No immediate boost to Rockwell Collins from Boeing's giant order

(Story updated and corrected throughout on Nov. 18, 2011)

The largest commercial order in the history of Boeing seemed to have no immediate affect on Rockwell Collins, a major Boeing supplier, on Thursday, Nov 17.

Chicago-based Boeing announced the sale of 230 short-haul Boeing 737 jets worth $21.7 bilion to Lion Air, Indonesia's largest domestic air carrier. President Barack Obama was expected to attend a signing ceremony on Friday, Nov. 18, for the deal, expected to add 110,000 jobs at Boeing and its suppliers.

Rockwell Collins spokesman Josh Baynes said the upside in the Boeing-Lion Air deal for Rockwell Collins is still impossible to quantify, because the Boeing 737, unlike Boeing's newest 787 jetliner, leaves avionics as buyer-furnished equipment.

At least one piece of Rockwell Collins equipment, the auto pilot system, is original equipment specified by Boeing on the 737. Baynes said Rockwell Collins will have other opportunities to win equipment positions on the Lion Air 737, but it's unclear how many positions or when it will be known.

Among the positions Rockwell Collins could seek on the 737s would be the communications, navigation and surveillance/air traffic management system, and the in-flight entertainment system.

"There is great potential for Rockwell Collins with Lion Air's hefty order," Baynes said.