ACJ319 is shown at EBACE

Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) is showing an ACJ319 at EBACE1, giving potential customers the opportunity to see for themselves how they can fly in greater comfort and space than in traditional business jets.

The aircraft, which  is being shown for the first time at EBACE, is operated by K5 Aviation and is available for VVIP charter. It is certificated for 19 passengers.

“Seeing for yourself what a great travel experience you can have in an Airbus corporate jet really highlights the greater comfort and space on offer, which you can have at a competitive price,” says ACJ President Benoit Defforge.

ACJ is growing its ACJ320 Family with new models, which feature new engines and wingtip-mounted Sharklets to deliver a 15% fuel-saving, enabling nonstop travel to even more of the world in the best cabin in the sky.

The new family comprises an ACJ319neo2that can fly eight passengers 15 hours or 6,750 nm/12,500 km, and an ACJ320neo that can transport 25 passengers 13 hours or 6,000 nm/11,100 km.

Deliveries of the new models, which have already won 14 orders and commitments, began earlier this year.

Airbus has won around 15,000 firm orders for the whole A320 Family, and over 750 A320neo Family aircraft are already in service with airlines.

Airbus’ A320 Family exemplifies features that are now standard throughout its modern family – such as the enhanced-protection of fly-by-wire controls, cost-saving centralised maintenance and weight-saving carbon fibre.

It is complemented by the widebody ACJ330neo and ACJ350 XWB Families, which deliver even more capacity and nonstop to the world range.

Airbus corporate jets are supported around the world, around the clock, by a network of advice, spares and training centres serving some 11,000 aircraft in service today, as well as services tailored to the particular needs of business jet operators.

Some 200 Airbus corporate jets are in service worldwide, flying on every continent, including Antarctica.

[1] European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition in Geneva, from 21 to 23 May 2019

[2] New engine option

Zephyr S set to break aircraft world endurance record

Zephyr. Airbus Copyright 2018

Farnborough, 25 July 2018 – Zephyr S, Airbus’ High-Altitude-Pseudo-Satellite, has surpassed the current flight endurance record of an aircraft without refueling of 14 days, 22 minutes and 8 seconds and continues to pioneer the stratosphere.

The Zephyr aircraft departed for its maiden flight from Arizona, USA on 11th July 2018.

This first flight of the Zephyr S aims to prove and demonstrate the aircraft capabilities, with the final endurance record to be confirmed on landing.

The Airbus Zephyr Programme:

Solar-powered aircraft, providing a wide scope of applications, ranging for example from maritime surveillance and services, border patrol missions, communications, forest fire detection and monitoring, or navigation. Operating in the stratosphere at an average altitude of 70,000 feet / 21 kilometers, the ultra-lightweight Zephyr has a wingspan of 25 meters and a weigh of less than 75kg, and flies above weather (clouds, jet streams) and above regular air traffic, covering local or regional footprints. Ideally suited for "local persistence" (ISR/Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance), the Zephyr has the ability to stay focused on a specific area of interest (which can be hundreds of miles wide) while providing it with satellite-like communications and Earth observation services (with greater imagery granularity) over long periods of time without interruption. Not quite an aircraft and not quite a satellite, but incorporating aspects of both, the Zephyr has the persistence of a satellite with the flexibility of a UAV. The only civil aircraft that used to fly at this altitude was Concorde and only the famous military U2 and SR-71 Blackbird could operate at similar levels. The Zephyr successfully achieved several world records, including the longest flight duration without refueling.

A320neo Family takes centre stage during Day 3 of the Farnborough Airshow

The brightly-coloured A321neo exhibited at this week’s Farnborough Airshow serves as a highly visible reminder that Airbus’ A320 Family of single-aisle aircraft meets the operational needs of airlines worldwide, and provides a ready-made solution for the middle-of-the-market jetliner category.

On display at Farnborough is the first A321neo for easyJet, adding this longer-fuselage version to the low-cost European airline’s existing fleet of more than 300 A320 Family aircraft. In easyJet’s configuration, the A321neo seats 235 passengers.

easyJet has a total of 30 A321neo aircraft on order, with the initial six to be delivered by year-end, according to CEO Johan Lundgren.

“The A321neo’s larger size will help us grow, especially at slot-constrained airports, where we can meet the traffic demands,” Lundgren told journalists during a delivery event press conference.

The Airbus middle-of-the-market solution

On the subject of how the air transport sector’s middle-of-the-market requirements can be met by aircraft manufacturers – which once again was a point of discussion and debate during the Farnborough Airshow – Airbus CEO Tom Enders said the answer already exists.

“We have no problem with the middle-of-the-market segment, because we already are there, and we’re strongly positioned,” Enders explained at the press conference. “This is based on our strong portfolio: the A321/A321neo, with its single-aisle capacity of up to 240 seats; as well as the widebody A330/A330neo. While our competitor pushes out a middle-of-the-market aircraft decision, there’s no need for us to respond with a brand-new aircraft development.”

Digital transformation reaches new heights with Skywise

In addition to being one of the largest operators of A320 Family aircraft, easyJet was among the first airlines to join Airbus’ Skywise open data platform, which is a key element in Airbus’ digital transformation strategy. Skywise provides a single access point for the sharing of information, the conducting of data analysis, and the enabling of informed decision-making.

Lundgren said the carrier’s participation as an airline ‘early adopter’ of Skywise underscores easyJet’s firm commitment to harnessing the power of cloud-based big data analytics, with the promise of evolving the air transport sector in the years to come.

“With Skywise, easyJet already has prevented some 100 technical delays during the year-to-date that otherwise would have cost money and caused problems for our customers,” Lundgren said. “This is just one example of what connectivity can do if we work together to drive improvements in this area. I am very pleased with the results so far.”

Suppliers join the Skywise collaboration

In parallel with easyJet’s first A321neo delivery here at Farnborough, Airbus used the biennial air show to announce that Skywise has now been extended to the supply chain – with 10 companies already collaborating as ‘early adopter’ suppliers.

Skywise was formally launched in June 2017 at the Paris Air Show, and the platform’s development since then has been extremely impressive, with an exponential ramp-up in its use, according to Marc Fontaine, Airbus’ Digital Transformation Officer.

“With 22 airlines signed up during the first year, Skywise is managing more than 2,500 aircraft, dealing with 3.5 petabytes of aviation data at this stage,” Fontaine told journalists at Farnborough. “The platform has logged data from some 12 million flights and over 25 million maintenance actions have been recorded from the maintenance systems of participating airlines.”

Three of the ‘early adopter’ suppliers are collaborating with Airbus on strategic use cases in three domains: a supply chain application called ‘Dispatch,’ with Premium Aerotech as lead partner; the ‘Object Explorer’ quality application, for which Thales serves as the key partner; and ‘Spotlight,’ an aircraft operability application involving a partnership between easyJet, Liebherr and Airbus.

Another day at Farnborough…more Airbus jetliner orders

In the latest single-aisle new business announced at the Farnborough Airshow, Mexico’s Viva Aerobus has firmed up an amendment to this ultra-low-cost carrier’s existing purchase agreement for 25 incremental A321neo jetliners and the up-sizing conversions of 16 A320neo aircraft to the A321neo configuration. With this latest order, the all-Airbus operator’s total order book grows to 80 A320 Family aircraft, and airline’s total backlog from 36 to 61 aircraft.

Wrapping up Airbus’ activity today at Farnborough was the signature of an undisclosed customer’s commitment for six A330neo Family aircraft, and Uganda Airlines’ signing of a memorandum of understanding for two A330neo aircraft in the A330-800neo configuration. 

Airbus launches SmartForce – services bringing the power of data to military operations

NH90 FAMET (Spanish Army)
©Anthony Pecci/Airbus Helicopters

Farnborough, 16 July 2018 – Airbus is extending its highly successful introduction of advanced data analytics in the civil aviation community to the defence market with the launch of SmartForce.

Airbus Defence and Space together with Airbus Helicopters are launching the SmartForce suite of services to enable military operators to exploit the data gathered by their aircraft to enhance operational safety, boost mission availability and reduce maintenance support costs. Operators can benefit from services to improve troubleshooting, optimize maintenance effort, predict maintenance actions and plan smartly for material demand.

The system incorporates on-site private data clouds to support specific military security requirements but also lays the ground for operational data-sharing between willing allies. 
The resulting enhanced decision-making reduces the maintenance burden and boosts fleet availability.

It will enable substantially more efficient maintenance by drilling into the wealth of data acquired by new generation helicopters and aircraft such as the NH90, A400M and A330 MRTT resulting in new standards of aircraft availability and the freeing of resources to focus on mission execution.

Head of Military Aircraft Services at Airbus Defence and Space, Stephan Miegel said: “SmartForce helps military operators to accelerate their own digital transformation in order to allow them to improve their operational readiness. Our vision is to enable data-driven new capabilities to support our customers in extracting more value from our in-service products. By breaking information siloes, Airbus teams can more rapidly perform root-cause analysis and faster trouble shooting, providing our customers with more efficient customer support.

“Our digital analytics services support the goal of enhanced mission readiness of our operators’ aircraft. They optimise maintenance practices, enable better informed and data-driven decision-making, and provide predictive solutions which all contribute to reduced workload and costs.”

Airbus Helicopters EVP Support / Services Matthieu Louvot said: “SmartForce will play a key role in fulfilling our greater goal of supporting our customers by leveraging the value of data for simpler, safer and more efficient operations.

“Our Connected Services offer will now be able to encompass the diversity of our customers with both Skywise Connected Services for civil operators and SmartForce for military operators.”

SmartForce builds on the successful experience of Airbus with its Skywise open data platform for the civil sector which now hosts the data of more than 2,000 aircraft at over a dozen airlines following its launch last year.

To satisfy military security requirements, SmartForce incorporates robust security measures such as geographic isolation, the use of accredited personnel, and monitoring by national cyber-security authorities.

India’s VISTARA to add 50 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft to fleet

VISTARA, the New Delhi-based carrier, has signed a letter of Intent (LoI) for 13 A320neo aircraft to add to its existing portfolio of 21 Airbus aeroplanes, reconfirming the appeal of the best-selling single aisle family.

The full-service airline has also committed to an additional 37 A320neo Family aircraft from lessors. The combined agreements would add 50 A320neo Family to Vistara’s fleet. The engine selection for VISTARA's latest firm order is Leap CFM.

For VISTARA, the A320neo will be the first aircraft to fly regional international routes.

Featuring the widest single aisle cabin in the sky, the efficient A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets, which together deliver more than 15 percent fuel and CO2 savings from day one and 20 percent by 2020 as well as 50 percent noise reduction. With more than 6,100 orders received from over 100 customers, the A320neo Family has captured some 60 percent share of the market.

Sichuan Airlines orders 10 Airbus A350 XWBs

Airbus confirmed at the Farnborough Airshow a deal agreed earlier in 2018 that Sichuan Airlines, based in the Southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, has selected the A350 XWB to become the latest aircraft in its fleet.

Sichuan Airlines operates the largest all-Airbus fleet in China with over 130 Airbus family aircraft. In addition to its domestic network, Sichuan Airlines now operates on over 30 international routes, including routes from Chengdu to Moscow, Sidney, Dubai and Vancouver. The airline also leased four A350 XWBs, with the first one to be delivered by this year.

The newly introduced A350 XWBs, which is a strong supplement to Sichuan Airlines’ Airbus fleet, will be deployed on its non-stop long haul international routes, such as Chengdu to North America and Europe.

The A350 XWB is an all new family of widebody long-haul airliners shaping the future of air travel. The A350 XWB features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs. The A350 XWB features an Airspace by Airbus cabin offering absolute well-being on board with the quietest twin-aisle cabin and new air systems.

By the end of June 2018, Airbus has recorded a total of 882 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 46 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful wide-body aircraft ever.

2018 list price: A350-900 US$317.4m

Airbus and THAI sign agreement to proceed with joint venture MRO

State-of-the art facility to be developed at U-Tapao International Airport

Airbus and Thai Airways International (THAI) have signed an agreement to establish a new joint venture maintenance and overhaul (MRO) facility at U-Tapao International Airport near Bangkok.

The accord was signed today at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse by Usanee Sangsingkeo, Acting President, THAI ad Eric Schulz, Chief Commercial Officer, Airbus, in the presence of Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand and Guillaume Faury, President Airbus Commercial Aircraft.

The new MRO will be one of the most modern and extensive in the Asia-Pacific region, offering heavy maintenance and line services for all widebody aircraft types.  The facility will feature the latest digital technologies to analyse aircraft maintenance data, as well as advanced inspection techniques, including the use of drones to monitor aircraft airframes.

The MRO complex will also have specialised repair shops, including for composite structures, as well as a maintenance training centre offering extensive courses for technical personnel from Thailand and overseas.

“THAI and Airbus have undertaken extensive studies to validate the business plan for this exciting project,” said Usanee Sangsingkeo, Acting President, THAI. “Together we will develop one of the most advanced and efficient aircraft maintenance centres anywhere in the world. We are confident that this venture will bring significant economic benefit for THAI and will be a major driver in the development of the wider aerospace sector in Thailand.”

“We are pleased to enter into this major agreement with THAI,” said Guillaume Faury, President Airbus Commercial Aircraft. “This will further strengthen the long-term partnership between our two companies and also contribute to the success of Thailand’s new eastern economic zone. With the fleet of widebody aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region set to triple to around 4,800 aircraft over the next 20 years, the project represents a sound business opportunity for both our companies.”

“This latest agreement further consolidates our long and special partnership with THAI,” said Eric Schulz, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer. “This dates back to 1977, when THAI became one of our earliest customers. Since that time Thai has operated every single Airbus type and today flies the complete current widebody family – the A330, the A350 and the A380.”

The joint venture between Airbus and THAI will be located at U-Tapao International Airport, at the heart of Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The EEC is a core part of the Thai government’s Thailand 4.0 policy, designed to develop world class innovative technology-based manufacturing and services in the country. 

Airbus provides update on impact of Brexit No Deal/Deal scenarios

Toulouse, 21 June 2018 - Airbus has today published a risk assessment outlining the urgent risks to its business arising from the UK exiting the European Union without a withdrawal agreement.

It states that the UK exiting the EU next year without a deal – therefore leaving both the single market and customs union immediately and without any agreed transition – would lead to severe disruption and interruption of UK production. This scenario would force Airbus to reconsider its investments in the UK, and its long-term footprint in the country, severely undermining UK efforts to keep a competitive and innovative aerospace industry, developing high value jobs and competences.

On the future trade relationship between the UK and EU, the Memorandum makes clear that while an orderly Brexit with a withdrawal agreement is preferable to a no-deal scenario, the current planned transition (which ends in December 2020) is too short for the EU and UK Governments to agree the outstanding issues, and too short for Airbus to implement the required changes with its extensive supply chain. In this scenario, Airbus would carefully monitor any new investments in the UK and refrain from extending the UK suppliers/partners base.

Tom Williams, Chief Operating Officer of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, commented:

“In any scenario, Brexit has severe negative consequences for the UK aerospace industry and Airbus in particular. Therefore, immediate mitigation measures would need to be accelerated. While Airbus understands that the political process must go on, as a responsible business we require immediate details on the pragmatic steps that should be taken to operate competitively. Without these, Airbus believes that the impacts on our UK operations could be significant. We have sought to highlight our concerns over the past 12 months, without success. Far from Project Fear, this is a dawning reality for Airbus. Put simply, a No Deal scenario directly threatens Airbus’ future in the UK.”

Cathay Pacific becomes second operator of the A350-1000 widebody

Increased capacity and highest levels of comfort for the airline’s longest flights

Cathay Pacific Airways has become the second airline to operate the A350-1000, the world’s newest long-range widebody airliner. The airline took delivery of the aircraft at a special event in Toulouse, France.

The aircraft is the first of 20 A350-1000s ordered by Cathay Pacific and will join the carrier’s growing fleet of A350 XWB aircraft, which already includes 22 A350-900s. Both aircraft are complementary and provide for maximum commonality with unmatched operating efficiencies, while offering passengers the highest levels of comfort in all classes. Travellers will benefit from absolute well-being in the cabin, with more personal space, optimised cabin altitude, more fresh air, controlled temperature and humidity, integrated connectivity and the latest-generation in-flight entertainment system.

With its true long-range capability, the A350-1000 will form an important part of Cathay Pacific long-haul operations. The aircraft will be deployed on the airline’s new non-stop route from Hong Kong to Washington D.C., representing the longest flight – approximately 17 hours – performed by any airline out of Hong Kong.

Paul Loo, Cathay Pacific Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, said: “We already have one of the youngest long-haul fleets in the sky, and with the arrival of the A350-1000, our fleet is only going to get younger. The aircraft follows the successful entry of the A350-900 variant which has enabled us to expand our long-haul network at a near unprecedented rate. The A350-1000 has an incredible range, is remarkably fuel efficient and quiet, provides customers with an unsurpassed cabin environment and has extremely attractive operating economics.”

Eric Schulz, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We are proud to deliver the A350-1000 to our long-standing customer Cathay Pacific. Bringing major advantages in fuel and cost efficiency along with unrivalled passenger comfort, the A350-1000 is the perfect platform for Cathay Pacific to increase capacity on some of its longest routes. The combination of the world’s newest widebody and Cathay Pacific’s world famous in-flight service will ensure that the airline can strengthen its position even further as one of the world’s leading international carriers.”

The A350-1000 is the latest member of Airbus’ leading widebody family, showing high level of commonality with the A350-900 with 95 percent common systems part numbers and the same Type Rating. As well as having a longer fuselage to accommodate 40 percent larger premium area (compared to the A350-900), the A350-1000 also features a modified wing trailing edge, new six-wheel main landing gears and more powerful Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. Along with the A350-900, the A350-1000 is shaping the future of air travel by offering unprecedented levels of efficiency and unrivalled comfort in its ‘Airspace’ cabin. With its additional capacity, the A350-1000 is perfectly tailored for some of the busiest long-haul routes. To date, 11 customers from five continents have ordered a total of 168 A350-1000s.

Hawaiian Airlines Receives First U.S. Produced A320neo Family Aircraft Powered by Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan™ Engines

BROOKLYN, N.Y., June 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), Airbus and Hawaiian Airlines yesterday celebrated delivery of the first A320neo Family aircraft produced at the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama. The aircraft, an A321neo powered by Geared Turbofan™ (GTF) engines, will join three other A321neo aircraft currently operating in Hawaiian's fleet.  A special ceremony took place at the facility on June 11 to officially mark the delivery.

"Hawaiian Airlines is honored to receive the first U.S. produced A320neo Family aircraft," said Jon Snook, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Hawaiian Airlines. "We look forward to expanding our fleet with this fuel-efficient, quiet and environmentally-friendly GTF-powered aircraft, which have been performing exceptionally well for our operations between the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii."

Pratt & Whitney GTF engines will power 18 firm A321neo aircraft for Hawaiian Airlines, which plans to operate the fleet on routes like Portland-Maui, Oakland-Kauai and Los Angeles-Kona.

"We take great pride that the first A320neo Family aircraft delivered from the Airbus Mobile facility is powered by GTF engines," said Tom Pelland, senior vice president, Commercial Engine Programs at Pratt & Whitney. "This facility puts Airbus closer to their U.S.-based customers, such as Hawaiian, and is a great accomplishment for Airbus and the entire Mobile based team."

The majority of the design, manufacturing and assembly of GTF engines is done in the U.S. with the support of suppliers. Pratt & Whitney is investing more than $1.3 billion in 21st century manufacturing technology to transform its U.S. and global footprint.

Since entering into service in early 2016, the GTF engine has demonstrated its promised ability to reduce fuel burn by 16 percent, to reduce NOx emissions by 50 percent to the regulatory standard and to lower the noise footprint by 75 percent.

Airbus takes part in 2018 World Blood Donor Day

On 14 June, Airbus will join companies, individuals and entities around the world in drawing attention to the need for a safe, voluntary and adequate blood service, by taking part in the #MissingType campaign.

Blood for transfusions – in sufficient quantity and available quickly wherever it’s needed – is in crucial demand, whether it be for women who have complications during childbirth, seriously anemic and malnourished children, victims of large-scale catastrophes, or used during medical and surgical procedures.

The importance of augmenting the world’s blood supplies prompted the World Health Organization in 2004 to declare 14 June as World Blood Donor Day, asking that individuals and governments give thought to their part in establishing a safe blood service based on voluntary, non-remunerative blood donations.

Airbus will take part by participating in the #MissingType campaign, removing the A and B from its logo wherever it appears on the company’s social media pages and website. As part of the effort to raise awareness, and to thank voluntary donors, the #MissingType campaign targets the letters A, B, and O in texts – letters which correspond to the different blood groups.

Many employees of Airbus are already active blood donors. In 2017 in Toulouse, France, 659 people gave blood on behalf of Airbus Defence and Space and 3,267 people donated from Airbus headquarters.

By drawing attention to the need for blood, the WHO’s aim is that the world’s blood supply be drawn entirely from voluntary, unpaid donors by the year 2020. Today, some 71 countries still collect more than 50% of their blood supply from family, replacement or paid donors.

World Blood Donor Day also commemorates the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, the scientist who won the Nobel Prize for his discovery of the ABO blood group system.

Airbus BelugaXL passes ground vibration test

Transport aircraft one step closer to first flight in summer 2018

The first BelugaXL has passed the Ground Vibration Test (GVT), a requirement for certification of the aircraft that paves the way towards its maiden flight in summer 2018.

The objective of this test is to measure the dynamic behaviour of the aircraft and confirm theoretical models of various flight conditions, such as manoeuvring, flying in gusty conditions and landing. The test data also helps clear the aircraft’s flight enveloppe.

The GVT of the BelugaXL was performed by ONERA in collaboration with DLR over eight testing days using several hundreds of external accelerometers while the aircraft was stimulated by external shakers or seismic exciters.

The BelugaXL was launched in November 2014 to address the transport and ramp-up capacity requirements for Airbus beyond 2019. The new oversize air transporters are based on the A330-200 Freighter, with a large re-use of existing components and equipment. The first of five BelugaXLs will fly in summer 2018 and enter into service in 2019. 

Philippine Airlines takes delivery of its first A321neo aircraft

Bringing new levels of efficiency and comfort for the carrier’s regional network

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has taken delivery of its first A321neo aircraft in Hamburg, Germany.

This is the first of 21 A321neo aircraft ordered by the airline under its fleet renewal programme. Powered by Pratt and Whitney Pure Power engines, the new aircraft features a premium two class layout with 12 business class seats and 154 seats in the main cabin.

Selected for its outstanding operational efficiency, comfort and range, Philippine Airlines will deploy the A321neo aircraft across the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia and India.

The A321neo joins an existing Airbus fleet at Philippine Airlines that currently includes 25 A320ceo Family aircraft, 15 widebody A330s and five A340s. The carrier will also take delivery of the first of six A350-900 widebody aircraft on order later this year.

The A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets, which together deliver at least 15 percent fuel savings at delivery and 20 percent by 2020. With more than 6,000 orders received from 100 customers, the A320neo Family has captured nearly 60 percent share of the market.

Lufthansa Group firms up order for six more A320neo and three A320ceo

Takes Group’s order to 122 A320neo family aircraft and 273 A320ceo family

Airbus A320neo, Lufthansa, ©Airbus

Lufthansa Group has firmed-up a previous option for six further Airbus A320neo, following a decision by the company’s supervisory board at the beginning of May. The latest agreement brings Lufthansa Group’s total order for the A320neo to 122 (77 A320neo and 45 A321neo). In addition, the airline signed an order for three more A320ceo, bringing the Group’s A320ceo orders to 273. With a total of 395 A320 Family aircraft on order, the Lufthansa Group is also Airbus’ biggest A320 operator with nearly 400 A320 Family aircraft in service. Lufthansa was the launch operator of the A320neo.

“We are delighted to see this additional order from our biggest A320 operator Lufthansa Group”, says Eric Schulz, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer. “Benefitting from the Airbus commonality and the A320 Family’s efficiency and environmental credentials such as reduced noise, lower fuel-burn and emissions, we are pleased the airline has decided to come back for more.”

The A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets, which together deliver at least 15 percent fuel savings at delivery and 20 percent by 2020. With more than 6,000 orders received from 100 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo Family has captured some 60 percent share of the market.

Royal Brunei takes delivery of its first A320neo

Bringing new levels of efficiency for the carrier’s regional network

Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) has taken delivery of its first A320neo aircraft during an event in Toulouse, France attended by Karam Chand, RBA Chief Executive Officer: Her Excellency Datin Paduka Malai Hajah Halimah binti Malai Haji Yussof, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to France; and Eric Schulz, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer.

The aircraft is the first of seven A320neo ordered by the airline under its single aisle fleet renewal programme. Powered by CFM International LEAP-1A26 engines, the new aircraft features a premium three class layout with 12 business class seats, 18 economy plus and 120 in the main cabin. The airline will operate the aircraft on its extensive regional network.

Royal Brunei has been flying A320 Family aircraft since 2003 and currently operates a fleet of six A320ceo jets.

The A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets, which together deliver at least 15 percent fuel savings at delivery and 20 percent by 2020. With more than 6,000 orders received from 100 customers, the A320neo Family has captured nearly 60 percent share of the market.

Allegiant receives its first U.S.-produced Airbus aircraft

Allegiant Air has taken delivery of its first U.S.-produced A320 aircraft from the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama. On hand for the occasion were executives from Airbus and Allegiant Air, a team of Allegiant employees, and representatives of the more than 380 Airbus employees at the production facility.

Bob Lekites, Executive Vice President of Customers for Airbus Americas said, “Airbus is committed to developing and producing fuel-efficient, passenger-friendly aircraft that are leaders in the evolving airline marketplace. Our partnership with Allegiant Air, coupled with our commitment to producing innovative aircraft, has allowed Allegiant to expand their ultra-low cost consumer flight options. We are proud to deliver Allegiant their first Airbus aircraft manufactured in Mobile, and we look forward to providing them more aircraft that exceed customer expectations.”

“Today’s delivery is an exciting milestone for Allegiant and our ongoing commitment to providing access to affordable, safe and reliable air travel for many people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to fly,” said Maury Gallagher, CEO and chairman, Allegiant. “This delivery is also an important step in our transition to an all-Airbus fleet, increasing efficiencies across our entire operation, and bringing economic advantages in fuel savings, higher seat capacity and more.”

The Airbus Manufacturing Facility in Mobile is delivering A320 Family aircraft at a rate of four per month – with the Allegiant delivery marking the facility’s 69th aircraft delivered since operations began in 2015.

The entire operation requires a team of dedicated employees of which more than 80 percent of are from the Gulf Coast region with nearly one third being U.S. Military Veterans. In addition to supporting hundreds of local jobs, the Mobile area has seen many Airbus suppliers open new facilities in the region, providing even more employment and a parallel boost to the local economy.

Demonstrating the adage “The Sun Never Sets on Airbus Manufacturing” – Airbus aircraft are now produced around the clock, 24 hours a day, at facilities in Mobile, Alabama; Hamburg, Germany; Toulouse, France; and Tianjin, China.

Airbus-built GRACE-FO satellites successfully launched from California

Maps of Earth’s gravitational field will indicate movement of liquid water, ice and land masses

GRACE-FO, Photo: ©SPACEX

Vandenberg/California, 23/05/2018 – Yesterday evening (21:47 CEST), the twin GRACE-FO (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On) satellites, developed and built by Airbus, were successfully launched into Space from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, USA, using a Falcon 9 launcher. GRACE-FO is a joint project between NASA and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) in Potsdam, near Berlin. Accurate measurements of the inter-satellite range between the two co-planar, low altitude polar orbiting twin satellites will allow the production of global and high-resolution models of the Earth's gravity field, offering details of how mass, in most cases water, is moving around the planet.

11 minutes after lift-off, the two Earth observation satellites, each weighing around 600 kilograms, separated from their dispenser structure, which was also built by Airbus to transport and hold the satellites during launch. A short time later, the GRACE-FO satellites ‘reported for duty’ via the McMurdo ground station in Antarctic. The mission is being operated from the space operations centre of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany.

Once maneuvered into their operational orbits, both GRACE-FO research satellites will circle Earth in a polar orbit of around 490 kilometres, with a distance of 220 kilometres between them. The mission is planned to last at least five years. The satellites constantly measure the distance between each other to within a few microns using a microwave system built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, which manages the mission for NASA. At the same time, a sensitive accelerometer, built at ONERA in France, accounts for non-gravitational effects, such as atmospheric drag and solar radiation.

The data are being used to track the movement of liquid water, ice and land masses by creating monthly maps of the changes in Earth’s gravitational field. GRACE-FO will continue this essential climate record established by the predecessor GRACE mission (2002–2017), also a joint project between the United States and Germany.

The GRACE-FO satellites also feature a new inter-satellite laser ranging interferometer instrument, developed in a German/American joint venture, which is being tested for use in future generations of satellites. In addition, each satellite records up to 200 profiles per day of temperature distribution and water-vapour content in the atmosphere and the ionosphere to aid weather forecasting.

Artist View GRACE-FO In Space, ©Airbus

Focus on: how an aircraft is built, Airbus

International collaboration for global jetliners

From design through production and onward to final tests and certifications, each Airbus jetliner is the result of wide-ranging expertise, complex logistics, and multinational cooperation across thousands of employees, suppliers and partners.

Design offices and engineering centres

Airbus’ principle of global cooperation is built upon a global network of regional design and engineering centres that contribute to the company’s full line-up of modern aircraft. The main design office at Airbus’ headquarters in Toulouse, France is joined by five additional design offices and engineering centres in Spain, the United Kingdom, Russia, and two sites in Germany.

Looking beyond Europe, Airbus opened its first North American design and engineering facility in 2002 in the heartland of the United States at Wichita, Kansas. This location was expanded in 2010 with a second engineering centre additionally housing a team of in-service repair engineers offering critical support for worldwide customers. Along the U.S. Gulf Coast is the Airbus Americas Engineering facility in Mobile, Alabama, where employees are responsible for various interior elements of Airbus’ widebody A330, A350 XWB and A380 jetliners. 

• Learn more about design and engineering at Airbus.

A Realistic Human Ergonomic Analysis development tool – which allows an operator to interact with an immersive full-scale 3D digital model – was used in the design of the A350 XWB.

Airbus opened its first North American design and engineering facility in 2002.

Production

To manage the steep and steady ramp-up of industrial activities and meet continued strong demand for its aircraft, Airbus co-locates key contributing functions such as engineering and procurement with its primary production facilities in Germany, France, the UK and Spain.

In Germany, the city of Hamburg focuses on structural assembly and outfitting of fuselage sections, final assembly of A320 Family aircraft, A380 major component assembly, as well as manufacturing and equipping the rear fuselage sections for the A330 and A350 XWB programmes. Employees in Bremen are responsible for the design and manufacture of high-lift systems for the wings on all Airbus aircraft. Vertical tails are produced at Stade, as are other carbon fibre-reinforced plastic components such as flaps for single-aisle A320 Family aircraft, and spoilers for the A330. All the electronic communications and cabin management systems needed by both crew and passengers are designed and produced at the Buxtehude site.

Employees in Toulouse, France – the headquarters of Airbus – are responsible for engineering, structure testing, flight tests, and more. The area around Toulouse-Blagnac Airport is home to a delivery centre for completed aircraft as well as final assembly lines for the A320, A330, A350 XWB and A380 jetliners. Toulouse Saint-Eloi is responsible for delivering equipped and tested pylons to the final assembly lines. The plant at Saint-Nazaire specialises in structural assembly, equipping and testing of front and central fuselage sections for the entire Airbus family. Nantes specialises in the manufacture and assembly of the centre wing boxes for all Airbus aircraft, and is a leader in creating carbon fibre-reinforced plastic structural parts.

The elements of an A330neo widebody jetliner start coming together at the final assembly line, or FAL, adjacent to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in southwestern France. The A330 Family integrates the latest developments from the A350 XWB and A380 aircraft families to maintain its position as the best in its class.

Located in North Wales, UK, Airbus’ Broughton site assembles wings for the company’s entire family of commercial aircraft – more than 1,000 per year. The city of Filton focuses on engineering and research & technology groups for wing design, landing gear and fuel systems design and testing, and the manufacturing of various components.

The Airbus Getafe, Spain location specialises in aeronautical component engineering, design, production and assembly, utilising both metallics and advanced composite materials to manufacture airframe components for all Airbus aircraft. The Illescas site is a leader in manufacturing composite aeronautical components, mainly large-scale or complex shaped parts as the A350 XWB’s wing lower cover. Puerto Real, in the south of Spain, specialises in the automated assembly of movable surfaces (rudders and spars) for all Airbus jetliners and produces the horizontal tail boxes of the A350 XWB.

• See additional details on Airbus commercial aircraft production.

Airbus’ primary production facilities for commercial aircraft are in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Spain.

Transport of major aircraft sections

A customised, in-house transportation system was developed by Airbus to solve the need to move large, pre-assembled sections of jetliners from their production locations to the final assembly lines. A fleet of five A300-600ST Super Transporters fly completed fuselage sections and wings between cities.

Based on the Airbus A300-600 aircraft, the A300-600STs were modified with a bulbous main-deck cargo cabin, earning them the nickname “Beluga,” after the arctic white whale with a similarly prominent forehead. The Super Transporter is able to carry a 47 metric tonne (103,616 lb) payload over a range of 1,667 km (900 nautical miles).

To meet its growing transport needs in support of the company’s production network, Airbus is introducing a new-generation airlifter, the BelugaXL, which is based on the A330-200, and is similarly modified with a bulging upper forward fuselage for an enlarged cargo area.

When Airbus began production of its double-deck A380, the superjumbo airliner’s size required its fuselage and wing sections to be shipped via a surface transportation network with specially-commissioned roll-on/roll-off ships to the Toulouse final assembly line. Most A380 sections are transported to Toulouse by sea, river and road, while smaller components – such as the vertical fin produced in Stade or the nose section produced in Méaulte, France – are carried in Airbus’ Beluga fleet.

• Find out how Airbus utilises various transport solutions in support of its production network.

Final assembly

Expanding on its original final assembly lines, or FALs, in Toulouse and Hamburg, Airbus opened two additional FALs to better meet market demand: in Tianjin, China in 2008 – the first such facility for Airbus to be located outside of Europe; and in the United States at Mobile, Alabama, in 2015. Both Tianjin and Mobile perform final assembly of A320 Family aircraft – the most successful and versatile jetliner family ever.

Covering the product line of commercial aircraft, the full complement of Airbus jetliners is built in Toulouse: the A320 Family, A330 Family, A350 XWB, and A380. Hamburg has responsibility for the A318, A319, A320 and A321. Tianjin assembles A319s and A320s, while the newest FAL in Mobile, Alabama produces A319, A320 and A321 jetliners.

• Read about Airbus’ worldwide final assembly lines in more depth.

With its major structural components assembled, an Airbus A330neo begins to take shape at the final assembly line in France. In addition to housing a delivery centre for completed aircraft, the Toulouse-Blagnac site is also home to final assembly lines for the A320, A350 XWB and A380 jetliners.

Test programme and certification

To illustrate just one Airbus aircraft product line, testing and certification of A320neo jetliners involved six versions, three variants with two different engine options each: CFM International’s LEAP-1A and the Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM. The campaigns also confirmed these aircraft met the company’s performance targets in terms of fuel consumption and range.

The “Type Certificate” – issued to signify the airworthiness of an aircraft manufacturing design – is followed by the “Airworthiness Certificate,” which authorises aircraft operations in a certain countries or regions. Once approved and certified, the aircraft is cleared for service and full-scale production begins.

• Airbus’ test and certification programmes are discussed in more detail.

An A321neo passes through a purposely-inundated runway as part of a testing programme that includes the aircraft’s ability to safely handle a rejected take-off, and its performance in both hot-and-high and extreme cold conditions.