Airbus welcomes Hi Fly A380 at Farnborough International Airshow

Hi Fly, the 14th operator of the iconic double-decker wide-body airliner, is displaying its A380 for the first time at Farnborough International Airshow 2018 (UK). The aircraft will be showcased at the airshow from the 19th to 22nd July on static display.

A big cause requiring a big messenger, Hi Fly has chosen the A380 to exhibit its very special livery supporting the environmental cause: “Save the Coral Reefs”.

Hi Fly, the Portuguese wet lease specialist, provides aircraft to airlines with crew, maintenance and insurance. The company has selected the A380, thereby opening up a new business model. Hi Fly operates an all Airbus fleet of 12 aircraft comprising one A321, four A330s, seven A340s and now one A380.
The A380 is an essential part of the solution to sustain air traffic growth, alleviating congestion at busy airports by transporting more passengers with fewer flights. The aircraft is the best way to capture growing world air traffic, which is doubling every 15 years. The flagship airliner can accommodate 575 passengers in four classes and offers a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 kilometres).

The A380 has the unique capability to generate revenue, stimulate traffic and attract passengers.

The A380 is the world’s most spacious aircraft, offering wider seats, broader aisles and more personal space to passengers. Together with the quietest cabin and the smoothest flight, the A380 promises a unique passenger experience.

Around 250 million passengers have experienced the unique comfort of flying on board the aircraft so far. Every two minutes an A380 either takes off or lands at one of the 60 destinations that the aircraft serves.

Leonardo: AW109 GrandNew light twin enters Irish VIP market

- QME Mining Equipment  Ltd will  take  delivery  of  the  helicopter  in  early  2019 

- Leonardo  and  official  distributor  in  UK  and  Ireland  Sloane  Helicopters  have  delivered 15  aircraft  in  the  last  18  months  confirming  Leonardo’s  dominance  in  the  regional VIP  market 

- With  a  50%  share  in  2017  Leonardo  continues  to  lead  the  world’s  VIP  multiengine helicopter  market  

Farnborough,  18  July  2018  -  Leonardo  and  official  distributor  in  UK  Sloane  Helicopters (Sloane)  announced  today  that  QME  Mining  Equipment  Ltd  (QME)  of  Ireland,  a  leading company  in the  supply  of  complete solutions  to  the Mining  and  Tunnelling  industries  worldwide,   has  signed  a  contract  for  an  AW109  GrandNew  helicopter.  The  aircraft  will  be  used  to  perform VIP/corporate  transport  operations  with  delivery  expected  in  early  2019.  The  announcement was made during  an  official  ceremony  held at  Farnborough  International  Airshow  today.   

QME,  with  decades  of  helicopter  ownership  experience,  selected  the  AW109  GrandNew  after  a thorough  and  rigorous  evaluation.  The  order  marks  the  first  AW109  GrandNew  in  VIP configuration  entering  the  Irish  helicopter  market  where  Leonardo  is  pursuing  further opportunities  for  a  range  of  types  that  include  the  AW109  Trekker  and  AW169,  thanks  to  stateof-art  avionic  and  navigation  systems  along  with  class  leading  performance,  safety  and  comfort standards  for  roles  such  as  VIP  transport  and  helicopter  emergency  medical  service  (HEMS). Irish operators  can  also  benefit  from  an  established  and expanding  in-country  support  presence, following  the  set  up  of  a  Leonardo  Authorised  Service  Centre  by  Sloane  Helicopters  in  St Angelo,  Enniskillen  in 2007. 

This  latest  contract  follows  another  major  milestone  achieved  in  the  Irish  market,  with  Sloane being  selected  in  June  to  operate,  on  behalf  of  the  Irish  Community  Rapid  Response  (ICRR), Ireland’s  first  dedicated  charity  funded  HEMS  service  to  be  based  at  Cork  Airport.  Sloane  will initially  use  an  AW109  EMS  and a  dedicated  in-country  back  up  AW109  starting  later  this  year.   

David  George,  Sloane  Chairman,  said  “As  we  approach  our  20th  year  as  an  established  HEMS operator,  we  are  delighted  and  proud to  have  been  selected  by  ICRR  to  provide  HEMS  services in  Ireland  and  very  much  look  forward  to  developing  a  close  partnership  with  the  Charity.    For over  23  years  as  the  Leonardo  distributor  in  Ireland  and  the  UK,  as  well  as  being  an  Authorised Service  Centre,  Sloane  Helicopters  has  provided  helicopter  in-country  support  for  its  many  Irish customers  and sees  this  scope expanding  over  coming  years.” 

Also  the  AW139  model  has  proven  successful  in  Ireland  with  one  aircraft  used  for  private/VIP transport  and  six  units  operated  as  multirole  helicopters  by  the  Irish  Air  Corps.  With  this  latest AW109  GrandNew  sale  Leonardo  is  increasing  its  dominant  position  in  the  UK  and  Irish VIP/corporate  market  where  Leonardo  and  Sloane  have  delivered  15  helicopters  including  the AW109,  AW169  and  AW139  models  in  the  last  18  months.  Leonardo  maintains  its  leading position  in  the  world’s  VIP/corporate  market  in  the  multi  engine  helicopter  segment,  also including  private,  charter  and  VVIP/Government  transport  services,  for  both  units  delivered  and value  outperforming  competition.  In  2017  global  market  share  was  approximately  50%.   

Boeing Signs Commitments for 40 High-Capacity 737 MAX 8s, 53 MAX 8 Airplanes

FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom, July 18, 2018/PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and four customers have signed commitments for a total of 93 737 MAX airplanes, including a carrier that has committed to 40 of the high-capacity version of the MAX 8 airplane. The commitments, valued at nearly $11 billion at current list prices, were announced at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow.

The agreements will be reflected on Boeing's Orders and Deliveries website when they have been finalized. The four unidentified customers hail from the airline and airplane leasing industries.

"Today's announcement is yet more proof of the strong demand that we continue to see around the world for the 737 MAX airplane family," said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing for The Boeing Company. "The best-in-class capabilities of the 737 MAX - its superior efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort – are driving the long-term success of this popular program."

The 737 MAX family is designed to offer customers exceptional performance, with lower per-seat costs and an extended range to open up new destinations in the single-aisle market. The MAX family provides operators a 14-percent improvement over today's most efficient single-aisle airplanes. The high-capacity MAX 8 variant, which can accommodate 200 seats, offers up to a 20-percent fuel efficiency improvement per seat.

The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, accumulating nearly 4,700 orders from more than 100 customers worldwide. Projections show both numbers will continue to grow significantly.

According to the Boeing 2018 Commercial Market Outlook released this week, airlines will need 31,360 new single-aisle airplanes, such as the 737 MAX, over the next 20 years. That represents a 6-percent increase over last year's forecast. Analysts say the demand is fueled by the success of low-cost carriers and a big requirement for single-aisle jets for growth and replacement.

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets, Boeing Sky Interior, large flight deck displays and other features to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. For more information and feature content, visit www.boeing.com/commercial/737max.