.
That came after a month in which the company added 70 aircraft from its A320 family — the 737's rival — to its order book.
All the orders, though, mean work to varying degrees for Wichita, where engineering firms and supplier companies have work on a majority of the companies' combined commercial offerings.
Wichita-based Spirit AeroSystems Inc. (NYSE: SPR), the city's largest employer, has work on all Boeing commercial products, including building about 70 percent of 737.
The company also has work on several Airbus programs, including building components of the A320 at its plant in Prestwick, Scotland.
Meanwhile, Airbus Americas Engineering in Wichita's Old Town supports multiple programs and has been an integral part of the company's A320neo program, an upgraded version of the aircraft that has helped drive many of the new orders.
