Airbus big winner at Paris Air Show

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AerCap, Airbus, Aircraft, Aviation, Boeing, Bombardier, Business, CS300, CSeries, Le Bourget, News, Paris Air Show, Transport, Travel, Wizz Air

Airbus has won firm orders for 124 aircraft worth more than $16 billion at the Paris Air Show, the European manufacturer announced in Le Bourget, France, on Thursday.

In addition, the company has also received commitments for 297 airplanes worth another $41 billion.

The final tally included a commitment by the Hungarian budget carrier Wizz Air to buy 110 Airbus A321neo (new engine option) aircraft.

“Our latest forecast for 32,600 planes in the next 20 years is being proved correct,” said Airbus CEO John Leahy.

“The orders and commitments at this year’s Paris Air Show demonstrate three things; Asia is powering the growth, we are leading in single-aisle and widebody and our A321neo is the aircraft of choice in the middle of the market.”

The Budapest-based Wizz Air is the largest low-cost carrier serving Eastern and Central Europe and operates an all-Airbus fleet.

“Thanks to our rapidly growing A320 fleet, we’ve become one of Europe’s leading carriers,” said Jozsef Varadi, CEO of Wizz Air.

Boeing, meanwhile, won orders and commitments for 331 aircraft worth just over $50 billion. That included a firm order from AerCap for 100 737 MAX 8s, valued at $10.7 billion, announced on the second day of the week-long show.

“Boeing is focused on execution and remains on track to deliver between 750 and 755 airplanes in 2015, a new industry record,” the American manufacturer said Thursday.

“Upcoming commercial development program milestones scheduled before the end of this year include factory rollout of the 737 MAX and firm configuration of the 777X.”

Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier, which debuted its brand new CS300 at the show, did not win any new orders for the single-aisle aircraft.

Images are courtesy of Airbus and Boeing.

Airbus unveils new flight-tracking platform

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Airbus is launching a new flight-tracking platform called AirFlight, relying on data mainly from Flightradar24, a leading provider of real-time flight tracking.

The platform will be handled by Airbus ProSky, the air traffic management subsidiary of the European aircraft manufacturer.

The project was announced on Wednesday, the third day of the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France.

“Knowing precisely where aircraft are – and where and when they will be anywhere – brings major benefits to the entire aviation community,” said Sebastien Borel, Airbus ProSky general manager.

He said AirFlight would tackle three major items: provide flight tracking as required by the authorities, optimize airlines operations with statistical data on fuel, holding, and airport taxi situations, and provide a base for reliable information on airport demand and arrival time.

Following the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, the International Civil Aviation Organization has recommended the adoption of a new aircraft tracking standard from 2016.

Tracking image is courtesy of Airbus.

Airbus begins work on new heavy-lift helicopter

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Airbus, Airbus Helicopters, Aircraft, Aviation, Business, Concept Aircraft, Le Bourget, News, Paris, Paris Air Show, Transport, Travel, X6

Airbus has announced plans for a new heavy-lift helicopter at the Paris Air Show.

With a concept phase of two years, the X6 (above) will be tailored for the civilian market, the European manufacturer said.

It will initially target oil and gas missions and will also be perfectly suited for search and rescue, VIP and other applications, it said.

“Major marketing, architecture and design choices for the twin-engine aircraft will be assessed to meet customer operational requirements during the concept phase,” Airbus said.

“It will set new standards in the industry not only for design, but for its production strategy as well, as we will rely on the industrial capacities of our core countries, including the upcoming pillar in Poland,” said Guillaume Faury, president and CEO of Airbus Helicopters.

“Our objective is to bring to the market the most efficient helicopter solutions adapted for how our customers’ needs and the industry itself will evolve in the future.”

One of the major innovations to be integrated on the X6 is the fly-by-wire flight control system, the company said.

“Once adequate program maturity has been achieved in the concept phase, a subsequent development phase will follow, leading to an X6 entry into service anticipated in the 2020s,” the company said.

Image is courtesy of Airbus.

Boeing MAX big winner on Day Two of Paris Air Show

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737 MAX, AerCap, Airbus, Aircraft, ATR, Aviation, Boeing, Bombardier, Buisness, CSeries, Embraer, Le Bourget, News, Paris, Paris Air Show, Transport, Travel

In its Current Market Outlook released last week, Boeing forecast that the world will need almost 27,000 single-aisle airplanes over the coming two decades.

On Tuesday, at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourge, the American manufacturer announced the biggest order of the show so far – for 100 737 MAX 8s from aircraft leaser AerCap.

“This order complements our existing order book in the single-aisle category and is in line with our customer needs and our fleet strategy of leasing the most-in-demand and technologically advanced equipment,” said AerCap CEO Aengus Kelly.

“We see significant market appetite for this aircraft type from our diverse customer base spanning approximately 90 countries around the world,”

The 737 MAX is the fourth generation of the Boeing 737 family. It is under development. Boeing said Tuesday assembly of the first 737 MAX had begun as scheduled in May.

“The 737 MAX 8 will give AerCap’s customers a unique advantage in the heart of the single-aisle market,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Ray Conner.

A global leader in aircraft leasing, AerCap has 1,800 aircraft that are owned, managed, or under contract to purchase.

In other news:

Minsheng Financial Leasing signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Boeing for the purchase of 30 737s, a mix of Next-Generation 737 and 737 MAX airplanes.

Ruili Airlines announced that the airline has committed to purchase 30 737 MAXs.

Korean Air announced the airline’s intention to purchase 30 737 MAXs and two 777-300ER jetliners, with options for an additional 20 737 MAXs.

SMBC Aviation Capital ordered 10 737 MAX 8s.  

Korean Air signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus to acquire up to 50 A321neo aircraft.

Cebu Pacific Air ordered 16 ATR72 -600 from ATR, an Airbus subsidiary.

Peach Aviation ordered three Airbus A320s. 

Images are courtesy of Boeing and Airbus.

Saudia to become launch customer of Airbus A330-300 Regional

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Airbus, Airbus A330-300 Regional, Aircraft, Business, Le Bourget, News, Paris Air Show, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Saudia, Transport, Travel

Saudi Arabia’s national airline is set to become the launch customer of the new Airbus A330-300 Regional.

At the opening of the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget on Monday, the Saudi Arabian Airlines announced that it would buy 20 of the new aircraft.

In addition, the airline, also known as Saudia, has ordered 30 A320neo (new engine option) aircraft, but the focus on Monday was certainly on the new airplane.

“The A330-300 Regional’s unique flexibility, high capacity and operational capabilities will enable us to expand our domestic and regional network and better absorb growing passenger traffic,” said Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines.

“Introducing the A330-300 Regional in our current fleet is an ideal choice and follows our previous commitment to a family of aircraft which already successfully helped us achieve our ambitions.”

The single-aisle widebody aircraft will join the airline’s fleet of 12 A330-300s and 50 A320s.

Airbus says the new A330-300 Regional is its solution for markets with large populations and fast growing, concentrated air traffic flows.

“We salute Saudi Arabian Airlines for becoming the launch operator of the A330-300 Regional,” said Airbus CEO John Leahy.

The Airbus A330 family has won more than 1,500 orders from over 100 customers and has more than 1,100 aircraft in operation.

Images are courtesy of Airbus and Saudia.

Paris Air Show opens with mega deals

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A350XWB, Airbus, Aircraft, Aviation, Boeing, Bombardier, Business, Dreamliners, Embraer, EVA, Garuda Indonesia, Le Bourget, News, Paris, Paris Air Show, Q400, Saudi Arabian Airlines, SWISS, Transport, Travel

The 51st edition of the Paris Air Show opened Monday with major aircraft manufacturers announcing a series of deals worth billions of dollars.

Here are the highlights of Day One:

Garuda Indonesia signs a Letter of Intent to buy 30 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft  (left).

Garuda also signs an LOI with Boeing to purchase 30 787-9 Dreamliners, as well as up to 30 737 MAX 8 airplanes.

Launch customer SWISS converts 10 of its 30 firm-ordered Bombardier CS100 aircraft to the larger CS300s (left).

WestJet Encore orders five Bombardier Q400 aircraft.

Airbus says Saudi Arabian Airlines will become the first airline in the world to operate the new A330-300 Regional.

ATR announces 46 firm orders and 35 options for its regional aircraft. That includes the sale of the 1500th ATR aircraft.

Qatar Airways orders 10 777-8Xs and four 777 freighters.

Taiwan’s EVA Airways announces it intends to purchase five Boeing 777 freighters.

Images are courtesy of Airbus, Bombardier and ATR.

Bombardier: CSeries ‘better than advertised’

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A350XWB, A380, Airbus, Aircraft, ATR, Aviation, Boeing, Bombardier, Business, CS100, CS300, CSeires, Dreamliner, Embraer, Le Bourget, News, Paris, Paris Air Show, Tourism, Transport

On the eve of the opening of the Paris Air Show, Bombardier has announced that the performance of its all-new CSeries aircraft is “better than advertised.”

It said, based on flight tests results, its CS300 and CS100 airplanes exceeded their original targets for fuel burn, payload, range and airfield performance.

“In addition, the CSeries aircraft are on track to meet noise performance targets, making them the quietest commercial jets in production,” the Canadian aircraft manufacturer told a special media event in Le Bourge.

It said the CSeries aircraft’s maximum range had been confirmed to be up to 3,300 NM (6,112 km), some 350 NM (648 km) more than originally targeted.

The CSeries is delivering more than a 20 per cent fuel burn advantage compared to in-production aircraft, and a greater than 10 per cent advantage compared to re-engined aircraft, Bombardier added.

“The CSeries performance is better than advertised,” said Fred Cromer (right), president, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.

The long-delayed CS300, designed for the 100- to 149-seat, single-aisle market, is making its air show debut in Le Bourge, four months after its maiden flight.

The aircraft is expected to enter service in late 2016.

Bombardier believes the CS300 offers the best seat-mile cost in its category and is ideal for a range of routes from short-haul to longer transcontinental markets.

Test flights for the smaller CS100, which can carry up to 125 people, began in 2013.

Certification for that aircraft is expected in the second half of this year with commercial flights starting shortly after that.

Bombardier has won 243 firm orders for the CSeries aircraft, 180 of them for the CS300.

The 51st edition of the Paris Air Show opens Monday.

The week-long event has attracted more than 2,200 exhibitors from 45 countries including 18 from Canada.

E-Fan: The plug-in plane takes off

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Airbus, Aircraft, Aviation, Business, CO2, E-Fan, Emissions, Environment, France, Le Bourget, News, Paris, Paris Air Show, Transport

The Paris Air Show doesn’t open until Monday, but one airplane is already creating a lot of buzz.

Airbus has unveiled the E-Fan, the environment-friendly plug-in plane.

The European manufacturer says it will be the world’s first series production electric plane and will open the way for a new era in air transportation that is environmentally-friendly and highly efficient.

The the E-Fan 2.0 (left) and the E-Fan 4.0.

“The E-Fan demonstrator will be followed by serial production versions – first, the two-seat E-Fan 2.0 version for basic pilot training, then by the E-Fan 4.0, a four-seat airplane for full pilot licensing and the general aviation market,“ the company says on its website.

The first flight for E-Fan 2.0 is planned for late 2017. It is expected to go into service the following year.

“It will be CO2 emissions-free and nearly silent in flight, becoming the world’s first all-electric plane certified to international civil airworthiness standards,” Airbus said.

The E-Fan 4.0 is scheduled to arrive in 2019.

“E-Fan is a crucial step on Airbus Group’s journey toward all-electric aviation,” said Detlef Muller-Wiesner, head of Airbus E-Aircraft Programmes.

Airbus subsidiary Voltair will manage the airplanes’ industrial evolution.

Images are courtesy of Airbus.

Boeing: World needs airplanes worth $5.6 trillion in 20 years

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Just days before the opening of the Paris Air Show, Boeing has forecast a demand for more 38,000 new airplanes over the next 20 years.

The U.S. manufacturer says that is an increase of 3.5 per cent from last year’s forecast.

Boeing’s annual Current Market Outlook estimates the total value of those new airplanes at $5.6 trillion.

“The commercial airplane market continues to be strong and resilient,” said Randy Tinseth, vice-president of marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“As we look forward, we expect the market to continue to grow and the demand for new aircraft to be robust.”

By the end of the forecast period, the commercial airplane fleet will double, from 21,600 airplanes in 2014 to 43,560 airplanes in 2034, Boeing said.

“Fifty-eight per cent of the 38,050 airplanes delivered over that time will be to accommodate growth,” it added.

According to Boeing, the single-aisle market continues to be the fastest-growing, requiring nearly 27,00 airplanes over the coming two decades.

“These aircraft are the foundation of the world’s airline fleet, carrying up to 75 per cent of passengers on more than 70 per cent of the world’s commercial aviation routes,” the forecast noted.

“This sector is fuelled by growth in low-cost carriers and airlines in developing and emerging markets.”

As for widebody aircraft, Boeing says the segment will require about 9,000 new airplanes, led by airplanes in the 200- to 300-seat range.

The week-long Paris Air Show opens in Le Bourge next Monday.

The infographic is courtesy of Boeing

The stars of the Paris Air Show 2015

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A350XWB, A380, Airbus, Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, Airshow, Aviation, Boeing, Bombardier, Buisness, Canada, CS100, CS300, CSeries, Dreamliner, Embraer, Le Bourget, News, Paris, Tourism, Travel

Some of the aircraft that will be on static/flying display at the Paris Air Show next week.

The Bombardier CS300

The Bombardier CS100

The Airbus A350 XWB

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

The Bell 429 WLG

The Embraer ERJ135

 Images are courtesy of Bombardier, Qatar Airways, Boeing, Bell and Embraer.