Airbushttp://stagev4.airbus.comAirbus news feeden-ushttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/utilities/rss_intro.htmlAirbus news feedhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/img/identical/logo_blogs.gifhttp://stagev4.airbus.comJetBlue places first Airbus order in 2002: New York airline orders 10 more A320shttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_14_02_jetBlue.html
"Despite the airline industry's current climate, jetBlue is moving forward with its original controlled growth business plan," said David Neeleman, jetBlue's Chief Executive Officer. "More than four million customers have come to love our brand new A320s as a safe, reliable and comfortable way to travel for business and pleasure. We look forward to welcoming many more aboard our new fleet this year and in the years to come."

"JetBlue continues to defy convention," said Noël Forgeard, CEO of Airbus. "It has found great and rapid success as a start-up by remaining cutting edge both in its aircraft selection and in its low-fare, high-service product. Airbus is very proud to be a part of the continuing jetBlue triumph. We are also, of course, very pleased that they have again selected the A320 to grow their fleet."

Including these 10 additional aircraft, jetBlue has placed orders for a total of 74 A320 aircraft, putting the carrier among Airbus' top-five customers for the aircraft type. Each of jetBlue's A320s carries 162 passengers in a roomy single-class configuration, offering LiveTV and leather upholstery in every seat.

Designed to optimize passenger comfort and maximize cost savings, the A318, A319, A320 and A321 form the world's most profitable and best-selling single-aisle aircraft family. All derived from the same fuselage, the A320 Family provides operators with the highest degree of commonality and economy for aircraft in the 107-185 seat category.

With the world's most modern and extensive airliner family on offer, Airbus consistently wins about half of large airliner sales - 100 seats and above - and currently has firm orders for more than 4,400 airliners from some 200 customers and operators around the globe. Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Mon, 14 Jan 2002 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,miscellaneous,asset_man,franceA318 takes off on maiden flighthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_15_02_A318.html
The flight is captained by Bernd Schaefer, Chief Pilot, Hamburg, with Jacques Rosay, Airbus Chief Test Pilot, as first officer, Manfred Birnfeld and Hermann Schmoeckel as flight test engineers and Bernard Kamps as test flight engineer.

The A318 took off at a weight of 57.5 tonnes (126,800 lbs). Around 7 tonnes (15,400 lbs) of flight test instrumentation, including 94 km/58 miles of electrical wiring, are used to record the thousands of parameters necessary for a full and thorough analysis of the aircraft's in-flight performance. Today's first flight is powered by PW6000 engines from Pratt & Whitney.

The A318 was launched in April 1999 to extend the benefits of Airbus commonality and comfort standards to the 100-seater market. Designed to serve high-frequency low-density routes, the A318 further strengthens the A320 Family's position as the most versatile, economical and best-selling single-aisle aircraft available today. 114 A318s are currently on order from 9 customers. The A318 will be certified first with CFM56-5 engines. Entry into airline service is scheduled for the third quarter of 2003.

With some 4,400 orders booked to date from 180 customers worldwide, Airbus is a leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft seating more than 100 passengers and offers the most modern and comprehensive airliner family in the world. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 15 Jan 2002 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a320,event,innovation,flight_op,germanyHoneywell selected for A380 Flight Management Systemhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_15_02_Honeywell.html
"In its continuing search for excellence in this landmark program, Airbus has come to the United Stats once again to supply another critical element of the A380," said Allan McArtor, Chairman of Airbus North America Holdings, Inc. "Our relationship with Honeywell dates back to the early 1980s and has grown exponentially since then. We are very pleased to expand our business with them further as a result of this contract."

Honeywell's state-of-the-art FMS system features new hardware for greater speed and will use a graphic display with pop-up menus and cursor controls rather than the conventional text-based interface. The system will still be operated by a keyboard, but will require less typing due to item selection availability, resulting in time savings and fewer entry errors.

Airbus has firm orders and commitments for 97 A380s from nine customers, including Air France, Emirates, FedEx, ILFC, Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar, Singapore and Virgin Atlantic.

Designed in close collaboration with major airlines, airports and airworthiness authorities, the A380 superjumbo is the most advanced, spacious and efficient airliner ever conceived. The A380 embodies the most advanced technologies, providing 15 to 20 percent lower operating costs than the largest aircraft flying today, 10 to 15 percent more range, as well as lower fuel burn, less noise and lower emissions. The A380 will enter airline service in early 2006, setting a completely new standard in air travel.

With some 4,400 orders booked to date from around 180 customers worldwide, Airbus is a leading manufacturer in the market for large commercial aircraft. Headquartered in Toulouse (France), Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Tue, 15 Jan 2002 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,miscellaneous,procurement,franceThe A380 enters productionhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_23_02_A380.html
The traditional "first metal cut" from the machining of an aluminum triform (wing-to-fuselage junction) was accompanied today by the production of the first carbon fibre component for the centre wing box. The A380's centre wing box measures 7 metres by 6 metres by 2 metres (23 feet by 20 feet by 7 feet) and weighs 12 tonnes (26,500 lbs). The use of composite materials for the manufacture of this part is just one of the many innovative features of this new aircraft. Specialised in the field of structural composites, Airbus' Nantes plant achieved a world premiere with the A340-600, which features the longest carbon fibre keel beam ever built for a civil airliner.

In October 2003, all the A380 parts manufactured at various Airbus sites around Europe will be transported by land and sea to Toulouse for final assembly.

With 97 firm orders and commitments, the A380 has achieved a resounding success on the market in just one year since its launch.

Based in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the U.K. and Spain, as well as fully-owned subsidiaries in the United States, China and Japan. Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 23 Jan 2002 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,miscellaneous,franceHawker de Havilland to make Airbus A380 wingtip fenceshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_01_02_HawkerdeHavilland.html
Hawker de Havilland will supply all of the A380 wingtips and fences for the Airbus A380*, as part of business valued at some A$400 million/US$200 million over the life of the programme. The Airbus deal will thus bring important new business to Australia, as well as helping to safeguard aerospace industry jobs.

The wingtip fences - arrow-shaped surfaces attached to the tip of each wing - help the wing to be more efficient, saving fuel by reducing drag - as well as reducing noise by improving take-off performance. Standing some 2.4 m/7 ft 10 in tall, they will be the largest of their kind in the world.

Hawker de Havilland already builds the wingtip fences for all Airbus A330s and A340s at its factory at Bankstown in Sydney, and has delivered some 450 aircraft sets to date. It won the A380 wingtip and fence work on the grounds of technical competence, commercial competitivity, and its proven ability to deliver a quality product on time and within budget.

"Airbus has a long and successful collaboration with Australian industry, which has consistently delivered quality aircraft sections for our aircraft," says Airbus Executive Vice President A380 Programme Charles Champion. "Our continued partnership with Hawker de Havilland means that Australian workmanship will continue to span the globe in the 21st Century's new flagship, the A380."

In addition to the A380 wingtips and fences, Hawker de Havilland also makes the A330/A340 main undercarriage bay substructure and doors plus A320 wing ribs. This, together with other Airbus work placed with HdH and other local companies prior to the A380 deal, represents more than A$1,000/US$500 million of business for Australian industry.

Launched in December 2000, the A380 has already won some 100 firm orders from the world's leading airlines, including Qantas, which has ordered 12. Qantas plans to use its A380s on the "Kangaroo route" to Europe and on transpacific services, on which it will introduce a new way of flying, through better passenger comfort and economy.

Work has already begun in Europe on producing parts for the A380, which will undergo flight trials in 2005, allowing deliveries to airlines to begin in 2006. Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.

* Airbus sees a total market for 1,550 aircraft of > 400 seats, worth $343 billion, up to 2019.]]>Fri, 01 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,miscellaneous,procurement,franceFrench Air Force takes delivery of its first ACJhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_08_02_French_Air_Force.html
The French Air Force ACJs can seat around 50 passengers, and have a range of up to 10,000 km - enough to fly non-stop from Paris to Africa, the West Indies, India or the US East Coast, at a very competitive operational cost. These ACJs will in fact be the first two fly-by-wire French Air Force civilian aircraft, offering a very high level of commonality with the Airbus ultra-long-range four engines A340 Family of aircraft.

Airbus was chosen as the result of a comprehensive competitive tender, as laid out in the "Code des Marchés Publics," which governs purchasing by the French Government. The ACJ was chosen because it offered the best combination of quality, comfort and price.

The French Air Force ACJs will be powered by CFM International CFM56-5B7P engines, a joint venture between General Electric and French motorist SNECMA, each rated at a thrust of 27,000 lb.

The French Air Force, on behalf of the French State, is the second government organisation in Europe to select the ACJ, two being already in service with the Italian Government. The State of Venezuela also recently ordered an ACJ for governmental transportation. This clearly demonstrates how the ACJ increasingly becomes the international reference aircraft for government transport, thanks to its range performances and lower operational costs.

Derived directly from the A319 airliner, the ACJ features the widest and most comfortable cabin in its class, the best investment value, and a comprehensive avionics suite that makes it the only business jet with Category 3B automatic landing capability.

The ACJ is also part of the world's most modern and successful airliner family, which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, of which some 2,700 have been sold to over 100 customers and operators.

Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as fully owned subsidiaries in the United States, China and Japan. Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 08 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0100customer,acj,miscellaneous,asset_man,franceAnsett of Australia to acquire 30 A320 Family aircraft from Airbushttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_10_02_Ansett.html
Under the terms of the agreement, delivery of the aircraft to be operated by Ansett will begin in the second half of this year, and Airbus will provide all training and field service support for these aircraft in Australia.

When announcing the deal, Tesna Co-Chairman Lindsay Fox stressed the significance of this agreement. "Airbus' A320 Family is the most modern, efficient and environmentally friendly airliner family currently available, and will enable us to offer our passengers the highest level of comfort, alongside the greatest operational flexibility and lowest operating costs." And Co-Chairman Solomon Lew added: "I have confidence that this acquisition provides the basis for Ansett to grow and prosper in an extremely competitive and growing market."

Ansett currently operates in Australia's domestic market. The additional aircraft will allow it to further expand its scheduled service within Australia under the new ownership, and to continue to offer travelers the benefits of true competition. In addition to extremely low operating costs and a unique level of operational flexibility, the A320 Family has the widest cabin in its class with wider seats, and the benefit of containerised cargo underfloor.

Airbus Chief Commercial Officer John Leahy added: "This is a very significant transaction which demonstrates the confidence these successful entrepreneurs have in air transportation. Airbus is very proud to be part in this new undertaking which features the same pioneering spirit as the one with led Airbus to its current success."

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Sun, 10 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,general,asset_man,franceUltra-long range A340-500 takes off on maiden flighthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_11_02_A340500.html
The maiden flight was captained by Airbus Chief Test Pilot Jacques Rosay and co-piloted by Experimental Test Pilot Richard Monnoyer. The crew was comprised of flight test engineers Didier Ronceray and Sylvie Loisel-Labaste - the first woman crew member for a maiden flight at Airbus - and test flight engineer Bruno Bigand. The A340-500 is powered by four Trent 500 engines from Rolls-Royce.

The A340-500 took off at a weight of 280 tonnes (617,290 lbs), including around 30.5 tonnes (67,240 lbs) of flight test instrumentation to record the thousands of parameters necessary for a thorough analysis of the aircraft's in-flight performance. This maiden voyage marks the beginning of a comprehensive flight test campaign involving two A340-500s in 340 flight hours, which will culminate in certification and entry into airline service in the fourth quarter of 2002.

Airbus was the first to respond to airline interest in ultra-long range flights, thus permitting such distant city pairs as Los Angeles and Singapore to enjoy non-stop service for the first time. With the A340-500 entering airline service this year, passengers will have experienced the refinement and low noise levels of this new ultra-long range aircraft for more than three years before any competitive offering is available.

The ultra-long range A340-500 was launched in December 1997 alongside its sister aircraft, the high capacity A340-600. Designed in close collaboration with airlines, these two airliners further extend the attraction of the market-leading A330/A340 Family, taking advantage of the latest proven technologies to deliver the ultimate in long range air travel. The A340-500/-600 remain clear leaders in their category, with 56 per cent of the market at the end of 2001. Both new versions are powered by Trent 500 engines from Rolls-Royce.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Mon, 11 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a330a340,innovation,flight_op,france Airbus Beluga transports Spot 5 satellite for April launch from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe Spaceport in Kourouhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_22_02_Beluga.html
On-board the Beluga, the 3,000 kilogram satellite was packaged in two special containers with individual isotherm protection for the trip. The total consignment was 4.8 metres high, 7 metres long and 4.5 metres wide, too large to be carried by any other freight aircraft. Each container was linked to a preheating device, especially developed by Airbus Transport International for this type of satellite transportation, maintaining a constant temperature inside the containers during the flight. The platform and the payload of the satellite were in separate containers.

Named after the bulbous white whale it resembles, the Beluga was developed by Airbus primarily to transport its own aircraft sections among its manufacturing sites across Europe. Today, five Belugas are in service with Airbus. The main deck of the A300-600ST is 37.7 metres long and the diameter of the cross section is 7.1 metres- wider than any other civil or military aircraft type currently in service. The Beluga can carry up to 47 tonnes of freight over a range of 1,670 km/900 nm.

In addition, the aircraft are available for charter operations through a subsidiary company, Airbus Transport International (www.airbustransport.com) which has encountered ever-increasing demand for this unique service. To date the Belugas have carried several modules for the International Space Station and are also the preferred transport for large and valuable paintings. The personalized service offered by ATI thus ensures a high level of customer satisfaction with loading, unloading and delivery designed to be fast, safe, flexible and reliable, as demonstrated by five years of successful operations.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 22 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0100customer,ati,miscellaneous,flight_op,franceFirst A380 technical manual releasedhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_26_02_A80_manual.html
The Airplane Characteristics manual provides specific A380 data needed by airport authorities and planners to support the operation of the A380 within their airports. Data such as airplane dimensions, take off and landing distances, terminal operations data, taxiing, parking and pavement loading requirements are provided for the A380-800 and A380-800F, the passenger and freighter versions of the A380.

Airbus has been working with planning teams from 50 major airports in five continents to ensure smooth handling of the A380 when it enters service in 2006 and the Airplane Characteristics manual is a major support for this.

Following release of this first manual and up to entry into service of the A380, Airbus will deliver a full range of technical data for the maintenance, engineering, material support and flight operations departments of A380 airline customers. Technical data for the A380 will be available in electronic format according to the most recent aviation industry standards, which are more efficient and user friendly. They will be accessible through Airbus On Line Services, the Airbus portal for Customer Support.

With 97 firm orders and commitments, the A380 has achieved a resounding success on the market in just one year from its launch.

Based in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the U.K and Spain, as well as fully-owned subsidiaries in the United States, China and Japan. Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 26 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,general,customer,franceS.A.L.E. exercises option for A320 aircrafthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_27_02_SALE.html
Including the newly exercised option, S.A.L.E. has placed orders for three A319s, 42 A320s and six A321s. Of these, 19 A320s and two A321s have already been delivered to the Singapore-based aircraft leasing company. Delivery of the newly exercised A320 is scheduled for May 2004.

Robert Martin, S.A.L.E. Managing Director, said that the lessor maintained its outlook for a return to growth in the air transport market within the next year, generating further demand for new generation aircraft types.

"Following the recent retirement by airlines of many older aircraft, we believe that demand for newer aircraft types such as the A320 Family will be strong in the coming years," he said. "At S.A.L.E. we have therefore maintained all our firm orders, continue to convert our A320 Family options and are also acquiring additional aircraft through purchase and leaseback agreements."

Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer, noted that the order once again underscored the A320 Family's position as the aircraft of choice in the single-aisle category.

"The leasing market is a barometer of the long-term preferences of both the airlines and financial institutions and we are therefore heartened that S.A.L.E. has once again affirmed its confidence in the A320 Family," Mr. Forgeard said.

Designed to optimise passenger comfort and ensure savings in just about every element of direct operating costs, the 107-seat A318, 124-seat A319, 150-seat A320 and 185-seat A321 form the world's most profitable and fastest selling single-aisle aircraft family. The A320 Family offers passengers the widest cabin and most comfortable seats of any single-aisle airliner, as well as an unmatched combination of economy and range. Airbus has booked more than 2,700 orders for the A320 Family to date, of which over 1,600 have been delivered to more than 100 customers.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 27 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,miscellaneous,asset_man,franceChina Eastern Airlines Jiangsu Ltd installs Airbus' LOMS software toolhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_27_02_LOMS.html
Conceived and developed by Airbus engineers and Airbus test pilots, LOMS is a measurement, analysis and reporting software tool for flight operations data monitoring. It can be integrated in any airline's FOM programme.

Routine tracking and reinforcement of operating standards is one objective of the diagnostic presented by LOMS; the other is a critical perception of pilot training programmes and published standard operating procedures. LOMS focuses on identification of deviations from good flight operating practices as violations of good operating practice, using a global statistical approach.

LOMS has already attracted four other airlines: China Southern Airlines (operating 6 A320s), Sichuan Airlines (operating 6 A320s and 2 A321s), Spanair (operating 3 A320s and 3 A321s) and Middle East Airlines (operating 3 A320s, 2 A321s, 1 A300 and 3 A310s).

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 27 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,miscellaneous,customer,chinaAirbus vendors increase support to Chinese airlineshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_28_02_vendors.html
The ten vendors, which include Airbus France Avionics & Simulation Products, AirCruisers, Avio-Diepen, B/E Aerospace, Eltra Aeronautics, FR-HITEMP, Messier Services, Pacific Scientific, Satair and Smiths Industries, provide spare parts, avionics repair, customer liaison and training to Airbus operators in China and the Asia-Pacific region at large.

They bring the total numbers in partnership with Airbus at the center to 20. In cooperation with Airbus, they continue to demonstrate their support and commitment to the region.

The 10 companies already participating in the center are Eaton Aerospace, Hamilton Sundstrand, Honeywell, Interturbine, Intertechnique, Litton Aero Products, Parker Aerospace, Sully Produits Speciaux, Thales Avionics and TPA PTE LTD. Together they represent over 80% of vendor spares most likely to be needed, and complement an Airbus stock of 24,000 spare parts.

The vendor presence at the Beijing-based CASC/Airbus Customer Services Support Centre is a unique benefit to Airbus customers, distinguishing the faculty from other customer services support facilities. It helps to ensure a fast response to airline needs while reducing costs and turnaround time at its CAAC, JAA and FAA approved avionics repair station, as well as providing opportunities for new business and technological co-operation with them.

CASC/Airbus Customer Services Support Centre is part of a state-of-the-art training and support complex jointly established by the China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Corporation (CASC) and Airbus. As part of Airbus' global customer services network, this facility makes training and support more accessible and convenient to Airbus operators in China as well as in the Asia-Pacific region. The facility represents an investment of more than US$80 million by Airbus in the important Chinese market.

Airbus entered China in 1985 and its market share has kept increasing. In terms of fleet in service and orders, Airbus aircraft market share in China (including Hong Kong and Macao) has risen to 28 percent at present from 13 percent at the beginning of 1995. Its fleet has also been expanded to 168 from 29. Airbus sees opportunities to further develop its industrial cooperation with the Chinese industry and to integrate new suppliers in its network. Four Chinese manufacturers are already involved in manufacturing parts, such as wing components, emergency-exit doors and maintenance tools, for Airbus aircraft.

With some 4,400 orders booked to date from around 180 customers world-wide, Airbus is the joint number one manufacturer in the market for large commercial aircraft. Headquartered in Toulouse (France), Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Thu, 28 Feb 2002 00:00:00 +0100corporate,organisation,customer,chinaFrontier Airlines orders two more A319s: low-fare carrier moves one step closer to all-Airbus fleethttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/03_21_02_Frontier.html
"Frontier continues to demonstrate its strength in the marketplace by moving forward at pace with continued confidence in the A320 Family," said Noël Forgeard, President and Chief Executive Officer of Airbus. "Frontier's selection of the A319 also highlights its dedication to passengers by offering the most comfortable and economical aircraft in its class."

Frontier's A319s seat 132 passengers in a single class, featuring a generous 33-inch seat pitch. The carrier's current A319 fleet, and those newly ordered, are equipped with CFM56-5 engines from CFM International. Frontier's A318s will also feature CFM engines, a recent selection made by the airline to ensure the earliest possible aircraft delivery availability.

Denver-based Frontier is one of two U.S. low-fare carriers to place firm orders for the A320 Family in the first quarter of 2002 (JetBlue ordered 10 A320s in January), a testament to the unmatched economics of Airbus single-aisle aircraft.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Thu, 21 Mar 2002 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,miscellaneous,asset_man,franceChina Eastern Airlines orders 20 A320 aircraft from Airbushttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_16_02_ChinaEastern.html
The purchase agreement was signed by Ye Yigan, Chairman of China Eastern Airlines and John Leahy, Chief Commercial Officer of Airbus in a ceremony presided over by Liu Shaoyong, President of China Eastern Airlines.

"Selection of the A320s will improve our operating efficiency thanks to the aircraft's commonality with our existing fleet," said China Eastern Airlines President Liu Shaoyong during the signing ceremony. "The expansion of our A320 fleet further reinforces the foundation for our continued growth and prosperity."

"We are delighted that China Eastern Airlines, our first and largest customer in China, is giving a further vote of confidence to our products," said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer.

"We are extremely pleased that China Eastern Airlines has again selected the A320 to expand its fleet," said Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). "This agreement marks a new milestone in the long-standing cooperation between China Eastern Airlines and Airbus. The close partnership between our companies is a great source of pride for us."

The best-selling A320 Family's optimised cabin cross-section has set a new standard for passenger comfort in single-aisle aircraft, allowing for wider seats and aisles as well as more capacious overhead stowage. Comprised of the A318, A319, A320 and A321, which all share the highest degree of commonality and economy, the A320 Family offers many advantages for operators, such as reduced maintenance and training costs. By the end of March, the A320 Family had booked 2,782 firm orders from 108 customers worldwide.

Based in Shanghai, China Eastern Airlines is one of the three largest airline groups in China, with air links to more than 40 domestic destinations and over 20 cities abroad. The airline operates a fleet of more than 70 aircraft, 43 of which are Airbus aircraft.

Airbus' market share has grown steadily since it entered China in 1985. The Airbus fleet in service in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao has grown to 168 today from 29 in 1995. A state-of-the-art training and service centre, which represents an US$80 million investment by Airbus, is fully operational in Beijing. In the field of industrial cooperation, four Chinese manufacturers are already involved in manufacturing parts, such as wing components, emergency-exit doors and maintenance tools, for Airbus aircraft.

A leading aircraft manufacturer, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in China, Japan and the U.S. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 16 Apr 2002 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,miscellaneous,asset_man,chinaCathay Pacific Airways to expand A330 fleethttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_26_02_CathayPacific.html
The Hong Kong-based carrier currently operates 20 A330s and 15 A340s across its international route network, and is among the largest A330/A340 operators today. The airline operates the twin-engine A330 on regional and medium-haul routes across its extensive Asia-Pacific network, while the four engine A340s are deployed on ultra long-haul routes to Europe and North America.

Prior to the delivery of the three additional A330s, Cathay Pacific will also take delivery of the first of three long-range Airbus A340-600 aircraft later this year for use on ultra long-haul routes to Europe and North America.

Cathay Pacific was the first airline in the world to have established a mixed A330/340 fleet operation, fully exploiting the unique common design concept pioneered by Airbus. Sharing the same cockpit layout, operational procedures and handling characteristics, the aircraft are operated by Cathay Pacific as a single fleet, with pilots qualified to fly both types on a regular basis. Further benefits are also achieved through streamlined maintenance procedures as a result of the high level of common on-board systems and airframe components shared by the A330 and A340.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Chairman David Turnbull said: "Because Cathay Pacific managed itself carefully during the downturn we are now able to plan for a better future. This is an investment in the future of Cathay Pacific and its staff, and underlines our confidence in the future of Hong Kong and our continued effort to strengthen Hong Kong as the region's leading aviation hub."

"This follow-on order from one of the world's most prestigious and forward looking international carriers once again endorses the popularity of the A330 and A340 in their respective market segments; and illustrates the benefits which can be achieved through mixed fleet flying operations," said Airbus Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.

Cathay Pacific's selection of the A330 further reinforces the success of the A330/A340 Family as the preferred choice of airlines worldwide in the medium to long-range segment, with over 700 total orders from 60 customers at the end of March. The A330/A340 Family has been especially successful in the Asia-Pacific, with 180 orders from 16 airlines, including almost every major international carrier in the region.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 26 Apr 2002 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,miscellaneous,asset_man,chinaJetBlue grows its all-Airbus fleet by ordering two A320s converts two options into firm ordershttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_30_02_jetBlue.html
"JetBlue is moving forward with its controlled growth business plan and to date our fleet of A320s has carried more than five million happy customers," said David Neeleman, jetBlue's Chief Executive Officer. "Our Airbus fleet has performed very well, which makes our job - taking our customers where they want to go, comfortably and on time - much easier."

The fact that jetBlue keeps coming back for more demonstrates that the A320 Family has perfect aircraft for growth from both cost and comfort perspectives," said Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard. "David Neeleman has built his business by keeping his employees and his customers happy and we're happy that Airbus aircraft continue to be an integral part of that practice."

The Airbus A320 Family includes the 107-seat A318, the 124-seat A319, the 150-seat A320 and the 185-seat A321. Each of these two-engine aircraft features the widest fuselage of any single-aisle aircraft in the world, offering passengers more room to relax and crew members more room to maneuver through the cabin. In addition, the A320 Family features the most economical and environmentally responsible aircraft in their class, offering the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noise footprints in their size category.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the United States, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 30 Apr 2002 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,miscellaneous,asset_man,franceCyprus Airways' Airbus fleet grows with delivery of its first A319http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_30_02_CyprusAirways.html
Seating 126 passengers in a comfortable two-class configuration, Cyprus Airways' A319 will be operated on the airline's growing network in Europe and the Middle East, alongside the A320. The A319 is powered by V2500-A5 engines from International Aero Engines, which also power the airline's A320 fleet.

Designed to optimize passenger comfort and maximize cost savings, the A318, A319, A320 and A321 form the world's most profitable and best-selling single aisle aircraft family. All derived from the same fuselage, the A320 Family provides operators with a high degree of commonality and economy for aircraft in the 107-185 seat category. Some 1,700 A320 Family aircraft are currently in service with almost 100 operators worldwide.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the world's most modern and extensive airliner family on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 30 Apr 2002 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,miscellaneous,asset_man,germanyAirbus' high-security cockpit doors gain certificationhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/05_21_02_doors.html
"We have certified, within a very demanding schedule, a new door that both meets the new security requirements and is fully compliant with all current regulations, including the critical rapid decompression criteria," said Airbus Executive Vice-President Engineering Alain Garcia. "We are very proud to be the first large airliner manufacturer to have achieved this."

The new cockpit door protects the crew from unauthorized entry while also delivering a number of safety contingencies. It features reinforced attachments, a reinforced and bullet proof main door panel, an escape panel, electrical door latching, an electronic entry pad located in the cabin, and a warning light and buzzer in the cockpit. In addition, a toggle control in the cockpit enables the crew to control access to the cockpit and secure the door in case of need.

"Airbus engineers have designed a solution which can be easily introduced into our aircraft, while minimising the burden for our customers and operators," said Airbus Executive Vice-President Customer Services Patrick Gavin.

Conversion kits are offered to customers at a reduced price: US$ 23,000 for the single-aisle kits, and US$ 29,000 for widebodies. All certification and engineering costs have been assumed by Airbus. In addition, downtime for the retrofitting of in-service aircraft has been kept to an absolute minimum so airlines retrofitting the doors to their Airbus single-aisles can do so within 48 hours.

The new cockpit doors are just one of a series of complementary measures being made available by Airbus. These also include a stand alone video camera system allowing the cabin area outside the door to be monitored from the cockpit. The full provisions for this system will be installed as standard on all Airbus aircraft from August. Airbus has also developed two possible solutions to ensure that the transponder signal from the aircraft to air traffic control cannot be interrupted in the event of an attack. And, to further improve communication between crews in the cabin and in the cockpit, Airbus has found a way for crew in each part of the aircraft to alert other crew members should an emergency situation arise.]]>Tue, 21 May 2002 00:00:00 +0100corporate,innovation,customer,franceAirbus celebrates launch of new technology programmehttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/07_01_02_AWIATOR.html
"Airbus is committed to maintaining its leadership in technology and to do so, we continue to invest in research that is of direct benefit to our core business," said Airbus Chief Operating Officer Gustav Humbert. "We rely on an international research network of partners from centres of excellence all over Europe and around the world."

A large variety of technologies will be investigated, down-selected, developed and finally flight-tested on Airbus' flying testbed A340, MSN 001. AWIATOR aims to achieve a five to seven per cent reduction of two EPNdB. The programme will look at new devices to reduce the aircraft wake, new airbrakes, very large wing tip devices, new adaptive elements on the flaps, new devices for flow control, new flight control laws and new low noise operations. All these features will be tested intensively both on the ground and in the air. Such a programme, requiring major modifications to a test aircraft is a first in the history of Airbus research and technology and could set a precedent for similar technology programmes in the future.

Alongside Airbus engineering firms in France, Germany and the United Kingdom, more than twenty industrial partners in Europe and Israel and from European aeronautical research institutes will jointly develop and validate the sophisticated technologies under investigation. They will be supported by a number of European universities, as well as test centres and subcontractors.]]>Mon, 01 Jul 2002 00:00:00 +0100corporate,innovation,uk,germany,franceQantas flies Airbus A330 nonstop from Europe to Australiahttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_09_03_Qantas.htmlThu, 09 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,innovation,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherMalaysia Airlines goes for Airbus A380http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_10_03_Malaysia.html
Deliveries to Malaysia Airlines are scheduled to begin in 2007. Current planning will see the airline operate the A380s on key trunk routes. Engine choice is yet to be determined.

With Malaysia Airlines' selection, Airbus has now 103 orders and commitments from 10 customers for the A380 programme. Built to the latest and most stringent certification requirements, the 555-seater A380 embodies the most advanced technologies, providing 15 to 20 per cent lower operating costs than the largest aircraft flying today and 10 to 15 per cent more range.

"This is a major transaction which we believe will bring long term benefits to PMB, Malaysia Airlines and our customers. This purchase meets our requirements for the future and we expect the A380s to become a key part of our fleet," said Dato' Gumuri Hussain, PMB Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

"With this acquisition, we believe Malaysia Airlines would be even better equipped to sustain and improve on our position as a premier carrier with the latest product offering," said Malaysia Airlines' Managing Director Dato' Md Nor Yusof. “We are very well positioned in the region and combined with the encouraging traffic growth on our flagship long-haul routes, slot constraints in our key destinations and the A380’s expected cost advantages, we believe there is a strong economic rationale for this addition to the fleet, even more so by the time we take delivery in 2007."

Noël Forgeard, Airbus Chief Executive Officer said: "We are indeed delighted that Malaysia Airlines, one of the world's most dynamic carriers, will join the club of renowned airlines having gone the A380 way. I am confident that the aircraft will play a pivotal role in Malaysia Airlines' long-term growth. Furthermore, this decision demonstrates once more that the A380 is the right aircraft with the right economics and passenger appeal, which arrives at the right time to respond to airline needs."

Airbus' presence in Malaysia dates back to 1978 when Malaysia Airlines placed its first order for the A300B4, becoming one of the early Airbus customers. The carrier currently operates nine Airbus A330 aircraft. In October 2002, Airbus reinforced its ties with Malaysia through an agreement with Composites Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM) as a key supplier for A380 wing components, adding to earlier agreements covering composites work for the A300 and A320 family of aircraft.

When it enters into service in 2006, the A380 will offer all the advantages of a completely new design, while retaining maximum commonality with the existing Airbus aircraft family. Passengers will experience a new way of flying in the A380, benefiting from a spacious cabin and wider seats, including those in economy class; while airlines will reap the benefits stemming from Airbus' unique operational commonality inherent in its fly-by-wire family of aircraft, as well as from lower operating costs. A "friendly neighbour," it will quietly ease congestion problems at major airports.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS. ]]>Fri, 10 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a380,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAirbus achieves healthy commercial results in 2002http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_14_03_2002_Results.html
Airbus obtained 300 new firm orders worth US $24.3 billion in 2002, representing 54 per cent of the market in terms of aircraft units and 54 per cent in terms of value. Firm orders booked in 2002 comprised 235 A320 Family aircraft, 55 long range A330/A340s and 10 A380s.

Airbus delivered 303 aircraft, exceeding an annual delivery rate of 300 aircraft for the third consecutive year and generating an estimated turnover of €19.5 billion. These deliveries, comprising 236 single-aisles and 67 widebody and long range airliners, correspond to 44 per cent of the industry total, up six percentage points from 2001.

Airbus' year-end total orders stood at 4,632 orders, which takes into account 67 cancellations in 2002. Airbus' 2002 net order intake therefore stands at 233 aircraft worth US $18.4 billion – representing 57 per cent of the market in terms of aircraft units and 54 per cent in value.

With cumulative deliveries at year-end totalling 3,127 aircraft, Airbus' order backlog of 1,505 stands well ahead of the competition's for the third consecutive year and corresponds to 57 per cent of all large commercial aircraft on order which are yet to be delivered – up 2.6 percentage points from 2001. This solid backlog represents over five years of production at current rates.

2002 was a period of intense activity for Airbus. For the second time in its history the company conducted three certification campaigns concurrently, resulting in entry into commercial service of the new high-capacity A340-600, certification of its ultra-long range sibling the A340-500 and the passing of key certification milestones scheduled for the A318. Meanwhile, work on the A380 proceeded according to plan, with manufacturing now underway at all Airbus sites around Europe.

Airbus President and Chief Executive Noël Forgeard, presenting Airbus' 2002 results in Paris today, stressed that prudence and reactivity would continue to be key in the coming year. "On the one hand we will no doubt face many challenges, but on the other hand we look to the future with confidence, gained from the proven value of our products, the winning spirit of our people and our ability to have overcome hurdles in 2002," he said. "2003 promises to be an important turning point in Airbus' development."

Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 14 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,general,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAirbus holds first recruitment communication forum in Italyhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_17_03_Recruitment.html
The Turin forum was part of a four-month roadshow organised by Airbus, together with the PEGASUS network, during which 15 leading universities in France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, the UK and Italy, were visited. With its international recruiting strategy, Airbus is keen to attract the best graduates and motivate them for an international career.

"We have been very impressed with the quality of the people we met here in Turin, both on an academic and a human level, and are quite confident that concrete results will follow," says Karin Tegtmeier, Airbus Senior Manager Employment Marketing & Recruiting. "We are determined to further our partnership with Italian academic institutions and to strengthen their international orientation in order to provide graduates with a sound background for career opportunities in the aerospace sector. Already, 20 per cent of European aerospace engineers come from Italian universities, making it the second largest provider of aerospace engineers in Europe and highlighting the quality of Italian academics, students and courses."

The Pegasus network universities have all agreed on joint quality standards and those students who have achieved the "Pegasus Award" have completed five years study, spent upwards of five months of this time in another country and can work in at least two European languages. In addition, Airbus works with the universities to ensure that graduates also develop interdisciplinary project work, project management and inter-cultural open-mindedness. By supporting this network, Airbus hopes to ensure that each individual will bring much more than "just" a high level of technical expertise.

To enhance the international and industrial orientation, Airbus and PEGASUS have set up an internationaI internship programme. This programme is already providing up to 40 places for PEGASUS students across all Airbus sites, and will run alongside existing internship programmes at site level.

If Airbus has been able to accomplish so much just over 30 years of existence, it is largely thanks to the commitment and creativity of thousands of Airbus employees around the world, who together design, build, sell and support the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market. Airbus, which has the largest backlog in the civil aircraft industry, currently ranks high in the list of preferred employers in Europe.

Largely because of A380 development and manufacturing, Airbus will continue significant hiring in 2003, looking for some 1,500 people across its European sites with most opportunities arising in structure, systems, flight physics, cabin and manufacturing engineers. Applications are best handled online: www.airbus-careers.com.

Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a truly global enterprise of some 46,000 employees, with fully-fledged subsidiaries in the United States, China and Japan, spare parts centres in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Washington, Beijing and Singapore, training centres in Toulouse, Miami, and Beijing, and 120 field service offices around the world. Airbus also relies on industrial co-operation and partnerships with major companies all over the worlds, and a supplier network of some 1,500 suppliers in 30 countries. In Italy, Alenia is a participant in the Airbus A321, A340-500/-600 and A380 programmes.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 17 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event,people,services_gen,france,careersNorthwest set to optimise transatlantic fleet with A330s: first jets to arrive this yearhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_21_03_Northwest.html
Northwest will receive its first A330-300 this summer with the remainder due over the next five years, while the first A330-200 is to be delivered in early summer 2004. Both versions of the Northwest A330s are to be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4000 series engines.

With both the A330-300 and its smaller but longer range A330-200 stable-mate in its fleet, Northwest has the flexibility to better match future capacity requirements. In the Northwest configuration, the A330-300 will seat 300 passengers, while the -200 will accommodate 250.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 21 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherCyprus Airways Inaugurates A330-200 services on its London routehttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_04_03_Cyprus_Airways.html
Cyprus Airways has chosen a spacious layout, seating 30 passengers in Business and 265 in Economy. Each class is furnished to provide outstanding passenger comfort with individual in flight-entertainment devices throughout the cabin. In addition, the A330-200's capacious cargo holds are ideally suited to the expansion and growth of the lucrative Cyprus-UK freight market.

Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, Cyprus Airways' A330-200, which will be joined by a second aircraft in Spring 2003, also has the potential to profitably serve more distant destinations thanks to the long range of the aircraft and its impressive versatility. Both aircraft are being leased from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).

The Airbus A330/A340 Family is the most successful in its category, with some 740 orders from more than 60 customers, and a route network that criss-crosses the globe with short, medium and long-haul routes.

Cyprus Airways, an all-Airbus operator for over ten years and an A320 launch customer, operates ten Airbus single-aisle aircraft including two A319s and eight A320s on its network in Europe and the Middle East. It will benefit from the unique Airbus commonality philosophy, in which all members of the Airbus fly-by-wire family share near-identical flight decks, systems and handling characteristics, allowing pilots to fly any model with only minor additional training.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 24 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherSouth African Airways celebrates first A340-600http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_24_03_South_African_Airways.html
When it puts the A340-600 into service later this month, SAA will become the first airline in the southern Hemisphere and in Africa to operate the ultra-long range, high capacity aircraft. SAA will operate the A340-600s on routes from Johannesburg to Frankfurt and Hong-Kong.

The largest member of Airbus' market leading A330/A340 Family, the A340-600 provides operators with unrivalled standards of space, comfort and amenity in each cabin class. SAA has chosen a very spacious layout, seating 48 passengers in a luxurious Premium Business Class and 291 in Economy.

"The arrival of the first A340-600 marks a new step in our partnership with Airbus and Rolls-Royce and enables us to further benefit from the Airbus aircraft's operational commonality," said SAA CEO, André Viljoen. "The introduction of the A340-600 will enable us to open up new long-haul trans-Oceanic routes while offering our passengers the highest levels of comfort. For SAA, four engines is the best solution for ultra-long haul flights, especially if they involve flights over desolate terrain or oceans. At the same time, the additional cargo deck space on the A340-600 means we can almost double our cargo uplift compared with what is possible on the 747s."

"The fact that a visionary and prestigious airline like South African Airways amongst the first airlines in the world to operate the A340-600, once again endorses the success of the A340-500/-600 programme and illustrates the benefits which can be achieved through the application of proven modern technology and commonality in aircraft design and operations," said Airbus Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.

Powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines, the A340-600 offers total freedom of flight, unrestricted by ETOPS regulations. This allows airlines to fly more direct routes, saving travel time, cutting fuel consumption and reducing costs.

SAA has also ordered the smaller A340-300Enhanced, becoming the launch customer for this new type of which it will receive six commencing in 2004. It has also placed orders for 15 single-aisle A319 and 11 A320 twin-engined aircraft for use on mainline domestic and regional routes within Africa. These will be delivered between 2005 and 2010.

This entirely new fleet will enable SAA to fully exploit the unique common design concept pioneered by Airbus. Sharing the same cockpit layout, operational procedures and handling characteristics, the aircraft can be operated by SAA as a single fleet, with pilots qualified to fly all of four types on a regular basis after only a few days difference training.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS. ]]>Fri, 24 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,franceAirbus Spares Support and Services receives quality norm EN9100:2000 Certificationhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_24_03_quality_certification.html
The EN9100:2000 certification is proof of an outstanding level of quality management at Airbus, and serves as assurance of quality towards customers. In many cases, customers accept the independently awarded EN9100:2000 certification as a guarantee of quality, instead of carrying out individual audits.

For Airbus Spares Support and Services a certificated quality management system is a necessary prerequisite for providing adequate services and aerospace products in line with safety requirements, as well as according to the customers' needs and expectations.

Based in Hamburg, Airbus Spares Support and Services is the first company in Germany to be awarded the EN9100:2000 certification. In addition to the Hamburg centre, the certificate also covers the Airbus Spares Centre in Ashburn VA, USA and the Airbus Support Center in Beijing, P.R.C. Airbus also operates satellite stores in Frankfurt, Germany and Singapore.

Airbus Customer Services covers all areas of support and is dedicated to helping airlines get the most out of their Airbus aircraft. Over the years, Airbus has developed an innovative and flexible approach to service, in partnership with its customers and suppliers. Today it provides the most competent front line support available and an ever-increasing range of customised support services that help airlines increase safety, achieve their goals and enhance the profitability of their fleets.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 24 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,miscellaneous,customer,germany,worldwide_otherFirst Minister of Wales opens new AIRBUS A380 manufacturing facilitieshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_31_03_Wales.html
These three new developments are constructed within the original East Factory site at Broughton and represent a £73 million investment, providing additional floor area in the factory equivalent to five football pitches.

A new 22,000 m2 building, the Stringer Manufacturing Centre, is producing bottom skin "stringers" (longitudinal stiffeners) for wing panels on both the A380 and current Airbus models. A new 12,000m2 A380 Skin Manufacturing Centre – comprising two extensions to the existing Treatments Facility - is producing 18 of the 20 different aluminium alloy panels which will form the external surfaces or "skins" of the wings for the new A380.

At the opening this morning the First Minister said: "In addition to the 5,000 plus employees here at Broughton, Airbus supports many jobs in the 150 or more Welsh supplier companies and its importance to the Welsh economy cannot be under-estimated."

"The A380 is due to take to the skies in 2005, everyone in Wales send their very best wishes to the project now and for many decades to come."

Brian Fleet, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing for Airbus UK said: "This is an important day and great step forward for A380 manufacturing at Broughton. These new state of the art developments are not only bringing new jobs, skills, capacity and capability on the A380 but are also providing greater efficiency and cost benefits for some existing processes too. For example, a current model "bottom stringer" used to travel 12 kms during this manufacturing process – now it only travels through this building; the complete process used to take 12 weeks to complete and now we expect to carry it out in only four weeks once steady state operations have been achieved."

He continued: "I would like to thank the First Minister for being here today and to thank all those who are supporting our work as we build for the future here in Wales - including of course, the National Assembly of Wales, the Department of Trade and Industry, Flintshire County Council, the Welsh Development Agency, ELWa (Education and Learning Wales), our suppliers, neighbours and of course our workforce."

The dedicated Stringer Manufacturing Centre – the building in which the opening ceremony was held and which the First Minister toured - brings the benefits of close-coupled manufacturing. As well as ultimately reducing cycle times for the process; less inventory is needed resulting in associated cost savings; and a new collation area will increase efficiency by allowing complex sets of stringers to be collated in webbing straps and delivered for assembly pre-prepared for attaching straight to the milled wing skins. There are 100 different bottom stringers on an A380 wing (200 per aircraft) and some stringers will be up to 22m long.

Within the A380 Skin Manufacturing Centre, the new extension for Skin Machining houses state- of-the-art floor-level 40m long milling machines with advanced swarf extraction; providing both a safe and efficient working environment and ensuring efficient recycling of swarf.

The other Skin Manufacturing extension - for A380 Creep Forming - houses a specialist heating or “baking” process to add curvature to the top panels and subsequently to the wing surface. One of the key features is an autoclave (pressurised oven) which at 42m long, nearly six metres in diameter and weighing 300 tonnes is believed to be one of the largest in the world.

Manufacturing on A380 has begun at all Airbus sites around Europe. At Broughton first production metal was cut on 12 December 2002. Orders and commitments for the A380 – both in the initial 555 seat and the freighter version now total 103 aircraft for 10 customers with first aircraft deliveries due in 2006.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 31 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,general,asset_man,uk,worldwide_otherIberia to join the long list of A340-500/-600 customershttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_31_03_Iberia.html
With this decision, Iberia becomes the 12th customer to select an aircraft from the new long-range A340-500/-600 Family, of which now a total of 81 have been committed to (72 firm orders plus nine committed to by Iberia), representing a 57 percent market share vs. its direct competitor, the 777-200LR/-300ER long-range family (of which 61 aircraft have been ordered by seven customers, according to the latest information available on the Boeing website).

Many independent surveys of business flyers have confirmed that the vast majority placed significant importance on their comfort during long-range flights and preferred four-engined aircraft for those journeys, with the majority of respondents preferring the A340 configuration over the 777 by a significant factor.

The A340-500/-600 are market leaders in their class, both in terms of aircraft sold and customers. Recent sales to SAA and Iberia confirm the market need for genuine long-range capability and reaffirm the importance of being able to operate efficiently with four-engined aircraft from hot and from high altitude airports.

The long-range credentials of the A340-600 have already been confirmed with the introduction of non-stop Los Angeles-Hong Kong services by Cathay Pacific. 2003 will also mark the inauguration of new ultra-long-range services by the A340-500 with Air Canada, Emirates and Singapore Airlines.

With greater revenue-generating capability and operating costs lower than those of the 747 or 777, with passenger-pleasing seating in an all-new cabin interior and outstandingly low noise levels, the A340-500/-600 Family is setting standards in long-haul air travel.

A leading manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China, and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS Company with BAE SYSYEMS.]]>Fri, 31 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,spain,worldwide_otherAir Tahiti takes delivery of A340s, consolidating Airbus fleethttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_03_03_Air_Tahiti.html
The aircraft will join the A340s already in service with Air Tahiti Nui on flights to Japan and the US West coast, as well as on one-stop flights to Europe and regional routes to New Zealand.

"We fly mainly long-haul routes from our base in the middle of the Pacific, and the tremendous flexibility and reliability of the four-engined A340, together with its excellent economy on shorter routes, make it by far the best aircraft for our services," says Air Tahiti Nui Chairman & CEO Nelson Levy.

Air Tahiti Nui first became an Airbus operator in 1998, when it began flying a leased A340-200 on services to Japan and the US West coast. It has since added two A340-300s – one leased and one purchased – allowing it to increase frequencies on existing routes, as well as to introduce service to Paris via Los Angeles.

Following the delivery of its two new aircraft, the A340-200 will be returned to its lessor, leaving Air Tahiti Nui with a standardised fleet of four A340-300s – three owned and one leased - each powered by CFM International CFM56-5C4s.

"Tahiti's main income is from tourism. The expansion of its fleet is crucial to managing and growing its economy, so we are delighted that Air Tahiti Nui has chosen our aircraft for this important role," says Airbus President & CEO Noël Forgeard.

The A330/A340 family are the most modern aircraft in the 250-375 seat class, consistently winning independent passenger surveys. The market-leaders for more than a decade, they have the most orders and customers to their credit.

Customers for the modern A330/A340 family benefit from their unmatched passenger appeal, economy and flexibility on demanding routes, as well as from valuable savings in operation through commonality.

Air Tahiti Nui is the long-haul international airline of French Polynesia, with the "Nui" part of its name meaning "great."

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Mon, 03 Feb 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherJetBlue orders two more A320S: new order comes on heels of airline's third birthdayhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_11_03_JetBlue.html
"As the tenth largest A320 operator in the world as measured by weekly departures, we're very excited to add an additional two Airbus aircraft to our fleet this year," said David Neeleman, CEO of JetBlue Airways. "At a time when many in our industry are reducing capacity, we continue to see strong demand from our loyal customer base. These additional aircraft will help us to meet that demand by bringing high quality service and low fares to more Customers around the country."

"JetBlue’s success in this challenging period for the industry is a testament to the airline's people, service and its choice of aircraft," said Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are pleased that JetBlue continues to show confidence in the reliability and economy of the A320 Family, a confidence demonstrated by this newest order."

The Airbus A320 Family includes the 107-seat A318, the 124-seat A319, the 150-seat A320 and the 185-seat A321. Each of these two-engine aircraft features the widest fuselage of any single-aisle aircraft in the world, offering passengers more room to relax and crew members more room to maneuver through the cabin. In addition, the A320 Family features the most economical and environmentally responsible aircraft in their class, offering the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noise footprints in their size category.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the United States, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 11 Feb 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherMiddle East Airlines takes delivery of first A321 from Airbushttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_17_03_Middle_East_Airlines.html
Middle East Airlines already operates a leased Airbus fleet from the early '90s, which the new aircraft will progressively replace. MEA will also integrate three new leased long-range widebody twin A330-200s, due for delivery this year, as part of its fleet modernisation plan.

The Beirut-based Lebanese flag carrier will operate its new A321 fleet on non-stop routes to the Gulf and Europe, as well as within the Middle East region.

Middle East Airlines' A321s feature a luxurious seating for 31 passengers in business class and 118 in economy, with personal television screens for everyone. MEA's A321s are powered by V2533 engines from International Aero Engines (IAE), featuring a quietness that meets tough new stage 4 noise standards.

"Middle East Airlines current healthy financial situation and fleet modernization are the results of collective and combined efforts from the airline's management and staff, as well as Lebanon's Central Bank and Government's Transport Ministry" said His Excellency Lebanese Minister of Transport Najib Mikati.

Middle East Airlines Chairman Director General Mohamed El Hout also added: "Our main objective is to offer the most luxurious product to our passengers. The last part of our successful re-structuring plan was fleet modernisation, and Airbus was a winning choice. The A321 offers an optimized comfort for passengers as well as the lowest operating cost, emissions and noise footprints in it's size category. It was a natural choice for MEA."

"We are very proud to be part of Middle East Airlines' future, to which this all new Airbus fleet should profitably contribute" said Airbus President Noël Forgeard.

Designed to optimise passenger comfort and maximise cost savings, the A318, A319, A320 and A321 form the world's most profitable and best-selling single aisle-aircraft Family. The Family is in widespread service around the world with some 120 customers and operators, including several airlines within the Middle East.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Mon, 17 Feb 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAir Pacific selects the Airbus A330-300http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_18_03_AirPacific.html
Air Pacific will initially use the A330s on routes to Australia, Japan and New Zealand, introducing new standards of widebody comfort and, as its fleet grows, other destinations will be upgraded.

Each of Air Pacific's A330s will seat 24 passengers in business class and 292 in economy, with the latest standards of in-flight entertainment throughout. Engines have yet to be selected.

"We chose the Airbus A330 because it was the best aircraft for our routes in terms of economics, passenger appeal and capability," says Air Pacific Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer John Campbell. "The widespread use of, and support for, the Airbus A330/A340 family in the Pacific was also important."

The A330-300 offers an optimised cabin layout providing passengers with ample space, where space really matters. Airbus' A330/A340 Family sets the standard for today's passenger comfort, avoiding middle?seats in business class and ensuring that all economy class passengers are no farther than one seat away from an aisle.

"As Fiji’s national airline, Air Pacific has a proud heritage and history stretching back over fifty years," says Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard. "The airline is a major contributor to Fiji's economy, as well as its flourishing tourist industry, so we are naturally delighted to be part of Air Pacific's future with the Airbus A330."

Air Pacific is in good company with its choice of the A330/A340 family, since most of the major "flag carriers" in the region – such as Aircalin, Air Tahiti Nui and Qantas – are already flying them. Air New Zealand will also become an Airbus operator when it gets its first A320s later this year.

The A330?300’s flexibility and efficiency results from its state-of-the-art technology, optimised wing design and the lowest fuel burn in its class. Together with low noise and emission levels, these features also contribute to environmentally-friendly operations.

Air Pacific's selection of the A330 further reinforces the remarkable success of the A330/A340 Family as the preferred medium to long?range aircraft among airlines worldwide. The A330/A340 Family has booked some 750 total orders from more than 60 customers to date. It has the most popular cabin in its class, consistently leading in independent passenger surveys.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 18 Feb 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAirbus receives Japanese state-of-the-art technology contribution for A380: Yokogawa Electric, Casio Computers, and Makino Milling Machineshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_19_03_Japanese_technology.html
Airbus President and CEO Noel Forgeard said, "It is an important step in our collaboration with Japan. We are moving from the obvious work in aero-structures level to a strong contribution in state-of-the-art technology. The support of Yokogawa, Casio, and Makino to the A380 programme will surely enhance the success of the most advanced airliner programme currently under development and launched in production."

In addition to the ten Japanese suppliers which were already announced in 2002, these contracts will raise the estimated revenue of Japan in the A380 programme to well over US $2.15 billion in the years to come.

The contribution of new suppliers is as follows:

Yokogawa Electric Corporation is to supply the display modules for the A380 cockpit system. Production will be completed at Yokogawa’s main plant in Musashino (Mitaka, Tokyo) and the first article is to be delivered in June 2003. Yokogawa already supplies display units for the A340-600.

Casio Computers Co. Ltd. is the supplier of the 6"x8" TFT liquid crystal panels to Yokogawa Electric. Manufacturing and assembly of the displays will be at Casio’s plant in Kochi (Shikoku island), with delivery in May 2003. Casio is also working on the A340-600 program.

Makino Milling Machines Co. Ltd. is the supplier of High Performance Machining Centers to be used in the production of precision parts for the A380 wing. The centers are produced at Makino’s Atsugi plant (Kanagawa Prefecture) and the first machines have been already installed at Airbus plant in Filton (United Kingdom). This is the first contract of Makino with Airbus within the framework of the Key Supplier Agreement signed in 2002.

To date, ten customers have announced firm orders and commitments for a total of 103 A380s. The 555-seater A380 will enter into service in early 2006.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 19 Feb 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,innovation,procurement,japan,worldwide_otherAirbus and Tenzing achieve breakthrough in low-cost airborne e-mail http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/02_24_03_Tenzing.html
"Passengers will pay even less for in-flight e-mail access because of this key communication system enhancement," said Alan McGinnis, Chief Executive Officer of Tenzing. "It also will enable us to offer premium services such as live web browsing, VPN support and access to corporate networks."

The system combines hardware and software from Airbus, Rockwell Collins, and Tenzing. It uses an aircraft's existing high-gain SATCOM antenna and available worldwide coverage, making it affordable for airlines to deliver both e-mail and live Internet services to passengers. More than 1800 aircraft worldwide are installed with this type of SATCOM antenna. The solution is designed to support short, affordable retrofits, making it possible for airlines to equip their entire fleet in mere months. It can also be upgraded to new generations of the high-speed data link with minimal impact.

"Rockwell Collins supports the emergence of connectivity in the global air transport market," said Jan Timmers, Rockwell Collins managing director of Airbus. "This is a great step forward in providing e-mail and Internet services onboard aircraft." "The AFIS system with Rockwell Collins high speed data solution and Tenzing passenger messaging service uses the existing L-band SATCOM infrastructure, which means it is inexpensive to install, provides a low cost option for end users and has global coverage today," said Olivier Andries, Senior VP Products and Services Policy of Airbus.

The A318 aircraft used for the demonstration is equipped with the Airbus in-Flight Information System (AFIS) hosting Tenzing’s email software connected to the ground network. Connectivity was provided using the INMARSAT Swift64 service to transmit messages at 64 kbps over Rockwell Collins' SAT-906 SATCOM system and HST-900 high-speed data transceiver. Several major airlines have expressed interest in the system, which is now available for installation.

In addition to passenger applications, the AFIS system will host applications targeting the airlines' operational needs, which will take advantage of the high speed Swift64 data connection to the ground.

About Airbus

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.

About Rockwell Collins

Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL) is a leader in the design, production and support of communications and aviation electronics solutions for government and commercial customers worldwide. Additional information is available at www.rockwellcollins.com.

About Tenzing

Tenzing Communications, Inc. is the market leader for installed airline email and messaging solutions allowing travelers to use their laptops or seatback video screens to stay connected. The company has been providing the Tenzingâ System to passengers with laptops on Cathay Pacific Airways since April 2002, which now has 40 aircraft equipped with the service. Tenzing is also providing short message service (SMS) to cell phones and email accounts via seatback video screens on Virgin Atlantic Airways. The company is currently negotiating with several other U.S. and international carriers. Major investors include Airbus and Rockwell Collins.]]>Mon, 24 Feb 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,innovation,technical_sup,france,worldwide_otherAirbus statement on US Airways delayed payments http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/03_04_03_US_Airways.html
1. The amount of $44.5 million mentioned in the press reports corresponds to total payments due by the airline on March 3 to all the financiers of 23 Airbus single aisle aircraft. This financing was arranged on the US bond market (EETC).

2. Airbus share of the financing is limited to 15% of the total amount.

3. These payments are to be recovered as part of the reorganisation of the airline, currently under chapter 11 proceedings.

4. As a result, Airbus does not envisage to change its assessment of its financing exposure to US Airways.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS. ]]>Tue, 04 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,product_gen,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAirbus aircraft enter widespread service with e-mail accesshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/03_12_03_email.html
Cathay Pacific Airways, in partnership with Hong Kong Internet service provider PCCW NETVIGATOR, began offering the service this week on more than half of its fleet, including 28 Airbus aircraft.

This is the first time that email access has been introduced on such large numbers of airliners in scheduled service, as well as the first time that it has been deployed on aircraft to a wide range of long-haul destinations. Cathay Pacific plans to offer the service on its entire fleet by year-end. Its passenger fleet of 68 aircraft includes almost 40 Airbus A330s, A340-300s and A340-600s.

The widespread introduction on Airbus aircraft of Tenzing's email solution highlights the simple, affordable, and globally available nature of its product, which is the first, and so far only one, to be deployed in commercial service.

Airbus' partnership with Tenzing allows airlines to introduce email and related services with minimal investment, as well as to grow their customer-base and add new services in an evolutionary way - in response to market demand. It is the only service offering this, because it uses the satellite communications equipment already fitted to most long-haul airliners, plus the existing worldwide service provided by Inmarsat satellites.

In addition to offering Tenzing as today's preferred solution, Airbus continues to work with its partners to evolve a broadband solution, in a step-by-step way. This approach allows airlines to progressively grow their customer base to the point where it can support the higher cost of offering broadband service.

The Tenzing solution also allows airlines to maintain control of their customer-base, and is unique in offering "intelligent mail management," in which passengers pay only for the messages that they choose to read or send.

Cathay Pacific is initially providing the email service to passengers in first, business and the front rows of economy class. Access will be free until June, when passengers will begin paying a modest charge of $9.95 to read the headers of their emails throughout the flight, plus a further 60 cents for each kilobyte that they read or send (equivalent to about a page of text). Special rates will be available to @netvigator.com account holders.

Passengers access their emails on their own laptop computers aboard the aircraft, using Tenzing software. The connection to the General Dynamics server that sends and receives the emails is via the aircraft's existing in-flight entertainment system.

Tenzing has also developed a means for passengers to send SMS telephone messages while in flight, and this has been in service aboard other Airbus aircraft since August 2002.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 12 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a330a340,event_gen,innovation,flight_op,france,worldwide_otherJetBlue signs C$28M deal with Airbus and CAEhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/03_13_03_JetBlue.html
JetBlue pilots will train on Airbus A320 full flight simulators (FFS) in the Airbus Training Centre in Miami, Florida, which is part of the Airbus-CAE training network. The value of the three-year agreement is approximately C$16 million (US$11 million).

"This agreement is a perfect example of integrated training solutions and how CAE's cooperation with Airbus benefits our customers. We are offering flexible and customized training services, as well as continuing to supply industry-leading equipment," said Gary Scott, Group President, Civil Simulation & Training, CAE. "We are very pleased to expand our relationship with JetBlue, and wish them great success and continued growth."

"We're designing new CAE Simfinity™ FTDs for JetBlue's Airbus A320 initial pilot training. The devices use the same high fidelity software as CAE’s full flight simulators, combined with cost-effective hardware. This new and innovative approach is designed to meet today’s rigorous training demands," added Scott. Flight training devices are realistic replicas of actual cockpit instrumentation used to help pilots master the basic elements of operating an aircraft, prior to developing advanced skills on a full flight simulator. The total value of the training equipment is C$12 million (US$8 million) at list prices.

Based at New York City's John F. Kennedy International airport, JetBlue is one of the most successful low-fare airlines in the United States. The airline, which currently employs 570 pilots and has ongoing pilot training needs, flies a fleet of 40 Airbus A320 aircraft and is scheduled to place into service another 12 A320s by the end of 2003.

"The Airbus-CAE integrated training solutions provide flexibility to help us meet JetBlue's operational growth," said Mike Barger, director of training for JetBlue. "Their products and services will help us achieve new training and safety standards as we grow."

"We are very proud that JetBlue has chosen to fly exclusively on Airbus A320s. Our goal is to ensure that every new Airbus aircraft goes into service safely and efficiently," said Jean-Michel Roy, Vice President Training and Flight Operations, Airbus, "Our integrated training solutions will support JetBlue’s objective of developing one of the foremost all-Airbus fleets in America."

Airbus Customer Services covers all areas of support and is dedicated to helping airlines get the most out of their Airbus aircraft. Over the years, Airbus has developed an innovative and flexible approach to service, in partnership with its customers and suppliers.

CAE is a global leader in providing advanced simulation and controls equipment and integrated training solutions for customers in the civil aviation, military and marine markets. With annual revenues in excess of $1 billion, CAE employs more than 6,000 people in Canada, the United States and around the globe.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS. ]]>Thu, 13 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,product_gen,event_gen,miscellaneous,training,worldwide_gen,worldwide_otherStatement by Noël Forgeard, Pesident and CEO of Airbushttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/03_17_03_Statement.htmlMon, 17 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,people,services_gen,france,worldwide_otherGaruda Indonesia receives Airbus operational reliability award http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/03_18_03_Indonesia.html
"This award recognises the outstanding in-service operational reliability of Garuda Indonesia's A330 fleet, which achieved an impressive 99.02 per cent level in 2002" said John Grother, Airbus Vice-President, A330/A340 Programs, at the ceremony to mark the achievement.

Airbus' involvement with Indonesia dates back to February 1979, when Garuda Indonesia placed an order for nine A300s, the world's first widebody twin-engine airliner. As part of Airbus' philosophy of working closely with its customers on the refinement and development of its products, Garuda Indonesia was one of the major influences behind the development of the "forward-facing" two man cockpit. With the delivery of its first A300-B4 in 1982, Garuda Indonesia subsequently became the first airline in the world to operate a two man crew widebody aircraft.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 18 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a300a310,event_gen,general,technical_sup,worldwide_gen,worldwide_otherPrivatAir selects A319 long-range for Lufthansa flightshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/03_19_03_PrivatAir.html
PrivatAir will take delivery of the first of two new A319LRs in May, when it will begin nonstop business-class only flights from Dusseldorf to Newark (New York). The second A319LR will be delivered in June, when it will start nonstop flights from Dusseldorf to Chicago. Both are new aircraft being leased by PrivatAir from CIT Aerospace.

"With over 25 years of experience in the business, we know what to look for in a business jet, and the A319LR is going to be a tremendous aircraft for the Lufthansa business travellers that we will be flying," says PrivatAir CEO Greg Thomas. "Premium passengers want the best in comfort and service, and the A319LR is going to play a key role in helping us to deliver exactly that."

Each A319LR will seat 48 passengers in a generous four-abreast business class at 60 in-pitch, allowing PrivatAir to offer an exclusive premium service, and each will be powered by IAE V2500 engines.

"When you have a modern and flexible aircraft family, there are always new opportunities opening up, as PrivatAir is showing with the A319LR," says Airbus President and CEO Noël Forgeard. "And when the companies pursuing them are as well respected in their fields as PrivatAir and Lufthansa, you know that they are going to be successful."

Derived from the popular A319 airliner, the A319LR has a number of Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) features, such as up to four additional centre tanks in its cargo hold, for intercontinental range.

With both European JAA and American FAA approval, the A319LR and ACJ are the only business jets certificated for public transport on both sides of the Atlantic.

Airbus' A320 family features the most modern design plus the most spacious cabin of any aircraft in its class, delivering unmatched passenger comfort and unparalleled economy and reliability. Already a firm favourite with bizjet customers via the ACJ - as well as with airlines - the A320 family consistently leads in independent passenger surveys, and is widely recognised as the benchmark in its field.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 19 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,germany,worldwide_otherAircalin signs Airbus A320 dealhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/03_25_03_Aircalin.html
Aircalin's A320 will seat 8 passengers in business class, and 138 in economy. At the same time, the company confirms it has selected International Aero Engines V2500-A5 engines to power the aircraft.

Aircalin has already put into service two Airbus A330-200s. The addition of the A320 will make it an all-Airbus operator.

"Our routes are crucial to the success of international trade and tourism for New Caledonia, and our modern Airbus fleet is the key to offering customers great service at economic prices," says Aircalin Chief Executive Officer Jean-Michel Masson. "The A320 will complement our A330s by flying short to medium haul routes and, with the same basic cockpit, is a natural addition to our fleet. It also enables Air Calin to offer the best comfort level available on the market and the youngest fleet in the Pacific region."

Airbus aircraft have enjoyed considerable success in the Pacific in recent years, with all of the major "flag carriers" choosing them for their fleet modernisations.

"Following the widebody A330 and A340, which have already established themselves as the 250-300 seaters of choice in the Pacific, the A320 Family is now also becoming the aircraft of preference in the region" says Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.

Airbus' A320 Family features the most modern design, the widest and most comfortable cabin, and a unique level of operational commonality for any single-aisle aircraft. It also has great economics, low maintenance costs, transcontinental range, and a proven worth as an excellent financial investment. The A320 is thus a firm favourite with passengers, invariably coming top in independent surveys, as well as consistently leading in financial and operator polls.

Widely accepted as the industry standard, the best–selling Airbus A320 Family comes in four different sizes - the 107-seat A318, 124 seat A319, 150 seat A320 and 185 seat A321. All of them share the same airframe – only the fuselage lengths are different – plus the same cockpits, systems and engines deliver unmatched commonality and savings to airlines.

Firm orders for the best-selling A320 family now approach 3,000, almost 2,000 of which have been delivered, with some 130 customers and operators.

Airbus has a long-established and increasingly strong presence in the Pacific, where most of the major airlines have made Airbus aircraft the cornerstone of their future fleets.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 25 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherMartinair receives first new Airbus A320 in the Netherlandshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/03_28_03_Martinair.html
Martinair's selection of the Airbus A320 was driven by the A320's superior economics, unbeatable performance on short runways, best dispatch reliability in its segment and outstanding level of passenger comfort in a single class layout. The A320 features the widest cabin cross-section, thus offering wider seats for a more pleasant flight and wider aisles for fast turnarounds that are essential in the charter market.

The Amsterdam based carrier will equip its A320s with V2527 engines from International Aero Engines, with low fuel burn, emissions and noise, making it an environmentally responsible neighbour at Schiphol airport.

Renowned for its operational flexibility, Martinair also recognised the unique value of the A320 Family in its decision. The A318, A319, A320 and A321 form the world's most profitable, extensive and best selling family of aircraft, offering Martinair significant flexibility to adapt capacity to demand in the future. All A320 Family members share the same type rating, so pilots qualified on one can fly any of the others without additional training, and the aircraft can all be maintained by the same team of mechanics.

Martinair's President and CEO Arie Verberk sees new opportunities with the new Airbus: "The choice of this Airbus A320 makes it possible for us to operate on another market in Europe. New destinations, especially on the smaller Greek islands, can be reached with this 180-seater. We can offer the tour operators a wider range of possibilities, so we will be an one-stop-shop for them."

"We are very pleased to see Martinair becoming the first operator of new A320s in the Netherlands, a country in which Airbus market share is growing rapidly," said Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and CEO. "With nearly 350 A320 Family aircraft in operation or on order for the European low-fare and tourism industry, Airbus is the clear market leader in this segment," he added.

Martinair operates across the globe from 75 locations, utilizing a network of international establishments as far afield as Hong Kong and Florida, and employing a workforce of no less than 3,000. Martinair also owns a number of aviation-related subsidiaries. Since its establishment 45 years ago, Martinair has grown from a small charter company into a significant player in both the European and intercontinental cargo and leisure carrier markets.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 28 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherEgyptair orders seven A330-200s from Airbushttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_01_03_Egyptair.html
The Egyptian flag carrier plans to operate the A330-200 on routes mainly within the Middle East and to Europe. In Egyptair's layout the aircraft will seat around 275 passengers in a highly comfortable configuration. The A330-200 offers the most spacious cabin of any aircraft in its category, creating a more enjoyable seating arrangement for passengers, while state-of-the art systems help to provide a comfortable atmosphere that reflects the commitment to passenger comfort found in all Airbus aircraft.

The A330-200 is renowned for being the most efficient aircraft in its class, combining the lowest operating costs with highly efficient cargo capabilities that enhance airline profitability through freight operations. The A330-200‘s flexibility and efficiency stem from its state-of-the-art technology, optimised wing design and the lowest fuel burn in its class.

Airbus' unique cross-fleet operational commonality was a decisive factor in the airline's decision in favour of the A330-200 said Egyptair Chairman General Atef Abd El Hamid. "Our crews are already familiar with the benefits of Airbus fly-by-wire technology, which allows a remarkable mobility between our Airbus aircraft types. We have found that this is a source of considerable savings in training and operations through Cross Crew Qualification between our A320/A321 single-aisles and our widebody A340s, which the A330-200 will further reinforce."

Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer, said that this renewed mark of confidence in Airbus aircraft from its earliest customer in the Arab-speaking world was a source of great pride. "The close partnership we have had with Egyptair for well over twenty years is very special to us and we look forward to developing it further with the selection of the A330."

Egyptair is one of Airbus' largest customers in the Middle East, today operating seven A320s, four A321s, three A340-200s, two A300B4 freighters and seven A300-600 aircraft. Egyptair also has five A320s on order, to be delivered in the coming months.

Egyptair's selection of the A330 further reinforces the remarkable success of the A330/A340 Family as the preferred medium to long-range aircraft among airlines. The A330/A340 Family has booked over 750 total orders from more than 60 customers to date.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 01 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherIberia increases A340-600 orderhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_02_03_Iberia.html
The A340-600s will replace the carrier's ageing 747 fleet on long haul routes, bringing considerable savings due to lower fuel consumption, better operational efficiency and greater cargo capacity. Together with a fleet of 18 A340-300s currently in service, they will be operated mainly on the airline’s routes from Madrid to major Latin American cities.

In Iberia's spacious layout, the A340-600 will accommodate ten passengers in First class, 42 in Business and 300 in Economy. Powered by four Rolls Royce Trent 500 engines, the aircraft will also be equipped with the latest in passenger entertainment and communication systems.

"The A340-600 will enable Iberia to increase its presence in the Latin American market and contribute to furthering our leadership, while offering optimised services to our customers. Our selection of the A340-600 follows a thorough evaluation and is mainly driven by the high level of flexibility and commonality with our A340-300 and single-aisle A320 Family fleets," said Xabier de Irala, President of Iberia. "This additional order is also a clear indication of our confidence in the future and the continuous growth of passenger and cargo air traffic in spite of current global economic difficulties."

"We are very honoured that once again Iberia, one of our largest customers in the world, has chosen to further its partnership with us, by increasing its order for the A340-600," said Noel Forgeard, Airbus President and CEO. "The A340 constitutes the clear market leader both in terms of aircraft sold and customers. Once again, we are committed to providing Iberia with the best in terms of both quality of product and customer services."

Iberia, an Airbus customer since 1978, has ordered a total of 109 aircraft from Airbus including 30 A340s and 75 A320 Family aircraft. Currently, Iberia operates a fleet of 18 A340s, four A319s, 58 A320s and seven A321s, all fly-by-wire aircraft that offer unique operational commonality thus generating remarkable cost savings.

With greater revenue-generating capability, operating costs lower than competing aircraft, passenger-pleasing seating in all-new cabin interior and outstandingly low noise levels, the A340 Family is setting standards in long-haul air travel.

With a total of some 760 orders from over 60 customers, Airbus’ A330/A340 Family is the market leader in the 250-375 seater segment, representing a 55 per cent market share.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 02 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,spain,worldwide_otherAvion Capital: a new financing tool for Airbushttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_04_03_Avion.html
Airbus Financial Services, CIT Group Structured Finance (UK) Limited, Indosuez Airfinance S.A. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Crédit Agricole Indosuez S.A.) and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau will underwrite the financing to Avion Capital. By virtue of their specific expertise and resources, they will additionally undertake various agency roles such as syndication, paying agency and security trustee functions, administrative back office and remarketing services.

Each year the joint venture will consider financing specific deliveries in compliance with agreed investment criteria and on terms defined by reference to an underwriting model which specifies the loan to value ratio, pricing and the amount of junior debt to be retained in equal shares by Avion’s participants or their affiliates after syndication of the senior debt in the market.

Avion Capital has been incorporated in Ireland and its operational base is in Dublin. Mr Colin Thaine has been appointed the CEO; he is a former head of aircraft finance at the London office of the English law firm, Denton Wilde Sapte. He brings 30 years of aviation experience to the joint venture. His duties shall include the negotiation of documentation with customers and the management of the portfolio of Avion.

The establishment of this new financing vehicle is wholly consistent with the existing Airbus customer finance strategy of looking to the financial markets to finance the acquisition of its customers’ aircraft and holding financing only when necessary and selling down exposures as soon as the market permits.

Benoit Debains, SVP, Finance of Airbus said "Avion Capital will provide Airbus with a further tool enabling it to meet the financing needs of our customers in these difficult market conditions supplementing the current customer support already offered by our relationship international banks and financial institutions and by our wholly owned subsidiary Airbus Financial Services. We are very pleased to secure the participation in a common project of long term partners and experienced aircraft financing institutions from Europe and the United States."

Nikita Zdanow, Group CEO of CIT's Capital Finance group said "Avion Capital will be handling aircraft which Airbus has previously committed to finance. CIT, with its extensive aerospace experience will be able to assist Avion in the syndication, remarketing and sale of those transactions entered into by Avion Capital. We look forward to working with Airbus, Crédit Agricole Indosuez, and KfW to make this venture a success."

Emmanuel Feld, SVP Global Head of Aerospace and Shipping at Crédit Agricole Indosuez said "With this new joint company, Crédit Agricole Indosuez Group is pleased to continue and strengthen its long-standing relationship with Airbus and to extend its cooperation with KfW and CIT. Avion's customers will be able to benefit from CAI’s leading role in arrangement and syndication of various structured aircraft financings."

Christian Murach, SVP, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau's Head of Transportation said "Avion Capital stands for an innovative product in a challenging market. It signifies an important expansion of KfW's product range in aircraft finance. The Bank considers the cooperation among longstanding partners as well as the combination of their different background of experience in the industry as a key factor of this new financing vehicle."

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 04 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,general,customer,uk,germany,france,worldwide_otherAirbus fleet changes at US Airways to boost airline's strengthhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_07_03_USAirways.html
"As we anticipated, US Airways emerged from bankruptcy stronger than ever and we are pleased to be a partner in their evolution," said Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. "The airline is rightfully very focused on maximizing its cost-effectiveness and this is reinforced by their decision to build their widebody fleet with the A330 Family."

US Airways took delivery of its first Airbus aircraft, an A320, in October of 1998. Since that time, the airline has built one of the largest A320 Family fleets in the world. US Airways was the first airline in the United States to operate an Airbus A330, which has become the flagship of its international service – flying between the eastern U.S. and western Europe. The combination of the A330-200 and A330-300 within the US Airways fleet will allow the airline great flexibility in satisfying its varying needs for range and capacity on those routes.

The successful A330/A340 Family is the preferred medium- to long-range aircraft among airlines around the world. The A330/A340 Family has booked more than 750 total orders from over 60 customers to date.]]>Mon, 07 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherThomas Cook Airlines receives first new A320 for its UK fleet http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_16_03_Thomas_Cook.html
Thomas Cook's new A320 will be powered by environmental friendly CFM56-B4 engines, and features a comfortable single-class layout with new cabin interior colours in Thomas Cook's design. Airbus single-aisle aircraft have the widest cabin cross section in its class, thus offering wider seats and wider aisles for the best cabin comfort. Furthermore the A320 Family offers the biggest overhead bins in single-aisle aircraft for a more convenient storage of modern roll-aboard luggage.

With the arrival of the new A320, Thomas Cook Airlines will further benefit from Airbus' unique operational commonality. The wide-body Airbus A330-200, already in operation with the airline, shares virtually identical flight decks, on-board systems and handling characteristics with the single-aisle A320. This commonality allows crews and engineers to be trained on both single-aisle and wide-body aircraft, substantially reducing operational costs for the airline. An operational advantage that is only possible with Airbus aircraft.

Designed to optimise passenger comfort and maximise cost savings, the A318, A319, A320 and A321 form the world's most profitable and best-selling single-aisle aircraft family. All derived from the same fuselage, the A320 Family provides operators with the highest degree of commonality and economy for aircraft in the 107-185 seat category. Depending on seasonal demand airlines can thus easily switch from one Airbus aircraft to another to sustain maximum profitability.

With nearly 350 A320 Family aircraft in operation or on order for the European low-fare and tourism industry, Airbus is the clear market leader in this segment

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 16 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,uk,worldwide_otherPrivatAir receives its first Airbus A319 http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_22_03_PrivatAir.html
The two A319 airliners will be operated mainly for Airbus internal services between the company's head quarters and biggest site in Toulouse, France, and two other big facilities in the Airbus system: Bristol/Filton in the UK and Hamburg in Germany. The routes will be served five days a week, Monday to Friday. With a capacity of 126 seats in a single-class layout, the PrivatAir A319s offer reliability, lower unit costs as well as a significant upgrade for Airbus passengers on these routes compared to previous services with older-generation regional aircraft.

The two remaining A319LRs will be used to operate Lufthansa's new non-stop all-business-class services between Düsseldorf and Chicago as well as the one established last year between Düsseldorf and Newark, operated by PrivatAir from June 2003. On these services, PrivatAir's A319LRs will seat 48 passengers in a high-comfort four-abreast arrangement with a seat pitch of 60 inches, allowing Lufthansa to offer an exclusive premium service.

The A319LR is the latest addition to the Airbus A320 Family of aircraft, combining the performance capabilities of the Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) with the qualities of a premium-class airliner. In a standard cabin layout, the A319LR features an all-business class layout with 48 seats and carries up to 35,400 litres/9,350 US gallons of fuel, allowing it to fly up to 4,500 nm/8,250 km in this configuration.

The A320 Family comprises the A318, A319, A320 and A321, offering the highest degree of economy and passenger comfort for aircraft seating from 100 to 220 passengers. The ACJ, a longer-range version of the A319, can fly as far as 6,000 nm/11,100 km with 12 passengers on board.

The A319LR allows profitable airline services on intercontinental routes, such as from Europe to North America, or from Japan to Eastern Europe and to Australia. Unlike competing aircraft, the A319LR features the full range of state-of-the-art airliner qualities and equipment, such as CATIIIB autoland capabilities, ETOPS certification, EGPWS, FANS provisions and TCAS II installation, making it the most capable aircraft and superior choice in this market segment.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company]]>Tue, 22 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,germany,worldwide_otherJetBlue places order for 65 Airbus A320shttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_24_03_JetBlue.html
"In the post-September 11th environment and the market complexities that have resulted, it is more critical than ever for the hard-hit U.S. airline industry to rebound," said David Neeleman, CEO of JetBlue Airways. "The best way for JetBlue to take part in this process is through controlled growth with safe, economical and comfortable aircraft. We're confident these newly ordered aircraft will continue to please our customers, crewmembers and investors alike."

"With this order, JetBlue demonstrates that with the right people, the right product and the right cost structure, airlines can grow, even in this current, challenging, environment," said Noël Forgeard, Airbus Chief Executive Officer. "As JetBlue continues to conquer the odds, their repeated choice of Airbus aircraft proves that efficiency on all levels, including equipment and operations, is a must for an airline's continuing health."

The Airbus A320 Family includes four single-aisle aircraft ranging in capacity from 107-to-185 seats. The A318, A319, A320 and A321 feature the widest fuselage of any single-aisle aircraft in the world, offering passengers more room to relax and crewmembers more room to maneuver through the cabin. In addition, the A320 Family features the most economical and environmentally responsible aircraft in their class, offering the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noise footprints in their size category.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Thu, 24 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_manChinese airlines order 30 Airbus aircraft http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_25_03_Chinese_airlines.html
Under the agreement, these 30 aircraft, including 4 A330s, 16 A319s and 10 A320s, will be operated by China Southern Airlines Group, Air China Group, China Eastern Airlines Group, Hainan Airlines and Sichuan Airlines.

Airbus President and CEO Noel Forgeard Airbus and CASGC President Li Hai signed the agreement at the Great Hall of the People. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin witnessed the signing ceremony.

Importantly, the A330 will operate with an airline on the Chinese mainland for the first time.

"CASGC has enjoyed a very good cooperative relationship with Airbus for many years," CASGC President Li Hai said. “With joint efforts, we hope that Airbus could provide more modern and economic aviation products to Chinese airlines, while CASGC could offer high quality and value-added services to Chinese airlines."

"Selection of the A330s, A320s and A319s has diversified and expanded Airbus fleet in China, marking a significant breakthrough for Airbus," said Airbus President and CEO Noel Forgeard. "We consider China a strategic market and we are delighted that Chinese airlines are giving us a new vote of confidence by selecting more Airbus aircraft."

The A330 will enable Chinese airlines to open new domestic trunk routes and new international routes, while significantly reducing operating costs. The A320 and A319 will do an outstanding job for the airlines, providing passengers with more comfort, higher reliability and unbeatable operating economics.

The A330 is renowned for being the most efficient aircraft in its class, combining the lowest operating costs with highly efficient cargo capabilities that enhance airline profitability through freight operations. The A330 also offers the most spacious cabin of any wide-body jet in its category.

The best-selling A320 Family’s optimized cabin cross-section has set a new standard for passenger comfort in single-aisle aircraft, allowing for wider seats and aisles as well as more spacious overhead stowage. Comprised of the A318, A319, A320 and A321, which all share the highest degree of commonality and economy, the A320 Family offers many advantages for operators, such as reduced maintenance and training costs.

Airbus’s business in China has been steadily expanding since it first entered the country in 1985. The Airbus fleet in service in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao has grown to about 190 today from 29 in 1995. The CASC/AIRBUS Customer Services Training and Support Centre, which represents a US$80 million investment by Airbus, is fully operational in Beijing. Four Chinese manufacturers are already involved in manufacturing of Airbus parts, such as wing components, passenger doors and maintenance tools.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS. ]]>Fri, 25 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,china,worldwide_otherAirbus maintains 300 aircraft delivery targethttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_25_03_delivery_target.htmlconfirmed.

This figure carries a higher degree of risk than a few weeks ago, however, when the SARS epidemic was unknown.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 25 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,general,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherA400M engine decisionhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/05_06_03_A400M_engine.html
The chosen engine, offered in response to a second RFP (Request for Proposal) issued by Airbus Military in April 2002, is an entirely new design in the ten thousand horsepower category, based on proven technology and incorporating three-shaft civil aero engine architecture. The TP400-D6 fully meets the required specification.

Today’s choice of the TP400-D6 is the result of an exhaustive evaluation of two separate engine proposals submitted by Pratt & Whitney Canada and EPI. EPI is a European joint venture company consisting of Rolls-Royce, Snecma Moteurs, MTU Aero Engines and Industria de Turbopropulsores (ITP), brought together to manage the programme.

"The satisfactory outcome of what has been a complex and demanding evaluation process shows that re-opening the engine competition was the right course of action," said Noel Forgeard, President and CEO of Airbus and Chairman of Airbus Military. "Only by insisting on the highest standards can we guarantee the best solution both technically and commercially."

He added: "I would like to thank both engine manufacturers for their hard work and publicly acknowledge in particular the professionalism and commitment of Pratt & Whitney, that contribute already through its engines to several Airbus civil aircraft programmes."

The TP400-D6 will be the most powerful turbo-prop engine ever produced in the western world and, combined with the aircraft's aerodynamic qualities, will make the A400M the world's fastest new-generation turbo-prop aircraft.

Commitments for 180 A400M military transport aircraft have been received from seven launch customer nations: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Contract ratification is expected within the next few weeks leading to first deliveries in 2009.]]>Tue, 06 May 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,innovation,technical_sup,france,worldwide_otherAirbus’ A380 major component assembly hall in Hamburg inaugurated by German Chancellorhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/05_21_03_Hamburg.html
"As a European company Airbus is privileged and honoured by the presence of Gerhard Schröder, the German Chancellor, who is one of the main drivers of the European integration, from which we benefit so much," said Airbus President and CEO Noël Forgeard. "The hand-over of the Hamburg major component assembly hall is a key milestone in the making of the A380, in the history of our company and in the long-lasting relationship between Airbus and Germany."

The new MCA hangar is 228 metres long, 120 metres wide and features a height of about 23 metres. It will house the structural assembly and the fitting with equipment of the forward fuselage sections and the complete rear fuselage sections for the Airbus A380, which will introduce a new way of flying when it enters into service in 2006. For the production of the A380 state-of-the-art manufacturing methods have been developed, which will allow Airbus to further enhance its unmatched production efficiency and flexibility.

To date, 103 firm orders and commitments from ten customers have been received for the A380, which is the largest member of Airbus most modern aircraft family. Its maiden flight is due to take place in 2005. The A380 is designed to carry 555 passengers and has a range of 14,800 kilometres.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 21 May 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,innovation,technical_sup,germany,worldwide_otherA318 is certificated as newest and smallest Airbus aircrafthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/05_23_03_A318.html
Approval covers the CFM International CFM56-5B powered version of the new 100-120 seat airliner, paving the way for airline service with European carriers - as well as with those around the world following JAA regulations. US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification is expected in June.

Flight trials of the Airbus A318 began in January last year, with the two aircraft involved having flown some 850 flight hours in around 350 flights with the two engines on offer – the Pratt & Whitney PW6000 and the CFM56-5B.

They covered the performance of the aircraft in all phases of flight, including an evaluation of handling qualities, which are confirmed as being just like those of the other members of the A320 Family. Trials also included minimum unstick speeds and rejected take-offs, a visit to the hot and high airport at Mexico City, and tests of the aircraft's avionics and air-conditioning.

With all of the flight trials for the CFM56-5B powered version, and most of those needed for the PW6000, already complete, only about a hundred hours remain. These will take place in 2005, with the final, improved, version of the PW6000, leading to certification in November of that year.

First delivery of the Airbus A318, to Denver-based Frontier Airlines, is planned this summer, followed by deliveries to Air France, which begin later this year.

Airbus’ A318 allows airlines to extend the passenger comfort of a larger, mainline, aircraft down into a smaller size category, while preserving flight-crew and maintenance commonality with the rest of their fleet. It is thus a natural complement to carriers already operating other members of the world's most successful airliner family, such as the A319, A320 or A321.

For new customers, the Airbus A318 provides an entry-level aircraft into the A320 family.

The Airbus A318 has the same airframe as the rest of the family, but differs in having a slightly shorter fuselage and a taller fin. It is the first Airbus aircraft with laser-beam welded panels in its lower fuselage. Other features include liquid-crystal displays in the cockpit, and overhead-stowage bins that are the largest in their class – an important advantage in the 100-seater market, where fast turnaround times are important.

The A320 Family has the widest cabin and seats of any single-aisle airliner, making it a firm favourite with passengers, and is the most modern in its class. Features such as fly-by-wire controls and Category 3B autoland are standard, offering airlines unmatched economy and value.

Firm orders for the Airbus A320 Family passed the 3,000 mark last month, when orders from US low-cost carrier jetBlue Airways and Chinese carriers were announced. They highlight the tremendous success of the family, which is now flying with well over 100 airlines around the world.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 23 May 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a320,event_gen,innovation,flight_op,germany,worldwide_otherAirbus and Mariinsky Theatre congratulate the people of Saint Petersburg on the 300th anniversary of their cityhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/05_25_03_St_Petersburg.html
On 1 June, the Orchestra and Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre under Artistic Director Valery Gergiev, will perform two outstanding works based on Romeo and Juliette - one by Tchaikovsky and the other by Berlioz. Airbus is sponsoring this event to highlight the historical friendship and cultural relations existing between Russia and Western Europe.

"Airbus already enjoys a special relationship with Russia through the aviation industry. The cultural diversity of Airbus has always been important to us, so we are delighted to have the opportunity to strengthen our links with the people of Russia through music as well as through industrial co-operation," said Airbus President and CEO Noël Forgeard. "We are especially proud to participate in the 300th Saint Petersburg anniversary celebration, in association with Maestro Valery Gergiev and the prestigious Mariinsky Theatre, whose talent and devotion have enabled them to achieve world recognition though artistic excellence."

"As Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theatre and the 'Stars of the White Nights' Festival, I am very pleased that Airbus, which plays a significant role in developing fruitful economical relations between Russia and Western Europe, has decided to become a partner of our festival which is the most significant part of the cultural program of the St. Petersburg's tercentenary celebration, and I hope that these relations will be strengthened. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all music lovers who supported 'Stars of the White Nights' and without whom this musical forum would not happen," said Valery Gergiev.

Since 1993, the Festival has become the centre of creative aspirations of actors and artistic interests of the audience. The beauty of the white nights glorified by Pushkin also creates an unforgettable atmosphere for the Festival where the best artists of Russia and foreign countries join to create together. This year with the St. Petersburg’s tercentenary, "Stars of the White Nights" is even more of a festive and international event. In addition to regular performances by the Kirov Opera, Ballet and Orchestra with all the star soloists of the Mariinsky Theatre, this Festival includes visits by some of the most prestigious ensembles and soloists from around the world.

Companies invited from around the world to participate in the Festival include amongst others the Vienna and Israel Philharmonics, the Champs Elysées Orchestra, the World Orchestra (which unites musicians from world-famous orchestras in a single musical entity), the London’s Royal Ballet, Johnn Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballet and the New York City Ballet. Zubin Mehta, Yuri Bashmet, Renée Fleming, and Placido Domingo are also amongst the numerous world acclaimed artists who will perform during this year’s festival.

St. Petersburg's tercentenary is one of the world’s key cultural events in 2003, with a programme worthy of this superb city. Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, as a major centre of learning, information, transport and culture, St. Petersburg will remain at the heart of Russia’s economic and cultural prosperity in the 21st century.

Airbus, a clear example of successful transnational co-operation, has been working with the Russian aviation sector both at airline and industrial levels, since 1991. Since then co-operation has been progressively intensified with Airbus and its Russian counterparts demonstrating their desire for a long-term partnership, in which a realistic approach, mutual understanding and a commitment to the highest quality have been fundamental to this joint success. Recent major developments in the Airbus' partnership with the Russian aviation sector include the selection by flag carrier Aeroflot of the A320 Family aircraft as the backbone of its short-medium haul fleet and the implementation of the Airbus-Kaskol Engineering Centre in Moscow. Airbus has also a regional office in Moscow as well as a technical representation providing on-the-spot support to Aeroflot.

Headquartered in Toulouse (France), Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Sun, 25 May 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event,ethics,services_gen,russia,worldwide_otherAirbus backs the construction of the Peace Towerhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/05_27_03_Peace_Tower.html
Eighteen metres high, the Tower consists of a central metallic structure surrounded by two glass half-cylinders engraved with the word "peace" in 49 languages using 18 different alphabets. The monument is lit from the interior, and prolonged by two light beams that will be visible to all the inhabitants of the town.

Airbus, whose success is the fruit of trans-national cooperation, has never ceased to strengthen its links with the Russian aeronautical sector since 1991, both at the airline and industrial levels. Amongst the most recent events of note for this partnership has been the selection by the flag carrier airline, Aeroflot, of aircraft from the A320 family to serve as the backbone of its short-/medium-haul fleet, and the setting up of the Airbus-Kaskol Engineering Centre in Moscow.

Airbus also has a regional office in Moscow and a Customer Support technical representation with Aeroflot. Headquartered in Toulouse (France), Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE SYTEMS.]]>Tue, 27 May 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,ethics,services_gen,russia,worldwide_otherFinal go-ahead for A400M military airlifterhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/05_27_03_A400M.html
The future military airlifter, chosen by seven European NATO nations to equip their air forces, is now a reality. Today's announcement signals the start of a seventy-seven month, single-phase development and production programme leading to first deliveries from 2009.

The contract was signed in Bonn, Germany between Airbus Military and OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en Matière d’Armement), the procurement organisation representing the launch customers.

Representing a twenty-year programme for the European military aircraft industry, the A400M contract provides for a total of 180 aircraft to be delivered to the launch customers as follows: Belgium, 7; France, 50; Germany, 60; Luxembourg, 1; Spain, 27; Turkey, 10; United Kingdom, 25.

At the same time, the Airbus subsidiary responsible for the management of the A400M military airlifter has been established. Responsibility for the A400M programme is vested in Airbus Military SL (Sociedad Limitada), a Spanish legal entity registered in Madrid and having as its shareholders the industrial partners representing the launch customer nations. Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and CEO, is elected Chairman of the Board and Francisco Fernández-Sáinz, Managing Director.

Designed specifically to meet the demanding conditions of the European Staff Requirement (ESR), the A400M will provide the world's air forces with a much-needed replacement for the aging fleets of C-160 Transalls and C-130 Hercules and provide the rapid reaction capability that is essential in responding to crisis situations.

With its high cruise speed, intercontinental range and voluminous cargo hold, the A400M will significantly increase the load-carrying capacity of the aircraft it will replace, whilst retaining their essential tactical, short and soft field operating characteristics.

The A400M's first flight will take place in 2008 from the final assembly facility to be established in Seville.

The choice by Europe's air forces of a common aircraft type will also enhance interoperability in multi-national peacekeeping and humanitarian operations in the context of NATO and the United Nations.

Airbus Military is already in discussion with other major air forces that have expressed interest in this new-generation airlifter.]]>Tue, 27 May 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,uk,spain,germany,france,worldwide_otherFirst Airbus engineering centre opens in Russiahttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_03_03_ECAR.html
On the occasion of the opening, Mr Humbert said: "We are delighted that hardly a year after Airbus selected Kaskol as its leading industrial partner in Russia in May 2002, we are now celebrating the opening of ECAR. This is a further major milestone in the long-standing relationship Airbus and its major shareholder EADS have with the Russian aviation sector, which was given a great impetus by the strategic partnership signed in July 2002 between Rosaviakosmos and EADS." "Despite the existing downturn in the world airline industry, Airbus has decided to remain fully committed to the ECAR project which, we are convinced, will set the standards for any future close partnership between our respective sides of Europe. An amazing amount of work has been accomplished in a record time by our respective teams in a mutual spirit of professionalism, genuine trust and a remarkable will to progress, which heralds a bright future for ECAR."

The primary function of ECAR is to promote cross-transfer of expertise, as well as to co-ordinate and enlarge the scope of activities which Airbus is developing with Russian aerospace companies. ECAR is set to work to the most modern Airbus technologies and standards, participating in both existing and future programmes. It will specialise to start with in disciplines such as fuselage structure, stress and installation system . In addition, ECAR will coordinate and facilitate Airbus work packages amongst Russian aircraft design centers, and will also pass on its design works for the production of Airbus aircraft components in Russia.

"The Russian engineering school, its professional traditions and more than half a century of experience in civil aircraft design and building, together with Airbus' "know-how," and leading scientific and industrial base, will become a foundation for further effective development of European aerospace industry. For us the creation of ECAR means a real positioning and integration in the global high technologies market," said Sergei Nedoroslev

Located in downtown Moscow, ECAR's brand-new facility currently covers 1,000 m2, and will nearly double by end-2004 to accommodate 100 engineers. ECAR offers an open and collaborative environment, equipped with the most modern communication equipment that is linked, in real time, with Airbus engineering in France and Germany. Currently, some 30 Russian design engineers are employed at the facility, in addition to administrative staff. All of them have already been trained in Airbus engineering standards and processes in Toulouse and Hamburg, where their technical and social competences were very much appreciated.

ECAR will be registered as a company jointly owned by Airbus and Kaskol. Vladimir Raschupkin has been appointed General Director of ECAR.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, and the world’s largest backlog in the above 100-seater category, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. In Moscow, it has also a regional office as well as technical representation providing on-the-spot airline support. Headquartered in Toulouse (France), Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.

Based in Moscow, Kaskol is one of the largest privately owned group that focuses on aircraft and aircraft components design and manufacturing, high-tech engineering and information technology. Founded in 1988, Kaskol has gradually grown into a company with culture that embraces new technology, fast-paced growth, constant change and devotion to customers and partners. ]]>Tue, 03 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,general,technical_sup,russia,worldwide_otherAirbus expands network of Japanese partners in the A380 programme: Bridgestone, Mitsubishi Rayon Join, ShinMaywa gets second contracthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_03_05_Japan.html
Airbus President and CEO Noël Forgeard said, "We are honoured to welcome Bridgestone and Mitsubishi Rayon to the A380 programme. Their contribution will ensure we can provide the most advanced technology for the world’s most advanced airliner programme currently under development and launched in production. The second contract for ShinMaywa is a proof of the enthusiasm and confidence of our Japanese suppliers in the success of the A380."

These contracts will raise the estimated revenue of Japanese suppliers in the A380 programme to well over US $3.00 billion in the years to come. The addition of these two new participants brings to fifteen the total of Japanese companies collaborating in the A380. The contribution of each company is as follows:

Bridgestone Corporation is to supply new technology tyres for the A380 nose and main landing gear system. Tyre development is underway at Bridgestone’s Technical Centre in Kodaira (near Tokyo) and production will be completed at Bridgestone’s main plant in Kurume (Fukuoka Prefecture). The first production article is to be delivered to the A380 Final Assembly Line in Toulouse on the fourth quarter of 2005. This is the first Original Equipment Supplier (OEM) contract of Bridgestone with Airbus.

Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd. has been selected as supplier of Advanced Composite Materials to be used in the production of parts for the A380. The pre-preg materials, intermediate module and high resistance carbon fibres, tape, fabrics and resins, which are to be produced at Mitsubishi Rayon’s Toyohashi plant (Aichi Prefecture), are currently under qualification at different Airbus plants. This is the first time for Mitsubishi Rayon to work with Airbus.

ShinMaywa will supply the composite ramp surfaces of the A380 wing. Production is to be completed at ShinMaywa's Konan plant in Kobe (Hyogo Prefecture) and delivery of the first set is scheduled for November 2003. This is the second A380 work package awarded to ShinMaywa. The first contract with Airbus, for the A380 root fillet fairing, was signed in 2002.

To date, ten customers have announced firm orders and commitments for a total of 103 A380s. The 555-seater A380 will enter into service in early 2006.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 03 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,general,procurement,japan,worldwide_otherAirbus at Le Bourget 2003http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_03_03_Le_Bourget.html
The new Airbus A318 will participate in the flying display during the week long show, as well as the A340-600 test aircraft. An A318 in the colours of its first operator, Frontier Airlines, will also be shown on Wednesday 18th June. Other Airbus aircraft on static display throughout the air show will include an A330 from Northwest Airlines and an A319 and an A319 Long Range in Qatar Airways livery.

Throughout the event, Airbus will be present at its Hospitality Chalet (Row B – 133), with a dedicated Press Suite. The main stand in Hall 2 (EADS Hall 2 – A18) will exhibit many Airbus products, concepts and services on its 600m2 showcase floor. On display will be half models of the entire Airbus aircraft family, an A340-600 cabin demonstrator, an A319 cabin mock-up, a virtual cross section of an A300 freighter and an impressive 1:20 scale model of the new A380.

Airbus corporate videos and daily highlights of the show, including the flying display and Airbus ceremonies will be displayed on a large screen. Airbus will also be host to Air Traffic Alliance with a Totem including panel and video.

Airbus will hold a press conference on Sunday 15 June at 10:30 in Le Bourget Airshow auditorium to discuss its commercial and industrial activities, and to brief participants on its very latest achievements. Further media briefings are also to be expected during the course of the week.

A special on line magazine on www.airbus.com will provide visitors from all over the world with a detailed agenda of events, daily news updates, and live video footage of any Airbus event happening during the show.]]>Tue, 03 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a300a310,a320,a330a340,a380,event,brand,customer,france,worldwide_otherAigle Azur becomes new Airbus operator introducing the first A321 aircraft on its Paris-Algiers routehttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_14_03_Aigle_Azur.html
Aigle Azur will use its CFM56 powered A321 to serve its regular, twice-daily Paris-Algiers route. The aircraft will also serve Algerian-bound routes from Paris, Lille and Lyon. Depending on the airline’s needs the A321 will seat 196 passengers in a two-class cabin layout or 214 passengers in full economy class. The A321 will also be used to develop the cargo activity between Algiers and Paris.

The A321 is the largest member of the market-leading Airbus single-aisle family, which also includes the A318, A319 and A320. Together, they offer the highest degree of passenger comfort for aircraft seating from 100 to 220 passengers. A320 Family aircraft offer the most spacious cabin in the single-aisle aircraft category. Wider seats and a wider aisle create a more comfortable seating arrangement for passengers and state-of-the art systems help to provide a pleasant atmosphere, reflecting the commitment to passenger comfort found in all Airbus aircraft. The modern design and operating economics of Airbus single-aisle aircraft make them a firm favourite with airlines and financiers.

Thanks to its commonality philosophy, all Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft, from the 107-seat A318 right through to the 380-seat A340-600, share virtually identical cockpits and handling characteristics, thus allowing pilots and maintenance crews to transfer between Airbus aircraft with only minor additional training.

European and Mediterranean charter carriers now rely significantly on Airbus aircraft to provide the most comfortable, reliable, efficient and profitable air transport services for this sector of the tourist industry.

Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners in the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. The company has delivered some 3,250 aircraft to more than 190 operators worldwide and boasts a healthy backlog of over 1,500 aircraft.

With an annual turnover of euros 19.4 billion in 2002, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Sat, 14 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherEmirates orders 41 additional Airbus aircrafthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_16_03_Emirates.html
Adding to six previously ordered A340-500s and 22 A380s - including two Freighters – the new order highlights Emirates' determination to continue as one of the world’s fastest growing and most succesful airlines. It also makes it the largest customer for the A340-500/600, and puts it even further ahead on the A380.

Deliveries of the newly ordered A340-500s begin at the end of 2004, those of the A340-600s in June 2007, and those of the A380s in spring 2009. The A340-500s and –600s will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 500s – the A380 engines have yet to be announced.

"Airbus' A340-500, –600 and A380 are the best solution for the increase in capacity, range and economy that we need to satisfy our rapid passenger growth and ever expanding network," said Emirates Chairman HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum. "We especially like the go-anywhere flexibility of the four-engined A340-500 and -600, which will take the world’s longest routes in their stride. We are also very excited by the ability to carry more passengers in the A380 and by its outstanding economics – in fact we could already use some of them today."

Emirates is Airbus' largest Middle East customer with 110 Airbus aircraft ordered in total.

"Emirates' latest order for Airbus aircraft highlights the vision, ambition and determination that have helped grow it into the tremendously successful carrier that it is today," said Airbus Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard. "Airbus has been Emirates' partner in growth and success for almost two decades, and is delighted to be flying with it into the 21st Century with the world’s newest and largest aircraft."

Emirates has chosen an A340-600 version with additional payload/range flexibility via an increased 376 tonnes maximum take-off weight (MTOW). As with its other aircraft, Airbus will offer different A340-600 MTOWs, including today's 365 and 368 tonnes. Emirates' A340-500s and –600s will seat around 260 and 310 passengers, respectively. The A340-500s will initially open new nonstop routes from Dubai to Australia and the US east coast. Later, A340-600s will replace them on these and some Asian routes – with the A340-500s then flying even longer sectors.

Emirates plans three versions of the Airbus A380, with 500-650 seats. It will initially deploy A380s on its busiest trunk routes to Europe and Asia but, as traffic grows, most of its network will eventually be served by the new 21st Century flagship.

With the A330/A340 and A380 sharing the same basic cockpit, Emirates is well placed to benefit from savings in pilot training and greater scheduling flexibility.

Firm orders for the A330/A340 family now stand at almost 800 from over 60 customers, and those for the A380 at 116 from eight customers (124 from ten clients including commitments from Malaysia and Qatar Airways). Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Mon, 16 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,a380,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,worldwide_gen,worldwide_otherAirbus enhances customer service with “Customised Spares Logistics” and “Customised Lead Time Extended Range”http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_17_03_customer_service.html
"Customised Spares Logistics" (CSL) service will provide Airbus customers with the option to have their spares orders handled with full ownership and responsibility for the entire supply chain and their transport means by Airbus. CSL will be available with immediate effect.

The main benefits for customers include the reduction of internal administration efforts for tracking and tracing shipments, the application of competitive Airbus freight rates transferred to customers, and as well as guaranteed timely deliveries. CSL services cover shipments from Airbus Spares Support facilities as well as from international vendors (drop shipments). Customised transport procedures are also available for repair, loan and lease services from Airbus. Airbus Spares Support and Services supports more than 200 customers with an average of more than 200,000 orders per year.

Already since 1997, the initial "Customised Lead Time" (CLT) programme allowed customers to receive spare parts from Airbus on their own specified lead times, reducing inventory costs while guaranteeing spare parts availability through regional Airbus stores.

CLT EXTENDED RANGE, which is immediately available, now widens this popular concept to a significantly extended range of part numbers, that are covered by this service, allowing customers to capitalize on savings for a much wider range of Airbus proprietary spare parts. The CLT EXTENDED RANGE programme comes at no extra costs and without any contractual obligation or requirements to Airbus customers. Feedback from operators of Airbus aircraft has shown that the CLT concept is a very suitable approach for increasing customer satisfaction.

With an annual turnover of euros 19.4 billion in 2002, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 17 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,general,customer,germany,worldwide_otherAirline passengers prefer A320 Family in major surveyhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_18_03_Passengers.html
Skytrax, the London based aviation research organisation, conducted a survey between March and May 2003 resulting in 69,308 completed passenger questionnaires. From this group, 25,625 respondents said they had experienced travel in both the A320 Family and the 737NG. Passengers surveyed included those travelling with full service and low cost carriers based in the United States, Europe and Latin America.

Passengers selected their preferred choice of aircraft type, examining a variety of cabin comfort features, such as cabin noise, cabin width, cabin ambience, seat comfort, overhead bin space and ease of embarking and disembarking.

The A320 Family aircraft emerged as the preferred choice in all the different survey categories – and nowhere more so than in passengers' perception of cabin width. Over 59 per cent of passengers find the A320 cabin width provides a more comfortable cabin.

The cabin width issue is well summarised by one Malaysian passenger who commented: "The A320 is wider than the B737NG, making it more comfortable in terms of elbow space and the width of each seat." This is supported by a British business traveller who said, "the A320 wins for me every time, I know the cabin width difference over the 737NG is minimal but it makes a real difference."

Asked which aircraft provides the most 'spacious' and 'welcoming' cabin, 56 percent of the global survey audience chose the A320 Family. Amongst the North American market, the A320 Family aircraft has significant support, echoed by a business traveller from the United States who said: "The A319/320 is a more spacious and inviting aircraft than the B737NG."

A US low-cost carrier, flying exclusively A320s, achieved some of the highest passenger satisfaction ratings in this survey. Among the airline’s passengers - who have flown both A320 and 737NG aircraft types - a majority 63 per cent favoured the A320. In all other cabin comfort sectors, the Airbus A320 was given higher ratings, giving it a 65 per cent majority.

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 18 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,services_gen,uk,worldwide_otherKorean Air goes for Airbus A380http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_18_03_Korean_Air.html
With Korean Air's selection, Airbus has now 129 orders and commitments from 11 customers for the A380 programme. Built to the latest and most stringent certification requirements, the 555-seater A380 embodies the most advanced technologies, providing 15 to 20 per cent lower operating costs than the largest aircraft flying today and 10 to 15 per cent more range.

Deliveries to Korean Air are scheduled to begin in late 2007 through 2009.

"Our decision to purchase the A380 aircraft meets our strategy to reinforce Incheon Intl Airport as the strongest hub in Northeast Asia," said Yang Ho Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air. "As one of the leading airlines in Asia, our long-term fleet plan plays a significant role in this strategy."

Noël Forgeard, Airbus Chief Executive Officer said: "The A380 is especially well suited to respond to the needs of Asian carriers in the new century. Korean Air's commitment to the A380 is again a demonstration of its foresight into future market requirements. It also further confirms the fact that the A380 is the right aircraft that arrives at the right time on the market."

Airbus' relationship with Korean Air dates back to 1974, when the airline became Airbus' first customer outside Europe. Today, the carrier remains one of Airbus' largest customers in the region, having placed total firm orders for 51 widebody types, comprising 32 A300s and 19 A330s.

When it enters into service in 2006, the A380 will offer all the advantages of a completely new design, while retaining maximum commonality with the existing Airbus aircraft family. Passengers will experience a new way of flying in the A380, benefiting from a spacious cabin and wider seats, including those in economy class; while airlines will reap the benefits stemming from Airbus' unique operational commonality inherent in its fly-by-wire family of aircraft, as well as from lower operating costs. A "friendly neighbour," it will quietly ease congestion problems at major airports.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 18 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a380,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherLow-cost operator Transgulf Express chooses Airbus http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_19_03_Transgulf_Express.html
An agreement between Transgulf Express and GATX for the lease of three Airbus A320s for these services was concluded at the Le Bourget airshow this week. These will be complemented by a further three leased A320s, which will join the fleet by year-end.

Sharjah-based Transgulf Express will be the first airline in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to operate Airbus' modern A320 family. It will also be the first low-cost airline to fly from the UAE, offering passengers an inexpensive "no frills" alternative.

Each of the Airbus A320s will seat 180 passengers in an all-economy layout, and be powered by CFM International CFM56-5s.

Airbus A320 family aircraft offer the most spacious cabin in the single-aisle aircraft category. Wider seats and a wider aisle create a more comfortable seating arrangement for passengers, while state-of-the-art systems help to provide a pleasant atmosphere, reflecting the commitment to passenger comfort found in all Airbus aircraft. The modern design and operating economics of Airbus single-aisle aircraft makes them a firm favourite with airlines and financiers.

Thanks to its commonality philosophy, all Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft share virtually identical cockpits and handling characteristics, thus allowing pilots and maintenance crews to transfer among Airbus aircraft with only minor additional training.

Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners in the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to 550 seats. The company has delivered some 3,250 aircraft to more than 190 operators worldwide and boasts a healthy backlog of over 1,500 aircraft.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.

Transgulf Express can be contacted at transgex@emirates.net.ae.]]>Thu, 19 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherQatar Airways to expand with an all-Airbus fleethttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_19_03_Qatar_Airways.html
The acquisition means that Qatar Airways will continue as an all-Airbus operator into the future, while making it the first Middle East customer for the A330-300 and a new client for the A321 and A340-600.

Deliveries of the A321s and A330s begin in spring 2004, while the A340-600s are due to be delivered in summer 2006.

"When you are a young and fast-growing airline in a competitive market, you need additional aircraft to help grow passenger numbers and expand your network," says Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al-Baker. "We are also building on a long-standing partnership with Airbus, and are looking forward to benefiting from the unrivalled commonality among its aircraft family.

Qatar Airways currently flies an all-Airbus fleet comprising nine A300-600s, an A310, two A319s, ten A320s, five A330-200s and one A340-200. The airline is also due to take delivery of two A380s in early 2009. Qatar Airways chose the A340-600s because they can fly very long nonstop, point-to-point routes - such as from its Doha base to the USA – while also being economical on shorter routes to Asia.

"It’s always impressive to see a service-orientated airline such as Qatar Airways succeeding in the marketplace, and always a great source of pride and satisfaction to know that Airbus aircraft are playing a part in that success," says Airbus Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard. "This deal also confirms the value and standing of our product range in the market."

Qatar Airways has chosen an A340-600 version with additional payload/range flexibility via an increased 376 tonnes maximum take-off weight (MTOW). As with its other aircraft, Airbus will offer different A340-600 MTOWs, including today’s 365 and 368 tonnes.

Airbus offers airlines and their passengers the world’s most modern airliner family, whose benefits include cabin comfort, economy, reliability and widespread commonality. Cockpit commonality is widely recognised as a key benefit throughout the modern range of Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft, saving airlines money in training and giving them greater flexibility in operation.

The success of Airbus’ modern designs is clearly visible in the marketplace, where Airbus is now winning more than a half of the orders placed worlwide, and in the almost 200 customers that have place more than 4,700 orders for them around the world. Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Thu, 19 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAirbus Recognises its suppliers excellent performance in customer supporthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_19_03_Suppliers_Awards.html
The top ten Airbus suppliers are presented with awards in two categories. This year four of them will be awarded for 'Exceptional Customer Support Performance', and six for 'Outstanding Customer Support Performance'.

'Exceptional Customer Support Performance' awards go to: Airbus Avionics, KID Systeme, Diehl Avionik Systeme and AOA-LGG. 'Outstanding Customer Support Performance' awards go to: Parker, Vibro-Meter, Technofan, Goodrich Fuel and Utility Systems, Smiths Aerospace and Aircruisers.

For over ten years the Airbus rating system has been evaluating suppliers support performance in terms of the product, service and cost. The rating system has continually evolved with the aim of helping our customers ensure they receive the best performance from their aircraft. Airbus has defined standards that allow the measurement of suppliers' performance.

Supplier performance is measured by Airbus and its customer airlines. This year 35 suppliers were rated and over 100 airlines contributed to the assessment, with over 4500 survey questionnaires returned.

Airbus analyses this direct feedback from customers allied with suppliers' reports on their respective performance in order to evaluate areas for further improvement, thus driving the improvement action plans for the suppliers.

The best suppliers results define a benchmark for product reliability, technical assistance, service, repairs performance, spares delivery and customer communications. Maintenance costs and spares prices are also a primary factor for customer satisfaction.

Commenting on the achievements, Patrick Gavin, Executive Vice President Customer Services, said: "I would like to congratulate our best suppliers that strive to achieve the highest levels of customer satisfaction. I would also like to mention that we are delighted to see such a good combination of international suppliers making it into the top ten this year."

With regard to the high response Airbus received from its customers, he continued: "The level of participation we have had from our customers demonstrates their continued involvement in supporting this rating system. Our customers appreciate the positive impact it has on the quality of service they receive and, ultimately, it helps them achieve the best performance for their aircraft. In terms of safe, reliable and economic operation meeting the passengers' expectations. Naturally, they wish to be part of such a beneficial process."

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Thu, 19 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,general,customer,france,worldwide_otherLe Bourget airshow 2003 comes to a closehttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_20_03_Le_Bourget.html
Commenting on Airbus' success, Airbus President and CEO, Noel Forgeard, said: "We have achieved a lot this year, consequently Le Bourget has been full of activity. Most significantly, we have announced orders and commitments from three customers for 81 Airbus aircraft worth an estimated US $19.8 billion dollars. Including a new customer for the A380. In the current environment this is quite an achievement."

Following a press conference, to deliver news on the company's performance in the first half of 2003, came the first order announcement. At a special ceremony organised by Airbus, Chairman of Emirates, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, announced an additional 41 aircraft it had ordered. The largest single order ever placed by the airline comprised 21 A380s, 18 A340-600s and two A340-500s and is worth an estimated $12.5 billion dollars.

Korean Air signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus to acquire up to eight Airbus A380-800s (including three options) a worth of $2.2 billion dollars. This makes Korean Air the eleventh customer to acquire the all new very large A380, which now has orders and commitments of 129 aircraft – an outstanding number two years prior to first flight.

It was Qatar Airways' order announcement that bought business to a close. CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al-Baker announced a US $5.1 billion dollar order of 32 aircraft, including 14 options - the largest deal in the carrier’s history.

At this year's Le Bourget, Airbus aircraft were the centre of attention for business visitors and the public alike, enthusiasts and novices. A diverse collection of some of the finest aircraft was on static display, and impressive daily airborne demonstrations were also given during the week. The Airbus chalet had a record number of 5600 visitors this week.

Frontier Airlines attracted attention when it presented its new A318 on static display at the prestigious event. Frontier Airlines' A318 is the first to be used commercially, and proves that even bears can be aerodynamic. A grizzly bear decal covers the entire tail fin and is the newest addition to the airline's wildlife themed livery.

And it's official. The Airbus A320 Family is the preferred choice of single aisle aircraft passengers. A major survey, by the internationally recognised Skytrax research company, revealed that passengers prefer its superior level of comfort and space.

In addition, at this year's Airbus Supplier Support Awards, held at Le Bourget, the top ten Airbus suppliers received awards for excellence in customer support performance.

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 20 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100a320,a330a340,a380,event,brand,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherIberia takes delivery of its first A340-600http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_25_03_Iberia.html
Iberia's configuration of the new aircraft features a spacious 342-seat layout, offering accommodation for ten passengers in First class, 42 in Business and 290 in Economy. Powered by four Rolls Royce Trent 500 engines, the aircraft is also equipped with the very latest in passenger entertainment and communication systems.

The largest member of Airbus' market leading A330/A340 Family, the A340-600 provides operators with unrivalled standards of space, comfort and amenity in each cabin class. It has the same type rating as the A340-300, enabling pilots to fly either aircraft type with a single licence endorsement. True to Airbus' unique family concept, it also offers an exceptional degree of operational commonality with all other Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft, so pilots can transition from one type to another with only minor additional training time.

"It is a source of great pride for Iberia to be one of Airbus largest customers in the world, and one of the first to introduce the largest aircraft to date, the A340-600 in the American market, particularly on routes to and from Latin America," said Fernando Conte, President of Iberia.

"We are delighted that the A340-600 will join the Iberia long-range fleet," said Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. "In the current challenging operating environment, airlines now have to focus more than ever on the selection of the right aircraft, and the A340-600 clearly appears as the ideal choice for Iberia's mix of routes to the Americas."

Iberia, an Airbus customer since 1978, and the largest in Southern Europe, has ordered a total of 107 aircraft from Airbus, comprising 26 A340s and 75 A320 Family aircraft.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 25 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,spain,worldwide_otherEVA air takes delivery of first A330-200http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_27_03_evaair.html
Powered by General Electric CF6-80E1A3 engines, the ten A330-200s - eight leased from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) and two purchased directly from Airbus - feature increased cabin comfort, cargo capacity and lower operating costs, and will replace eight older generation 767s, currently in service on regional and medium-to-long range routes. The first aircraft to be delivered is leased from GECAS.

Each of EVA Air's 252-seat A330-200s will feature a two-class layout comprising 24 business class seats and 228 seats in economy class.

"Offering the highest levels of in-flight comfort, the A330-200 will enable EVA Air to continue to build on its reputation for world class service," said K.W. Chang, Executive Vice President, EVA Air. "In addition, the low operating costs of this ultra-modern aircraft will allow us to fully maximise our revenue-generating potential."

"Within a relatively short time, EVA Air has established a reputation as a world class airline," said Noël Forgeard, Airbus Chief Executive Officer. "We are confident that the A330-200 will play an important role in the continued development of the airline and look forward to a long and fruitful partnership between our two companies."

With a range of up to 6,650 nm/12,300 km, the A330-200 combines some of the lowest operating costs of any aircraft ever designed with maximum flexibility over medium to long-haul routes. The aircraft is part of the market leading Airbus A330/A340 Family which has been especially successful in Asia-Pacific, where it has been selected by 20 airlines, including almost every major international carrier in the region.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 27 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherSWISS will fly its first new A340-300 to Zurichhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/07_01_03_SWISS.html
The aircraft is the first of seven to be delivered to SWISS this year and meets the airline's ambition to offer an improved premium product on its long-haul network.

The A340-300's seating configuration has been tailored to meet SWISS' operational requirements with 228 passengers in three classes (eight in first-class, 48 in business-class and 172 in economy). This arrangement will enhance passengers' experience on board by providing a high level of comfort. The A340 is also known worldwide for having the quietest cabin in the sky - an essential feature on long-haul flights.

True to Airbus' unique family concept, the A340-300 also benefits from exceptional operational commonality with all other Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft, including SWISS’ existing A320 Family aircraft and its A330-200s.

This homogeneous fleet will provide further cost efficiencies across all areas of operations, including maintenance, training and repairs. Pilots can transfer from one type of aircraft to another with minimal training. The Airbus operational commonality also facilitates 'mixed fleet flying,' which enables SWISS to operate the most efficient aircraft on medium and long-haul flights with the same crews, leading to considerable cost savings.

Equally, the A340-300 demonstrates outstanding environmental efficiencies, including low fuel burn and reduced engine emissions. The CFM56-5C4 engines from CFM International will also contribute to a significant reduction in maintenance costs. The aircraft comfortably meets international noise standards and has a low noise signature, which is especially suited to the environmentally-conscious communities around Zurich airport.

Commenting on the new delivery, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard, said: "We are proud to be supporting SWISS with the delivery the A340-300. We are confident that the aircraft will positively contribute to the current economic and operational challenges of the airline. Whilst delivering maximum comfort and convenience for passengers in all classes, the A340 will deliver outstanding operational efficiencies."

The A330/A340 Family is the market leader in the 250 - 380 seat category. To date, close to 800 firm orders for the A330/A340 Family aircraft have been taken.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 01 Jul 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherPrime minister opens UK’s biggest new factoryhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/07_04_03_UK.html
The Prime Minister said: "I am delighted to be asked to officially open the new West Factory and to see for myself the excellent work being done here at Airbus. The order book shows the commercial attraction of the world class product being made here. And is a powerful tribute to the dedication and commitment of the highly skilled workforce. I am delighted that the Government has been able to invest in that effort."

"This impressive new factory is creating 1,200 new jobs, in addition to the 5,000 already here, making a strong contribution to the local and national economy. I would like to welcome the long-term commitment Airbus is making to UK manufacturing."

Noёl Forgeard, Airbus President and CEO said: "The opening of the West Factory at Broughton and the acceleration of A380 wing production is yet another step towards the A380's first flight in 2005. The double-decker is extremely important, not just for the continued success of the Airbus company, but also for the benefits it brings to the economy of the United Kingdom. The A380 programme secures and generates over 100,000 long-term jobs in the UK, and around 400 UK companies have already been awarded £7.5 billion worth of work on the programme. This is set to double to £15 billion over the life of the programme. As A380 begins to enter service with the airlines, the Airbus contribution to the UK’s balance of payments will rise to more than £1.5 billion a year."

At more than 400 metres (1,310 feet) long, 200 metres (656 feet) wide and with a peak height of 35 metres (115 feet), the floor area of the West Factory is equivalent to 12 full size football pitches. At peak production, 1,200 people will work there, using leading edge manufacturing techniques to assemble and equip the wings. Once assembled, the wings will be delivered via specially commissioned barges and ships to the A380 final assembly line in Toulouse. At more than 36 metres long, the wings for A380 are the largest ever designed and built for a commercial aircraft.

To date, eleven customers have made 129 firm orders and commitments for the A380, which is the largest member of the Airbus family of aircraft and has a range of 14,800 kilometres/8,000 nautical miles. First deliveries to customers are scheduled for 2006.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 04 Jul 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event,miscellaneous,asset_man,uk,worldwide_otherUK’s biggest new factory opens at Airbus, Broughton http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/07_04_03_Broughton.html
Noёl Forgeard, Airbus President and CEO said: "The opening of the West Factory at Broughton and the acceleration of A380 wing production is yet another step towards the A380's first flight in 2005. The double-decker is extremely important, not just for the continued success of the Airbus company, but also for the benefits it brings to the economy of the United Kingdom. The A380 programme secures and generates over 100,000 long-term jobs in the UK, and around 400 UK companies have already been awarded £7.5 billion worth of work on the programme. This is set to double to £15 billion over the life of the programme. As A380 begins to enter service with the airlines, the Airbus contribution to the UK’s balance of payments will rise to more than £1.5 billion a year."

At more than 400 metres (1,310 feet) long, 200 metres (656 feet) wide and with a peak height of 35 metres (115 feet), the floor area of the West Factory is equivalent to 12 full size football pitches. At peak production, 1,200 people will work there, using leading edge manufacturing techniques to assemble and equip the wings. Once assembled, the wings will be delivered via specially commissioned barges and ships to the A380 final assembly line in Toulouse. At more than 36 metres long, the wings for A380 are the largest ever designed and built for a commercial aircraft.

To date, eleven customers have made 129 firm orders and commitments for the A380, which is the largest member of the Airbus family of aircraft and has a range of 14,800 kilometres/8,000 nautical miles. First deliveries to customers are scheduled for 2006.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 04 Jul 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,brand,services_gen,uk,worldwide_otherChina's flag carrier Air China receives first A319http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/07_15_03_Air_China.html
The A319, powered by V2500 engines from International Aero Engines, will offer a two-class layout, seating eight passengers in business class and 120 in economy class. The aircraft delivered today carries the serial number "2000" of the Airbus Single-Aisle Family. The A319 will join the fleet of Air China Zhejiang Subsidiary, formerly CNAC-Zhejiang, which operates eight Airbus aircraft.

"The A319 is an ideal aircraft for our short- and medium-haul operation in the economically prosperous region of East China," said Sun Yude, Vice President of Air China and President of Air China Zhejiang Subsidiary. "We will also benefit from A319's commonality with members of the Airbus Family, which will help us reduce training and maintenance costs. The modern aircraft will also offer high comfort to passengers with wider seats, aisle and overhead stowage."

Air China has a further seven A319 on order, with one to be delivered in both August and September, three in 2004 and the rest in 2005.

"China is a significant market for Airbus, and we are proud to see that Air China, the national flag carrier, has become a new operator of the A320 Family," said Airbus President & CEO Noël Forgeard. "Airbus attaches great importance to its relations with Air China, and the A319 provides a new opportunity to reinforce the ties between the two sides."

Air China's parent company China National Aviation Holding Company (CNAH), founded in October 2002, is one of the three largest airline groups in China. Air China is CNAH’s biggest civil aviation entity.

The A319s will mainly be operated on high-density routes linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou cities with Southern cities like Xiamen, Fuzhou and Guangzhou, Central and Western cities like Changsha, Chengdu and Chongqing and Northern cities such as Beijing, Dalian and Qingdao.

The A319 is a member of the A320 Family, which consists of the A318, A319, A320 and A321, the world's fastest selling single-aisle family.

Airbus business in China has been steadily expanding since it opened its first facility in the country in 1985. The Airbus fleet in service in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao has grown from 29 in 1995 to more than 190 today. The CASC/AIRBUS Customer Services Training and Support Centre, which represents a US$80 million investment by Airbus, is fully operational in Beijing. Four Chinese manufacturers are already involved in the manufacturing of Airbus parts, such as wing components, passenger doors and maintenance tools.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 15 Jul 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,china,worldwide_otherAirbus unveils first A380 centre wingboxhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/08_19_03_380_wingbox.html
This major industrial milestone was celebrated with a ceremony chaired by Gérard Blanc, Airbus Executive Vice President, Programmes, and Gérard Lignon, Director of the site of Nantes, and was attended by many local dignitaries of the Loire-Atlantique political and economic scene, representatives of the main European Airbus sites and all the teams of Nantes.

Addressing himself to an audience of some two thousand people, Gérard Blanc pointed out that the A380 programme, launched in December 2000, was rapidly taking shape thanks to the shared expertise of all Airbus skills around Europe, a worldwide network of industrial partners and suppliers, and a highly positive response from airlines. To date, the A380 order book stands at 129 aircraft.

"Many strategic and industrial factors, as well as a high degree of individual and team efforts have led to the success of Airbus, for which we have every reason to be satisfied, but not complacent. We must focus resolutely, thoroughly and relentlessly on the work that lies ahead of us, bearing in mind the difficult economic environment. Success is not the result of chance, nor is the future the result of habit" concluded Gérard Blanc.

The first A380 centre wingbox will be conveyed on 23 August to Saint-Nazaire for integration with the aircraft components produced on the site. It will then be delivered to the final assembly line in Toulouse in the spring of 2004.]]>Tue, 19 Aug 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherFrontier Airlines orders 15 more A319http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/08_21_03_Frontier.html
Airbus has granted Frontier type conversion rights to change some of the newly ordered aircraft to larger A320s, in keeping with the aircraft manufacturer’s characteristic flexibility.

In addition to the new orders and pending completion of negotiations with leasing companies, Frontier plans to lease as many as 14 more aircraft – a mix of A319s and A318s. Deliveries of the leased aircraft also are planned to begin in 2004.

"At this critical time in the market, the key to growth is economics," said Jeff Potter, Frontier President and CEO. "We’ve been very pleased with the economics of our A319s to date, and our passengers have been equally pleased with the comfort of the aircraft. We believe our air crews and our passengers will enjoy these new planes as they did with our previous Airbus aircraft."

"It’s no secret that this is a challenging time for the airline industry, especially in the United States," said Noel Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. "But Frontier is demonstrating that the path to recovery is with the most efficient aircraft possible run by a team that is focused on customer value. We are proud Frontier is continuing on its path toward an all Airbus-fleet."

The Airbus A320 Family includes the 107-seat A318, the 124-seat A319, the 150-seat A320 and the 185-seat A321. Each of these two-engine aircraft features the widest fuselage of any single-aisle aircraft in the world, offering passengers more room to relax and crew members more room to maneuver through the cabin. In addition, the A320 Family features the most economical and environmentally responsible aircraft in their class, offering the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noise footprints in their size category.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Thu, 21 Aug 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherStart of A380 major component assembly in Hamburghttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/08_25_03_A380.html
Gerhard Puttfarcken, General Manager of Airbus in Germany, said: "The major component assembly that has just begun marks the start of A380 production at the Hamburg site. We have long awaited this day and are delighted that we at Germany's largest Airbus plant can now start on A380 assembly. Overall, we are currently well on schedule and will be able to complete our highly demanding components for this 21st century flagship on time."

In mid-August, assembly of the first passenger floor for the main deck of the A380 took place in the new MCA hall, which is 228 m long, 120 m wide and 23 m high. The individual parts for this were manufactured at the EADS plant in Augsburg and at Sogerma in France. A further component delivered to Hamburg in the course of this month was the pressure bulkhead for the rear fuselage of the A380. This pressure bulkhead, which has a cross section of 6.5 m and was produced from carbon-fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) at the Airbus plant in Stade, forms the pressure-tight termination of the rear fuselage section of the A380. In addition, last week the first seven fuselage shells for the new superjumbo were completed at the Airbus plant in Nordenham and transported via the Weser, North Sea and Elbe to Hamburg.

The first flight of the A380 is planned for early 2005. First delivery of this new widebody aircraft will be to Singapore Airlines in 2006. To date, 129 firm orders and commitments have been received from eleven customers around the world for this aircraft.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Mon, 25 Aug 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,general,services_gen,germany,worldwide_otherAirbus A340 in first flight of "AWIATOR” programmehttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/08_29_03_AWIATOR.html
The 80 million Euro programme, which is investigating future wing technologies, includes many other partners, such as Alenia, CERFACS, CNRS, DLR, EADS Research Centre, EADS Military Aircraft, GKN, IAI, INASCO, IST, NLR, NTUA, ONERA, the European Union, Sener, Sonaca, Spasa, TU Munich, TU Berlin and UCL, and is being coordinated by Airbus.

The technologies for the AWIATOR programme, which began in July 2002, have been developed in other national or European initiatives. These technologies include new ways of measuring and influencing the vortex wake, new ways of influencing noise, integration of very large wing tip devices (winglets), new wing deformation measurements and new flight control laws using existing and new control surfaces. In addition, a new sensor to measure turbulence ahead of the aircraft, adaptive and new elements to increase high lift efficiency will also be tested. The response of the wing in flight will be measured in detail by standard and advanced measurement methods, such as inclinometers, Bragg sensors, pressure belts and photogrammetry. Noise and vortices in the far field will be measured by microphone arrays and Lidar systems.

In addition to the flight tests and supporting theoretical work currently being undertaken, there will also be other tests performed throughout Europe, including simulator tests, tests on various system and structure test rigs, and, of course, a variety of tests in large European wind tunnels.

During the first stage of the programme, which runs to December 2003, the new technologies will be investigated separately. The single technological elements will be installed, flight tested and dismounted again afterwards during six separate flight test campaigns. Following an intensive analysis of the flight test results, the most promising technologies - along with the best component optimisation - will be integrated for the final 'AWIATOR integration flight test.' It is anticipated that this will take place in mid 2005.

These ambitious flight test programmes will enable full scale validation and integration of the technologies in preparation for application on future aircraft products.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 29 Aug 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a330a340,event_gen,innovation,technical_sup,france,worldwide_otherCLARIFICATIONhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/03_Sep_03_Clarification.html

Following the publication of some misleading information in a French daily today, Airbus wishes to clearly state that it did not ask to re-negotiate the conditions under which the refundable launch investments for the A380 were granted. These investments were granted after approval from the respective governments and then notified to the European Commission. They are fully compliant with the Bilateral Agreement of 1992 between the EU and US governments, the latter having been formally informed by the EU Commission as provisioned by the Agreement.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.

]]>Wed, 03 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100a380,general,franceClarificationhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_03_03_Clarification.html
Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 03 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,general,services_gen,france,worldwide_otherTAME EXPANDS FLEET WITH AIRBUS AIRCRAFThttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/05_Sep_03_Tame_Expands.html

Ecuadorian state-owned flag-carrier TAME took delivery today of the first of two new A320 aircraft as part of a ceremony held in Toulouse, Southwestern France. A second Airbus single-aisle A320 will also be delivered to TAME next September 12 th, 2003. These two new aircraft are part of an operating lease agreement with GATX Air.

TAME will operate its two new A320s on non-stop routes over its regional and international network, gradually replacing its ageing Boeing 727 fleet. They will start direct non-stop service from Quito to Guayaquil and the Galapagos natural reserve.

TAME’s new A320s will be powered by International Aero Engines (IAE) V2527E-A5 type, particularly designed for high altitude take offs and landings.  

TAME’ A320s feature a luxurious seating for 162 passengers in a spacious single class layout. Airbus single-aisle aircraft have the widest cabin cross section, thus offering wider seats and a wider aisle for the best cabin comfort in its class. Furthermore, the A320 Family offers the biggest overhead bins in single-aisle aircraft for a more convenient storage of modern roll-aboard luggage.

Designed to optimise passenger comfort and maximise cost savings, the A318, A319, A320 and A321 form the world’s most profitable and best-selling single-aisle aircraft Family. The Family is in widespread service around the world with some 120 customers and operators, including a majority of airlines in Central and South America.

This choice in favour of the A320 underlines the attractiveness of Airbus aircraft as a winning long-term investment. Independent market surveys have repeatedly placed the Airbus A320 Family as the aircraft family with the highest residual value.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.

]]>Fri, 05 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100a320,corporate_gen,worldwide_genTAME expands fleet with Airbus aircrafthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_05_03_TAME.html
TAME will operate its two new A320s on non-stop routes over its regional and international network, gradually replacing its ageing Boeing 727 fleet. They will start direct non-stop service from Quito to Guayaquil and the Galapagos natural reserve.

TAME's new A320s will be powered by International Aero Engines (IAE) V2527E-A5 type, particularly designed for high altitude take offs and landings.

TAME's A320s feature luxurious seating for 162 passengers in a spacious single class layout. Airbus single-aisle aircraft have the widest cabin cross section, thus offering wider seats and a wider aisle for the best cabin comfort in its class. Furthermore, the A320 Family offers the biggest overhead bins in single-aisle aircraft for more convenient storage of modern roll-aboard luggage.

Designed to optimise passenger comfort and maximise cost savings, the A318, A319, A320 and A321 form the world's most profitable and best-selling single-aisle aircraft Family. The Family is in widespread service around the world with some 120 customers and operators, including a majority of airlines in Central and South America.

This choice in favour of the A320 underlines the attractiveness of Airbus aircraft as a winning long-term investment. Independent market surveys have repeatedly placed the Airbus A320 Family as the aircraft family with the highest residual value.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 05 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAir New Zealand enters new era with first Airbus aircrafthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_15_03_Air_New_Zealand.html
Air New Zealand will initially use its Airbus A320s on trans-Tasman routes to Australia and, later, on services to South Pacific islands. The aircraft seat eight passengers in business class and 138 in economy, and are powered by International Aero Engines V2500s.

Air New Zealand Managing Director and CEO Ralph Norris took delivery of the Airbus A320 from Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard, at a ceremony in Toulouse attended by ILFC Chairman Steve Udvar-Hazy.

"Our challenge is to provide passengers with attractive airfares as well as a comfortable ride and friendly service," says Ralph Norris, "and that is exactly what our modern A320 fleet, with its operational efficiencies and spacious cabin interior will help us to provide."

"Air New Zealand is one of our earliest and most valued customers, while Airbus A320 Family aircraft are among the most successful in our portfolio, which makes for a great start to this partnership," says ILFC Chairman and CEO Steve Udvar-Hazy.

"With some 240 customers and operators of Airbus aircraft around the world, it is not every day that we add a new one, especially one as prestigious as Air New Zealand, which makes this a very special occasion for us," says Noël Forgeard.

The Airbus A320 family is the most modern and successful in its class, with the best fuel efficiency, the lowest maintenance costs, and the widest cabin. It is the preferred choice of both full-service and low-cost airlines, as well as enjoying a consistent lead in independent passenger and operator surveys. Thanks to their fly-by-wire flight controls the aircraft offer full operational commonality with other members of the Airbus aircraft family.

Air New Zealand’s A320s join a strong Airbus presence in the Pacific, where the company’s aircraft underpin virtually all fleet modernisations in the region.

Firm orders for the Airbus A320 family stand at over 3,000 - more than 2,000 of which have been delivered to date, making it the fastest-selling airliner range of all time. The A320 family has won more than 140 customers and operators throughout the world, pleasing passengers and airlines in every continent.

Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Mon, 15 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,corporate_gen,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAIRBUS APPLIES RFID TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPLY OF AIRCRAFT SPARE PARTS http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/18_Sep_03_RFID_Spare_Parts.html

Airbus is introducing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to its supply of aircraft spare parts. This follows the successful introduction of the technology to its aircraft tools supply chain four years ago. RFID technology allows the storage and modification of data on a microchip and the exchange of data with PC or EDP systems.

Together with its industrial partner, eConnective AG, and co-developer of the technology, Fraunhofer Institute, Magdeburg, Germany, Airbus has launched a test phase with the help of a European Airbus operator. This will allow the RFID transponder chip to be used for the first time on civil aircraft spares.

Airbus pioneered the use of the RFID technology in aircraft tool management in 1999. As a result, all Airbus tools with manufacturer serial numbers are now equipped with the microchip for radio frequency identification, offering electronic support for loan and repair management of tools. The microchips are installed on the tools as well as the tool boxes and contain data about the history of the tool as well as shipping, routing and customs information.

It is anticipated that the availability of this ground-breaking technology on aircraft spares parts will significantly help to simplify inventory and repair management of the equipped repairable and rotatable spare parts.

One of the major benefits of this new technology for the airlines is a simplified component repair management, where the repair and flight history of the component will be available electronically. The microchip assures the availability and accuracy of vital information and documentation and also allows a comprehensive tracking system. The airlines will further benefit by time saved on trouble shooting, parts inspection, repairs administration and on the whole logistics cycle. This increase in efficiency will contribute to the airlines’ bottom line through reduced spares investment needs, higher spares availability rates and simplified administration.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.

]]>Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100innovationAirbus applies RFID technology to supply of aircraft spare parts http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_18_03_RFID_technology.html
Together with its industrial partner, eConnective AG, and co-developer of the technology, Fraunhofer Institute, Magdeburg, Germany, Airbus has launched a test phase with the help of a European Airbus operator. This will allow the RFID transponder chip to be used for the first time on civil aircraft spares.

Airbus pioneered the use of the RFID technology in aircraft tool management in 1999. As a result, all Airbus tools with manufacturer serial numbers are now equipped with the microchip for radio frequency identification, offering electronic support for loan and repair management of tools. The microchips are installed on the tools as well as the tool boxes and contain data about the history of the tool as well as shipping, routing and customs information.

It is anticipated that the availability of this ground-breaking technology on aircraft spares parts will significantly help to simplify inventory and repair management of the equipped repairable and rotable spare parts.

One of the major benefits of this new technology for the airlines is a simplified component repair management, where the repair and flight history of the component will be available electronically. The microchip assures the availability and accuracy of vital information and documentation and also allows a comprehensive tracking system. The airlines will further benefit by time saved on trouble shooting, parts inspection, repairs administration and on the whole logistics cycle. This increase in efficiency will contribute to the airlines’ bottom line through reduced spares investment needs, higher spares availability rates and simplified administration.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,innovation,technical_sup,germany,franceAIR MOLDOVA BECOMES AN AIRBUS OPERATOR http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/20_Sep_03_Air_Moldova.html

Today Air Moldova integrated its first Airbus aircraft into its fleet, a single-aisle A320, joining some 200 operators of Airbus aircraft worldwide. The Moldavian flag carrier, which is the fifth airline to select the A320 in the CIS, plans to receive a second aircraft of this type next year. Both aircraft will be operated under an operational lease agreement.

Air Moldova’s A320 offers a spacious, comfortable and flexible two class layout, which can accommodate up to 144 passengers. The cabin features two rows of fixed business class seats (8 seats), five rows of convertible seats (20 seats business or 30 seats economy) and 106 fixed economy seats. The aircraft is powered by CFM56-5 engines from CFM International. Air Moldova plans to use the aircraft on its international routes from Chisinau to major European cities including Amsterdam, Paris and Rome.

Airbus’ A320 Family features the most modern design and the widest and most comfortable cabin. It is thus a firm favourite with passengers, invariably coming top in independent surveys, as well as consistently leading in financial and operator polls.

It has great economics, low maintenance costs, a transcontinental range and a proven worth as an excellent financial investment. The best–selling Airbus A320 Family comes in four different sizes - the 107-seat A318, 124-seat A319, 150-seat A320 and 185-seat A321. All of them share the same airframe – only the fuselage lengths are different – plus the same cockpits, systems and handling qualities, delivering unmatched commonality and savings to airlines.

Firm orders for the best-selling A320 family now exceed 3,000, more than 2,000 of which have been delivered to more than 110 operators around the world. More than 100 European airlines, including the majority of flag carriers currently operate some 1,150 Airbus aircraft.A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS

]]>Sat, 20 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100a320,worldwide_genAir Moldova becomes an Airbus operatorhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_20_03_Air_Moldova.html
Air Moldova'zs A320 offers a spacious, comfortable and flexible two class layout, which can accommodate up to 144 passengers. The cabin features two rows of fixed business class seats (8 seats), five rows of convertible seats (20 seats business or 30 seats economy) and 106 fixed economy seats. The aircraft is powered by CFM56-5 engines from CFM International. Air Moldova plans to use the aircraft on its international routes from Chisinau to major European cities including Amsterdam, Paris and Rome.

Airbus’ A320 Family features the most modern design and the widest and most comfortable cabin. It is thus a firm favourite with passengers, invariably coming top in independent surveys, as well as consistently leading in financial and operator polls.

It has great economics, low maintenance costs, a transcontinental range and a proven worth as an excellent financial investment. The best–selling Airbus A320 Family comes in four different sizes - the 107-seat A318, 124-seat A319, 150-seat A320 and 185-seat A321. All of them share the same airframe – only the fuselage lengths are different – plus the same cockpits, systems and handling qualities, delivering unmatched commonality and savings to airlines.

Firm orders for the best-selling A320 family now exceed 3,000, more than 2,000 of which have been delivered to more than 110 operators around the world. More than 100 European airlines, including the majority of flag carriers currently operate some 1,150 Airbus aircraft.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Sat, 20 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,corporate_gen,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAirbus at LIMA 2003http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_22_03_LIMA.html
Following the successful entry into service of the latest generation A340-600 in 2002, the first deliveries of the ultra long range A340-500 to an Asian customer are scheduled before the end of 2003. Another Airbus achievement this year is the certification of the A318, the latest and smallest aircraft of Airbus’ successful Single Aisle Family. With the delivery of the first A320 to Air New Zealand earlier this month, the number of Airbus aircraft in service with airlines in the Asia Pacific region reached almost 550 with 41 operators.

Throughout the LIMA Airshow, Airbus will have a major display of its products on the main EADS stand (B171 – Hall B), including models of the A380, A330 and A320.

Airbus will hold a press conference in Hall B – Meeting room B at 10.30am on Wednesday, 1st October. At 14.00 on the same day, Airbus will participate in an "On Board the A380" event in co-operation with Composite Technology Resources Malaysia (CTRM). This ceremony will officially mark the delivery of the first set of A380 wing components under an agreement that was reached between Airbus and CTRM in October 2002.

Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Airbus has delivered almost 3,300 aircraft to 185 customers world-wide, and boasts a healthy order book of more than 1,500 aircraft for delivery in the coming years. Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Mon, 22 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a320,event,miscellaneous,customer,france,worldwide_otherAIRBUS AT LIMA 2003http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/22_Sep_03_Lima_2003.html

Having obtained almost 240 new aircraft orders during the first eight months of the year, Airbus comes to the LIMA Airshow (30 th September – 5 th October) in Langkawi, Malaysia with a positive outlook despite the challenges currently faced by the air transport industry. The very large A380  double-decker development is on schedule, with firm orders and commitments for the aircraft having grown to 129 from 11 customers during 2003. Customers from the Asia-Pacific region include Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas Airways and Singapore Airlines.

Following the successful entry into service of the latest generation A340-600 in 2002, the first deliveries of the ultra long range A340-500 to an Asian customer are scheduled before the end of 2003. Another Airbus achievement this year is the certification of the A318, the latest and smallest aircraft of Airbus’ successful Single Aisle Family. With the delivery of the first A320 to

Air New Zealand earlier this month, the number of Airbus aircraft in service with airlines in the Asia Pacific region reached almost 550 with 41 operators.

Throughout the LIMA Airshow, Airbus will have a major display of its products on the main EADS stand (B171 – Hall B), including models of the A380, A330 and A320.

Airbus will hold a press conference in Hall B – Meeting room B at 10.30am on Wednesday, 1 st October.  At 14.00 on the same day, Airbus will participate in an “On Board the A380” event in co-operation with Composite Technology Resources Malaysia (CTRM). This ceremony will officially mark the delivery of the first set of A380 wing components under an agreement that was reached between Airbus and CTRM in October 2002.

Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Airbus has delivered almost 3,300 aircraft to 185 customers world-wide, and boasts a healthy order book of more than 1,500 aircraft for delivery in the coming years. Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.

]]>Mon, 22 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100event,worldwide_geneasyJet receives first Airbus A319http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_25_03_easyJet.html
The A319 is a member of Airbus’ single-aisle Family, comprising the A318, A319, A320 and A321 and has a seat capacity between 107 and 220 seats. It is the fastest selling aircraft family with nearly 3,100 sold so far.

The A320 Family offers a range of essential benefits to low cost airlines: Wider aisles and full-scale service doors, as well as a bigger, more accessible cargo area enabling faster turnaround times. Furthermore the A320 Family aircraft are equipped with the biggest overhead storage space in their class for more convenient storage of modern roll-aboard luggage. In easyJet’s chosen configuration the A319 has 156 seats in a comfortable single-class layout.

Low-cost airlines also enjoy the outstanding economics of the A320 Family, achieved through more modern technology and lower maintenance costs. The demanding environment in which these airlines operate has furthermore proven Airbus’ excellent reliability and suitability to the low cost market. As well as proving a firm favourite with operators the A320 Family is also delighting passengers, invariably coming top in independent surveys, as well as investors, consistently leading in financial and operator polls, highlighting the operational efficiency and stable residual value.

"The easyJet business model is based on flying from convenient local airports to some of Europe’s most popular and attractive destinations and the A319 will enable us to continue to offer this unique mix saving passengers both time and money for many years to come," said Ray Webster, easyJet Chief Executive Officer.

"We are delighted to hand over the first A319 to easyJet today. As a member of the renowned A320 Family, it is the right choice for easyJet and for the low-cost market. It offers an unmatched combination of low seat mile costs and reduced financial risk for airlines," said Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. "With nearly 350 A320 Family aircraft in operation and on order for the European low-fare industry, Airbus is the clear market leader in this segment," he added.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Thu, 25 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherRoyal Thai Air Force orders an Airbus corporate jetlinerhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_25_03_RTAF.html
The order highlights the increasing success of the Airbus ACJ in this role – since it is already in widespread service with the governments of France, Italy, Qatar, Venezuela and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, it is also a favourite amongst private owners and executive airlines.

Delivery of the RTAF’s Airbus ACJ, which is powered by CFM International CFM56-5B7/P engines, is planned for July 2004.

With twice the cabin diameter and three times the volume of traditional business jets, the Airbus ACJ is large enough to comfortably carry both senior officials and their support staff – yet costs about the same to buy and operate.

Airbus' ACJ thus offers governments, companies and individuals valuable productive space in which to travel, backed by Airbus' modern aircraft design philosophy and its unmatched worldwide support network.

The RTAF's Airbus ACJ will feature four additional centre tanks (ACTs), giving it the range to fly one-stop to both Europe and North America while transporting some 30 passengers and their baggage.

"Airbus' ACJ will provide us with an economical, secure and reliable way to transport delegations of senior government officials and their support staff, especially when intercontinental travel is involved," says Air Marshall Chalit Pukbhasuk, Chairman of the RTAF committee.

The RTAF became one of Airbus' first customers for government transport in 1991, when it began operating an A310 in this role.

"Airbus aircraft have always played a big role in bringing peoples of our planet together, and we are delighted that they are now increasingly doing so for world leaders," says Airbus Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.

Based on the Airbus A319 – part of the world's most modern and successful airliner family – the ACJ is unique in being certificated for public transport, and in offering fly-by-wire and Category 3B autoland.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Thu, 25 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,acj,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAIRBUS: DELIVERY OUTLOOKhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/26_Sep_03_Delivery_Otlook.html

Further to some media reports referring to future Airbus' deliveries or production schedules, Airbus wishes to reconfirm its outlook.

·         2003:  As repeatedly stated during the past weeks and months, Airbus expects to deliver 300 airliners in 2003, in spite of the succession of crisis that have affected the air travel industry since the second half of 2001.

  • 2004:  For next year, Airbus is not yet in the position to provide firm figures. As recently and publicly indicated by Noël Forgeard, President and CEO, Airbus foresees for the time being a level of deliveries which would be in the same order of magnitude as in 2003.
  • 2005:  As anticipated by several industrial sources, a market recovery in terms of deliveries can be envisaged in two years from now. However, it is even more premature to predict at this stage a reliable delivery level for 2005.

The figures reported by a few media today are based on working document that need to be established, at the various levels of the organization, in order to monitor consistently the industry cycles and allow the Airbus teams, suppliers and other stakeholders to plan ahead.  Such working documents include internal working assumptions, constantly re-adjusted, and often refer to specific phases of the industrial process rather than to actual global deliveries.

It goes without saying that they cannot be seen as an official reference by the market.

]]>Fri, 26 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100generalAirbus: Delivery outlookhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_26_03_delivery_outlook.html
· 2003: As repeatedly stated during the past weeks and months, Airbus expects to deliver 300 airliners in 2003, in spite of the succession of crisis that have affected the air travel industry since the second half of 2001.

· 2004: For next year, Airbus is not yet in the position to provide firm figures. As recently and publicly indicated by Noël Forgeard, President and CEO, Airbus foresees for the time being a level of deliveries which would be in the same order of magnitude as in 2003.

· 2005: As anticipated by several industrial sources, a market recovery in terms of deliveries can be envisaged in two years from now. However, it is even more premature to predict at this stage a reliable delivery level for 2005.

The figures reported by a few media today are based on working document that need to be established, at the various levels of the organization, in order to monitor consistently the industry cycles and allow the Airbus teams, suppliers and other stakeholders to plan ahead. Such working documents include internal working assumptions, constantly re-adjusted, and often refer to specific phases of the industrial process rather than to actual global deliveries.

It goes without saying that they cannot be seen as an official reference by the market.]]>Fri, 26 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,general,services_gen,france,worldwide_otherChina Southern Airlines signs purchase agreement for 4 a330-200 aircraft http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_29_03_China_Southern.html
This is part of the General Terms Agreement signed on April 25 in Beijing. The China Aviation Supplies Imp. & Exp. Group Corporation (CASGC) signed the GTA with Airbus for a firm bulk order of 30 Airbus aircraft, to be operated by the China Southern Airlines and several other Chinese carriers.

"We will mainly put the A330-200s into operation on medium- and long-range routes, especially on new international routes that we plan to open. Our goal is to become an airline of prime choice by passengers," said Liu Mingqi, Vice President of the China Southern Airlines group. "Introduction of the aircraft will offer our passengers a safe and comfortable in-flight experience. And we will also benefit from A330's commonality with other members of the Airbus Family, which will help us reduce training and maintenance costs."

"The purchase agreement for the A330 marks a new milestone in our cooperation," said Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are confident that the A330-200 will play an important role in the continued development of the airline and look forward to a long and fruitful partnership between our two companies."

With a range of up to 6,650 nm/12,300 km, the A330-200 combines some of the lowest operating costs of any aircraft ever designed with maximum flexibility over medium to long-haul routes. The A330-200 for the China Southern Airlines will comprise 276 seats.

The A330 is part of the market leading Airbus A330/A340 Family which has been especially successful in Asia-Pacific, where it has been selected by 20 airlines, including almost every major international carrier in the region. The A330/A340 Family has booked more than 800 orders from over 60 customers worldwide.

The largest airline in The People’s Republic of China for the past 24 years, China Southern Airlines connects more than 80 cities around the globe with more than 300 routes. It has over 120 large modern aircraft, including 20 A320s.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Mon, 29 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,china,worldwide_otherAirbus, sponsor of the Edouard Vuillard exhibitionhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_30_03_Vuillard_exhibition.html
A contemporary of the Wright brothers, who are currently being celebrated globally for the centenary of their first ever flight, Edouard Vuillard was also a 20th century pioneer. He deployed a remarkable series of inventions, unusual compositions and chromatic explorations in his paint-ings, some of which can be seen on display at the exhibition.

The spirit of innovation, quest for excellence and universality that these visionaries shared are values that have remained at the heart of Airbus since its creation in 1970. Today, they are values that continue to inspire more than 46,000 Airbus employees throughout the world in the construction of a family of aircraft, which are setting the standards in the 21st century.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market for civil aircraft with a capacity of 100 to more than 500 seats, Airbus is a global com-pany with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Tue, 30 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event,ethics,services_gen,france,worldwide_otherFIRST AIRBUS A320 FAMILY AIRCRAFT DELIVERED TO AEROFLOT AS PART OF THEhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/15_Oct_03_Aeroflot_A320.htmlToday Airbus delivered the first A319 to Aeroflot, the Russian flag carrier, at the Airbus delivery centre in Hamburg, Germany. The aircraft is the first of 18 A320 Family aircraft to be integrated into the Aeroflot fleet in accordance with the deal signed in Toulouse in November 2002 in the presence of the Russian and French Prime Ministers, Mikhail Kassianov and Jean-Pierre Raffarin. Deliveries of these aircraft to Aeroflot, replacing some of the 27 Western-built aircraft, currently in service with the airline, will be completed by the end of 2004.

Aeroflot becomes the first airline in the CIS and the Baltic States to operate the A319. Powered by CFM International CFM56-5 engines, Aeroflot’s A319s and A320s will feature spacious and comfortable two-class cabin layouts seating 116 and 140 passengers respectively. This includes 20 seats in fixed business class. The airline plans to operate these aircraft on both its European and domestic network.

This delivery marks a new stage in the long and growing partnership between Airbus and Aeroflot. Aeroflot passengers will enjoy flying with the A320 Family as millions of people from all continents, and the airline will significantly benefit from the numerous advantages of these aircraft, such as reliability, family compatibility, optimal performance and passenger comfort.

Airbus’ A320 Family features the most modern design and the widest and most comfortable cabin. It is thus a firm favourite with passengers, invariably coming top in independent surveys, as well as consistently leading in financial and operator polls. It has great economics, low maintenance costs, a transcontinental range and a proven worth as an excellent financial nvestment. The best–selling Airbus A320 Family comes in four different sizes - the 107-seat 318, 124-seat A319, 150-seat A320 and 185-seat A321. All of them share the same airframe – only the fuselage lengths are different – plus the same cockpits, systems and handling qualities, delivering unmatched commonality and savings to airlines.

Firm orders for the best-selling A320 family now exceed 3,000, more than 2,000 of which have been delivered to more than 110 operators around the world.
 
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive Western product line, and a total order book for more than 4,800 aircraft, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. In Moscow, it has a regional office, as well as technical representation providing on-the-spot airline support. The Airbus Engineering Centre ECAR established jointly with Kaskol Group has been operational in Moscow since Spring 2003.

Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.

]]>Wed, 15 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0100a320,general,russiaAIRBUS SUPPORTS MOUTAINEERING UNDERTAKING IN TIBET http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/15_Oct_03_Tibet_Mountains.html

Airbus granted 420,000 yuan to the Tibet Mountaineering School and signed an agreement today in Beijing with the school to support the Tibet mountaineering undertaking.

“Airbus has lent us great support, to which we are very grateful,” said Nima Tsering, president of the school, who is also a well-know alpinist. “With funds from Airbus, we will build a rock climbing wall. We want to carry out more cooperation with Airbus so as to promote the development of mountaineering undertaking in Tibet and turn out more professionals of international standards.”

"A bridge between Europe and China, Airbus is actively promoting the cultural, educational and sports exchanges," said Airbus Executive Vice President for government relations, communication and external affairs. Airbus is firmly behind the Tibetan mountaineering undertaking and the government’s strategy of developing the western region. Airbus is a young company with only 33 years but has become the No. 1 in civil aviation. One of the reason for our success is that we are a young and dynamic company seeking the same spirit as mountaineers, which is to boldly face challenges and aim high."

In recent years, Airbus has been supporting the school with financial assistance and equipment.

In 1999, the Tibet Mountaineering School was founded and recruited more than 20 people in the Himalayan region. In the school, students receive strict training in rock climbing, ice climbing, how to use ropes. They also learn safety knowledge, mountaineering skills and foreign languages. The school has as well sent its students to France and Beijing to attend courses in mountaineering and rescue in high mountains. The school has drawn attention from the government, and was listed one of the 107 key projects for development in Tibet in 2002. 

Students at the school and over 100 fans across China recently took part in a national mountaineering event in Tibet and successfully ascended Nyainqentanglha，which is 7,117 meters above the sea level.  Nima Tsering brought with him a flag of Airbus to its summit on October 4.

Having over 50 mountains with an altitude of more than 7,000 meters and a number of mountains with an altitude of 6,000 meters, Tibet attracts alpinists worldwide. As the Himalayan region becomes increasingly open to the outside world, more and more foreign mountaineers rushed to the region. One of the goals of the school is to train mountaineering guides, who could play an important role in international cooperation and friendship. 

Nima Tsering has become a famous figure after an amateur mountaineering team led by him successfully climbed to the top of Everest on May 21 this year, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of man’s ascent of the mountain.  Hundreds of millions of people watched Nima Tsering unfurling on TV a Chinese national flag on the summit.

]]>Wed, 15 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0100First Airbus A320 Family aircraft delivered to Aeroflot as part of the airline's fleet restructuringhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/10_15_03_Aeroflot.html
Aeroflot becomes the first airline in the CIS and the Baltic States to operate the A319. Powered by CFM International CFM56-5 engines, Aeroflot's A319s and A320s will feature spacious and comfortable two-class cabin layouts seating 116 and 140 passengers respectively. This includes 20 seats in fixed business class. The airline plans to operate these aircraft on both its European and domestic network.

This delivery marks a new stage in the long and growing partnership between Airbus and Aeroflot. Aeroflot passengers will enjoy flying with the A320 Family as millions of people from all continents do, and the airline will significantly benefit from the numerous advantages of these aircraft, such as reliability, family compatibility, optimal performance and passenger comfort.

Airbus' A320 Family features the most modern design and the widest and most comfortable cabin. It is thus a firm favourite with passengers, invariably coming in top in independent surveys, as well as consistently leading in financial and operator polls. It has great economics, low maintenance costs, a transcontinental range and a proven worth as an excellent financial investment. The best-selling Airbus A320 Family comes in four different sizes - the 107-seat A318, 124-seat A319, 150-seat A320 and 185-seat A321. All of them share the same airframe - only the fuselage lengths are different - plus the same cockpits, systems and handling qualities, delivering unmatched commonality and savings to airlines.

Firm orders for the best-selling A320 Family now exceed 3,000, more than 2,000 of which have been delivered to more than 110 operators around the world.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive Western product line, and a total order book for more than 4,800 aircraft, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. In Moscow, it has a regional office, as well as technical representation providing on-the-spot airline support. The Airbus Engineering Centre ECAR, established jointly with Kaskol Group, has been operational in Moscow since Spring 2003.

Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 15 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,russia,worldwide_otherAirbus supports mountaineering undertaking in Tibethttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/10_15_03_Tibet.html
"Airbus has lent us great support, to which we are very grateful," said Nima Tsering, president of the school, who is also a well-know alpinist. "With funds from Airbus, we will build a rock climbing wall. We want to carry out more cooperation with Airbus so as to promote the development of mountaineering undertaking in Tibet and turn out more professionals of international standards."

"A bridge between Europe and China, Airbus is actively promoting the cultural, educational and sports exchanges," said Airbus Executive Vice President for government relations, communication and external affairs. Airbus is firmly behind the Tibetan mountaineering undertaking and the government’s strategy of developing the western region. Airbus is a young company with only 33 years but has become the No. 1 in civil aviation. One of the reason for our success is that we are a young and dynamic company seeking the same spirit as mountaineers, which is to boldly face challenges and aim high."

In recent years, Airbus has been supporting the school with financial assistance and equipment.

In 1999, the Tibet Mountaineering School was founded and recruited more than 20 people in the Himalayan region. In the school, students receive strict training in rock climbing, ice climbing, how to use ropes. They also learn safety knowledge, mountaineering skills and foreign languages. The school has as well sent its students to France and Beijing to attend courses in mountaineering and rescue in high mountains. The school has drawn attention from the government, and was listed one of the 107 key projects for development in Tibet in 2002.

Students at the school and over 100 fans across China recently took part in a national mountaineering event in Tibet and successfully ascended Nyainqentanglha，which is 7,117 meters above the sea level. Nima Tsering brought with him a flag of Airbus to its summit on October 4.

Having over 50 mountains with an altitude of more than 7,000 meters and a number of mountains with an altitude of 6,000 meters, Tibet attracts alpinists worldwide. As the Himalayan region becomes increasingly open to the outside world, more and more foreign mountaineers rushed to the region. One of the goals of the school is to train mountaineering guides, who could play an important role in international cooperation and friendship.

Nima Tsering has become a famous figure after an amateur mountaineering team led by him successfully climbed to the top of Everest on May 21 this year, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of man’s ascent of the mountain. Hundreds of millions of people watched Nima Tsering unfurling on TV a Chinese national flag on the summit.

Airbus is dedicated to be a responsible corporate citizen in China. In recent years, Airbus has built a technical library in the Tianjin-based Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC), and has set up a scholarship at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronomics. The company has also made donations to the Beijing Children's Welfare Institute. To help fight SARS, Airbus China and the China Aviation Supplies Imports and Exports Group Corporation (CASGC) donated a total of 500 non-contact thermometers worth more than 300,000 yuan to the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC), and donated masks worth 100,000 yuan to the Beijing Tianzhu Airport Industrial Zone in June 2003.

Airbus’s business in China has been steadily expanding since it first entered the country in 1985. The Airbus fleet in service in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao has grown to more than 200 today from 29 in 1995. The CASC/AIRBUS Customer Services Training and Support Centre, which represents a US$80 million investment by Airbus, is fully operational in Beijing. Four Chinese manufacturers are already involved in manufacturing of Airbus parts, such as wing components, passenger doors and maintenance tools.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 15 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,product_gen,event_gen,ethics,training,china,worldwide_otherAirbus organises a customer support seminar in Istanbulhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/10_22_03_Istanbul_seminar.html
The programme focused on topics such as ways to implement a streamlined reliability programme within a maintenance and engineering organisation; optimisation of the organisational structure to smoothly run the programme and to increase productivity, the role of the reliability control programme in the context of overall aircraft operations. Several workshops were organised with practical and dynamic case studies which made this seminar highly successful.

"Airbus is very pleased with the close partnership it has built with Turkish carriers -whether scheduled, charter or cargo carriers. Theses initiatives can only help them in their search to provide best service to their own customers, which is key to their commercial success," said Daniel Bical, Airbus Customer Support Director who ran the seminar.

Airbus Customer Services covers all areas of support including spare parts and technical advice. Over the years, Airbus has developed an innovative and flexible approach to service, acting in partnership with its customers and suppliers. Today it provides the most competent front line support services that help airlines increase safety, achieve their goals and enhance the profitability of their fleets.

With a continued focus on the highest quality in aircraft design, operational reliability, passenger comfort and customer service, Airbus, which consistently wins about half of all airlines sales worldwide, has been successful in Turkey too, with its aircraft making up all the widebody fleet operated by Turkish carriers.

THY Turkish Airlines, which in 1984 became one of the European aircraft manufacturer’s earliest customers with the A310, was also one of the very first customers and operators of Airbus’ four-engine ultra-long range A340, in 1993. With its seven-strong A340 fleet, the Turkish flag-carrier serves non-stop routes from Istanbul such as to the United States, South East Asia and Japan.

Other Airbus operators in Turkey include Onur Air, which became the world’s first charter operator of the A321 in 1996, Flyair, and MNG Airlines Cargo, shortly to be joined by low cost airline Freebird and freight carrier Orex.

Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, ranging from 100 to more than 500 seats. It has delivered over 3,300 aircraft to more than 180 customers worldwide, and boasts a healthy order book of more than 1,500 aircraft for delivery over the coming years.

Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,product_gen,event,general,customer,france,worldwide_otherAIRBUS ORGANISES A CUSTOMER SUPPORT SEMINAR IN ISTANBULhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/22_Oct_03_Seminar_Istanbul.html

In the framework of ongoing dialogue with its Turkish customers and operators, Airbus held a three-day free of charge training seminar for airline maintenance and engineering departments, in Istanbul, from 20 to 22 nd October. This event - an industry first in Turkey, took place at Turkish Airlines’ training centre and was attended by some 50 engineers from six different Turkish carriers. The subject, which covered Airbus aircraft operational reliability control programme, had been identified by several of these airlines as a pressing training need.

The programme focused on topics such as ways to implement a streamlined reliability programme within a maintenance and engineering organisation; optimisation of the organisational structure to smoothly run the programme and to increase productivity, the role of the reliability control programme in the context of overall aircraft operations.  Several workshops were organised with practical and dynamic case studies which made this seminar highly successful.

“Airbus is very pleased with the close partnership it has built with Turkish carriers -whether scheduled, charter or cargo carriers. Theses initiatives can only help them in their search to provide best service to their own customers, which is key to their commercial success”, said Daniel Bical, Airbus Customer Support Director who ran the seminar.

Airbus Customer Services covers all areas of support including spare parts and technical advice. Over the years, Airbus has developed an innovative and flexible approach to service, acting in partnership with its customers and suppliers. Today it provides the most competent front line support services that help airlines increase safety, achieve their goals and enhance the profitability of their fleets.

With a continued focus on the highest quality in aircraft design, operational reliability, passenger comfort and customer service, Airbus, which consistently wins about half of all airlines sales worldwide, has been successful in Turkey too, with its aircraft making up all the widebody fleet operated by Turkish carriers.

THY Turkish Airlines, which in 1984 became one of the European aircraft manufacturer’s earliest customers with the A310, was also one of the very first customers and operators of Airbus’ four-engine ultra-long range A340, in 1993. With its seven-strong A340 fleet, the Turkish flag-carrier serves non-stop routes from Istanbul such as to the United States, South East Asia and Japan.

Other Airbus operators in Turkey include Onur Air, which became the world’s first charter operator of the A321 in 1996, Flyair, and MNG Airlines Cargo, shortly to be joined by low cost airline Freebird and freight carrier Orex.

]]>Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0100event,customer,worldwide_genKorean Air looks to the future with A380http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/10_23_03_Korean_Air.html
The contract was signed at a ceremony immediately prior to the opening of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines annual Assembly of Presidents' meeting on Jeju Island, South Korea today.

With Korean Air's confirmation, Airbus has 121 firm orders plus eight commitments, making a total of 129, from 11 customers for the A380 programme.

"Our decision to purchase the A380 aircraft meets our strategy to reinforce Incheon Intl Airport as the strongest hub in Northeast Asia," said Yang Ho Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air. "As one of the leading airlines in Asia, our long-term fleet plan plays a significant role in this strategy. The A380 will clearly be the flagship of the 21st century and Korean Air is proud to be one of the first airlines to operate the aircraft in Asia"

Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer, said "Airbus aircraft have always proven to be extremely popular with Asian carriers and it is particularly satisfying to see Korean Air, our first and oldest customer outside Europe selecting the A380 for its future growth requirements. The advanced technology A380 will provide Korean Air with lower operating costs, greater range and outstanding new standards of comfort for its passengers."

Airbus' relationship with Korean Air dates back to 1974, when the airline became Airbus' first customer outside Europe. Today, the carrier remains one of Airbus' largest customers in the region, having previously placed orders for 51 widebody types comprising 32 A300s and 19 A330s.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Thu, 23 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a380,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,worldwide_gen,worldwide_otherEmirates A340-500S to introduce new era in long-haul travelhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/10_24_03_Emirates.html
With the longest range of any airliner, the A340-500 allows the opening up of new non-stop routes – such as from Dubai to Australia or North America – making journeys shorter, more convenient and more comfortable for passengers.

Emirates’ A340-500s seat 12 in first-class suites, 42 in business class and 204 in economy – with every passenger in the premium cabins benefiting from preferred aisle or window seats. Each aircraft is powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 500s.

"Our A340-500s will be able to easily fly from Dubai to New Zealand or the US West Coast," says Emirates Chairman His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum. "Quite simply, they will help to make Dubai the new 21st Century world airline hub, re-drawing the route map thanks to their key customer benefit – swift and comfortable non-stop services."

"This remarkable aircraft will be a world first in so many, many ways. We are totally re-inventing long-haul travel, so our passengers can enjoy everything they expect to find in first class – and much, much more," he adds.

Emirates is the largest customer in the world for the Airbus A330/A340 family, having ordered 54 aircraft that include A330-200s, A340-500s and A340-600s. It is also the largest customer for the new double-deck Airbus A380, of which it has ordered 43.

"Emirates has established itself as a leader and a trend-setter in many ways, so we are delighted that it has chosen the Airbus A340-500/600 family to spearhead its expansion into the new era of ultra-long haul routes," says Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.

The Airbus A330/A340 family is the market leader in the 250-375 seat class, having won over 800 orders from more than 60 customers. It is the family that passengers prefer to travel in on long haul flights, consistently emerging top in independent passenger surveys.

With four engines for the best economy on ultra-long-haul routes, Airbus A340s enjoy unmatched operational flexibility on non-stop flights over remote areas – such as oceans, mountain ranges and the polar regions.

Airbus’ modern family also features extensive cockpit commonality, allowing airlines that fly more than one type to benefit from valuable savings in training costs, as well as unprecedented freedom in scheduling flights and operating them.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Fri, 24 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAirbus Aircabin: new hall for A380 production officially openedhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_03_03_Aircabin.html
In addition to production of equipment components and low pressure air ducts for the air conditioning system, the sleeping cabins for the crew members of the new A380, the 555-seater flagship of the 21st century, are to be built in Laupheim. Planning for this, the 100 percent Airbus subsidiary has doubled the area of its site over the past two years. Additional areas have also been set aside for suppliers and subcontractors to move into around the Laupheim Airbus site.

In his inaugural address Gerhard Puttfarcken, Chairman of the Airbus Deutschland GmbH Executive Management Board, emphasised the importance of components produced in Laupheim for the A380, saying: "The high-tech components for the cabin and air ducting show that our Airbus A380, the flagship of the 21st century, is increasingly becoming a reality. The employees at Laupheim produce all the components using the latest manufacturing methods in one of Europe's most up-to-date production facilities.

Aircabin GmbH has been delivering cabin components for all Airbus models since the early seventies. In 2002 and 2003, a total of 55 million euros has been invested in future A380 production at the Laupheim site. From 2004 on, staff will be built up until approximately 420 employees are manufacturing cabin components for the new Airbus A380 in the 15,000 square metre production hall. 3.8 tonnes of screws and bolts alone were needed for the 20,000-tonne building structure, as well as 1,200 tonnes of construction steel. In addition, the building contains 160 kilometres of power cables and 40 kilometres of computer cabling. The new production hall is also equipped with state-of-the-art technical features such as heat recovery ventilators.

The first flight of the A380 is planned for early 2005. The first delivery of this new widebody aircraft will be to Singapore Airlines in the year 2006. Up to now 129 firm orders and commitments have already been received from eleven customers around the world for this aircraft.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Mon, 03 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,innovation,technical_sup,germany,worldwide_otherAIRBUS A380 CELEBRATES MAJOR WING MANUFACTURING MILESTONEhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/05_Nov_03_A380_Milestone.html

The first wing for an A380, Airbus’ new large double deck aircraft, successfully completed a key milestone in its production yesterday evening.  The port wing for MSN001, the first flight test aircraft, was removed from its four-storey high main assembly jig at Airbus’ factory in Broughton, North Wales (UK).  It was then manoeuvred through 90 degrees to be laid in a horizontal position for the first time.

At this stage this wing weighs around 30 tonnes - including flight test instrumentation. It measures over 45 metres along its leading edge, is 11 metres wide and nearly three metres deep at the root-end (where it ultimately attaches to the fuselage).

Workers began loading the major wing components – spars, ribs, skin panels and leading and trailing edges – into the assembly jigs in early June. For the last five months, a complex programme of assembly of these and many smaller parts has been underway. This has included thorough testing and evaluation at each stage as the first wing has taken shape; culminating in the removal from the jig of the first wing-box, on schedule, yesterday.

The first A380 wing will now spend a week on a transportation ‘raft’ beside the assembly jig   whilst detailed measurements and quality control checks are carried out.  It will then be transferred to the next stage of assembly and placed in one of three dedicated two-storey bays in the new ‘equipping’ area.  Here components such as hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel systems and wiring will be fitted.  This stage will be followed by cleaning and anti-corrosion painting before a finished pair of wings is delivered from Broughton to the final assembly line in Toulouse, France in late Spring 2004.

Three sets of A380 wings are now in the main assembly jigs at Broughton – including a set of non-flying wings for static testing. The ‘partner’ of the wing removed yesterday - the starboard wing for MSN001 - is due for removal from the main jig before the end of this month.

To date Airbus has received a total of 129 firm orders and commitments from 11 customers for the A380 – an unprecedented order level for a new aircraft at this stage of its programme. The orders cover both the 555 seat and freighter versions of the new plane.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.

]]>Wed, 05 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0100a380,ukLeading Japanese suppliers join Airbus A330/A340 programmeshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_05_03_Japan.html
Noël Forgeard, President and Chief Executive Officer of Airbus said: "We are very pleased to see these highly skilled and renowned companies join our long range programme. The A330 and A340 are the technologically most advanced airliners currently in production, and proven winners with airlines around the world. Today’s agreements are the continuation of the series started with the A380. We are progressing our collaboration talks with other Japanese companies and are confident that more and more will join the Airbus family."

The Japanese suppliers that are joining the A330/A340 programmes are:

Bridgestone Corporation has signed an Original Equipment Supplier (OEM) Agreement to supply tyres to Airbus final assembly lines (Toulouse and Hamburg) for the rest of Airbus aircraft models. This agreement complements the OEM contract for the A380 tyres signed in June 2003. As part of the scope of the new agreement Bridgestone will develop new technology tyres for the A340-500 and –600 models at its Technical Centre in Kodaira. All aircraft tyre production will be in completed at Bridgestone's Kurume plant (Fukuoka).

Furukawa-Sky Aluminum Corporation will provide a new superplastic aluminium alloy to be used initially in the production of parts for the A330/A340. The new alloy is produced at Furukawa-Sky's Fukaya plant (Saitama Prefecture). The product certification was completed on May 2003. This is the first time for Furukawa-Sky's products to be used on any Airbus program.

ShinMaywa Industries Ltd. will supply the A330/A340 Wing Root Fillet Fairing. Production is to be completed at ShinMaywa's Konan plant in Kobe (Hyogo Prefecture). Delivery of the first set is scheduled for December 2004. This is the third contract awarded to ShinMaywa by Airbus. ShinMaywa is already working on the A380 wing root fillet fairing and A380 wing ramp surfaces.

The A330/A340 Family is the market leader in the 250-380 seat category. To date over 800 firm orders for the A330/A340 Family aircraft have been taken.

Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 05 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,procurement,japan,worldwide_otherRoyal Air Maroc receives first Airbus aircraft, an A321http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_05_03_Royal_Air_Maroc.html
Royal Air Maroc will use the A321 on its medium haul high density routes such as Casablanca-Paris. The A321, the largest member of Airbus' highly successful A320 Family, is the preferred aircraft of airlines with a strong customer base of tourist travellers. In the spacious layout selected by Royal Air Maroc, the A321 will seat 177 passengers and up to 198 in high season.

The A320 Family aircraft, which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, offers the widest fuselage cross-section in its class, and sets new standards in airliner comfort on the single-aisle market. Its state-of-the-art technology, based on Airbus's unique commonality concept, together with its low fuel burn and operational efficiency, provides an unbeatable combination of economy and comfort.

As part of its support to customers, Airbus will be providing on line support to Royal Air Maroc with a technical representation at the carrier's base in Casablanca. A320 Family expertise will be developed within the airline, which will be furthered in 2004 when EADS Sogerma together with Royal Air Maroc sets up a maintenance centre in Marrakech. This capacity could be extended to third parties generating potential additional revenues for the airline.

Firm orders for the best-selling A320 Family now exceed 3,000, more than 2,000 of which have been delivered to more than 110 operators around the world.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line, and a total order book for more than 4,800 aircraft, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan.

Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joining Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 05 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,germany,worldwide_otherAirbus A380 celebrates major wing manufacturing milestonehttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_05_03_A380_Wing.html
At this stage this wing weighs around 30 tonnes - including flight test instrumentation. It measures over 45 metres along its leading edge, is 11 metres wide and nearly three metres deep at the root-end (where it ultimately attaches to the fuselage).

Workers began loading the major wing components – spars, ribs, skin panels and leading and trailing edges – into the assembly jigs in early June. For the last five months, a complex programme of assembly of these and many smaller parts has been underway. This has included thorough testing and evaluation at each stage as the first wing has taken shape; culminating in the removal from the jig of the first wing-box, on schedule, yesterday.

The first A380 wing will now spend a week on a transportation ‘raft’ beside the assembly jig whilst detailed measurements and quality control checks are carried out. It will then be transferred to the next stage of assembly and placed in one of three dedicated two-storey bays in the new 'equipping' area. Here components such as hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel systems and wiring will be fitted. This stage will be followed by cleaning and anti-corrosion painting before a finished pair of wings is delivered from Broughton to the final assembly line in Toulouse, France in late Spring 2004.

Three sets of A380 wings are now in the main assembly jigs at Broughton – including a set of non-flying wings for static testing. The 'partner' of the wing removed yesterday - the starboard wing for MSN001 - is due for removal from the main jig before the end of this month.

To date Airbus has received a total of 129 firm orders and commitments from 11 customers for the A380 – an unprecedented order level for a new aircraft at this stage of its programme. The orders cover both the 555 seat and freighter versions of the new plane.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Wed, 05 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,miscellaneous,flight_op,uk,worldwide_otherAirbus delivers first A380 fuselage section from Spainhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_06_03_A380.html
With this delivery, that has been celebrated this morning at the Getafe Plant with an event presided by the Minister of Science and Technology of Spain, Juan Costa Climent, Airbus has made a world milestone never achieved before, as it is the first time in the commercial aircraft history that a complete fuselage section for a commercial aircraft of more than 100 seats has been built in carbon fibre.

The dimensions, 10m long and 7 high, of this part of rear fuselage where horizontal and vertical tail planes fit, give by themselves an approximate idea of what the A380 means: the biggest commercial aircraft of the world, able to carry 555 passengers in three class standard configuration to 14.800 kilometers.

The most advanced technologies in carbon fiber manufacturing existing today have been used to manufacture this element, placing Airbus at the leading edge of this technology.

Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Thu, 06 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,brand,technical_sup,spain,worldwide_otherAir Algérie orders Airbus A330-200 for fleet renewalhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_17_03_AirAlgerie.html
In Air Algérie’s standard layout, the A330-200 will offer a comfortable three class configuration, of up to 302 seats in a single-class layout. The A330-200 has the most spacious cabin of any widebody jet in its category, creating a more enjoyable seating arrangement for passengers. In addition state-of-the art systems help to provide a comfortable atmosphere that reflects the commitment to passenger comfort found in all Airbus aircraft.

Making the most of the A330-200's impressive versatility, Air Algérie will operate the aircraft on its international routes network. Airbus' A330-200 is renowned for being the most efficient aircraft in its class, combining lower operating costs with highly efficient cargo capabilities that enhance airline profitability through freight operations.

"The A330-200 is an ideal aircraft for Air Algérie’s international operations both in terms of the current need for growth and future development in an increasingly competitive environment," said Mohamed Tayeb Benouis, President and CEO of Air Algérie. "It offers the highest standards of technology available today while providing us with the ability to fully maximise our revenue-generating potential."

Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer, said that "this significant mark of confidence from Air Algérie is a new start for developing further fruitful relationship, in a partnership spirit, between Airbus and Air Algérie."

Air Algérie’s selection of the A330 further reinforces the remarkable success of the A330/A340 Family as the preferred medium to long-range aircraft among airlines worldwide. The A330/A340 Family has booked 815 total orders from more than 60 customers to date.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Mon, 17 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAer Lingus firms up contract for Airbus A320shttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_26_03_Aer_Lingus.html
The new A320s will join the airline's current Airbus fleet comprising four A320s, six A321s and seven widebody A330s.

In operating only Airbus aircraft, the Dublin based carrier will increase the benefits derived from Airbus' unique operational commonality. All members of the family, from the 107-seat A318 right through to the 380-seat A340-600, share the highest possible degree of commonality in airframes, on-board systems, flight decks and handling characteristics, which delivers key advantages to operators through significantly reduced operating costs.

"The move to a single aircraft type is a key element in our business strategy bringing very significant cost savings while increasing capacity and greatly improving our operational flexibility," says Aer Lingus Chief Executive Willie Walsh. "On the basis of this decision we will open fifteen new European routes over the next two years, adding to the fifteen new routes we have opened over the past two years. In summary the new fleet means more passengers will be able to benefit of more direct routes at even lower fares."

Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer, said: "I'm especially proud that Aer Lingus' has chosen Airbus aircraft. This selection not only underlines the efficiency of our A320 Family aircraft in the low fares segment it also proves the A320 Family is the preferred choice in the aviation industry and one major way for airlines to save money."

The Airbus A320 cabin sets new standards for passenger comfort with wider aisles and larger overhead stowage for greater convenience and faster boarding and deplaning.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 26 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,uk,worldwide_otherSichuan Airlines orders four Airbus A319s http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_28_03_Sichuan_Airlines.html
The four A319s are part of the General Terms Agreement (GTA) signed on April 25 in Beijing by the China Aviation Supplies Imp. & Exp. Group Corporation (CASGC) and Airbus for a firm bulk order of 30 Airbus aircraft.

The Chengdu-based carrier plans to deploy the aircraft mainly at the newly opened Jiuhuang Airport, which is around 3,400 meters / 11,200 feet above sea level. The airport is close to the well-known scenic spots of Jiuzhaigou Valley and Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area, in southwest China’s Sichuan Province. The A319 also offers the potential for flying further afield to destinations such as Lhasa, Tibet and other high-altitude airports.

With the introduction of the A319s, traveling time from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong will be reduced to around two hours by air from more than nine hours by bus.

"With its outstanding performance, the A319 is an aircraft suitable for our operations at high-altitude airports. It fits perfectly our strategic development in the western region of China, which attracts passengers whether traveling for business or pleasure," said Lan Xinguo, President of the Sichuan Airlines at the signing ceremony in Jiuzhaigou Valley. "We will also benefit from the A319's commonality with our A320s and A321s, which will help us reduce training and maintenance costs, and increase our operational flexibility."

The A320 Family has already shown its outstanding performance at high-altitude airports in Latin America. However, Lhasa and Bangda airports in Tibet, among the highest in the world, are more challenging. Airbus has successfully made two A319 demonstration flights in Lhasa and Bangda, which are at 3,570 and 4,334 metres (11,712 and 14,218 feet respectively) above sea level.

"We are extremely happy to see that the performance of the A319 is able to meet the stringent operational requirements at the most challenging airports," said Airbus President and CEO Noel Forgeard. "Airbus attaches great importance to its traditional relations with Sichuan Airlines and we are convinced that the A319 will further boost the fast development of the airline."

The relationship between Airbus and the Sichuan Airlines can be dated back to 1995, when the Chengdu-based carrier became the first A320 operator and first fly-by-wire operator in the Chinese mainland. Currently, it has a fleet of eight A320s and three A321s, which have been operating successfully.

The A319 is a member of the A320 Family, which consists of the A318, A319, A320 and A321, the world's fastest selling single-aisle family.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Fri, 28 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,china,worldwide_otherAirbus highlights modern aircraft at Dubai airshowhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/12_01_03_Dubai_airshow.html
Taking pride of place in the daily flying display will be the world's longest and most efficient long-haul aircraft, the A340-600, in Airbus colours. Complementing it, on the ground, will be the world’s longest range airliner, the A340-500, in Emirates livery, as well as the market-leading A330-200 and spacious Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) – both in Qatar Airways colours.

Emirates, which will shortly become the first airline to put the A340-500 into airline service, is also the largest customer for the A340-600 – as well as for the 21st Century flagship Airbus A380. Qatar Airways is the largest all-Airbus operator in the Middle East, has a fleet comprising A330-200s, as well as A319s, A320s and A321s, and was the first airline with the Airbus ACJ and A319LR.

In addition, Airbus will have a large presence on the EADS stand (Number 633 in Hall W), where visitors can experience features of the A340-600 and A319LR cabins, and view models of all of the Airbus airliner family - including a one-twelfth scale version of the A380. Airbus will also have a chalet (A45-46), where press information will be available for journalists.

The region is an important market for Airbus, with carriers in the Middle East and North Africa forecast to acquire some 620 airliners worth some $50 billion up to the year 2018. Airbus already has a strong presence in the region, where most major carriers fly its aircraft, having made them the cornerstone of their fleet modernisation plans.

Airbus’ A330/A340 family is the market leader in the 250-375 seat class, with more than 800 orders from over 60 customers. Its cabin is a firm favourite with travellers, who consistently vote it top in independent passenger surveys.

The ACJ has the best cabin of any business jet in its class, and features the same modern airframe and strong investment appeal of the A320 family, from which it is derived. It has already won several customers in the Middle East.

Airbus designs, builds and supports the world’s most modern airliners. It has a proven track-record of winning at least a half of annual sales of large airliners – those with 100 seats and above. This year Airbus will deliver around 300 large-airliners, giving it the lead in these for the first time since the start of the jet age.

Since its inception in 1970, Airbus has won firm orders for almost 5,000 airliners and, today, has some 240 customers and operators around the globe.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a330a340,acj,event,brand,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherAIRBUS HIGHLIGHTS MODERN AIRCRAFT AT DUBAI AIRSHOWhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_Dec_03_Dubai_Airshow.html

Airbus will highlight its modern airliner family at the Dubai 2003 airshow, with a strong presence involving no less than four of its aircraft.

Taking pride of place in the daily flying display will be the world’s longest and most efficient long-haul aircraft, the A340-600, in Airbus colours. Complementing it, on the ground, will be the world’s longest range airliner, the A340-500, in Emirates livery, as well as the market-leading A330-200 and spacious Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) – both in Qatar Airways colours.

Emirates, which will shortly become the first airline to put the A340-500 into airline service, is also the largest customer for the A340-600 – as well as for the 21 st Century flagship Airbus A380. Qatar Airways is the largest all-Airbus operator in the Middle East, has a fleet comprising A330-200s, as well as A319s, A320s and A321s, and was the first airline with the Airbus ACJ and A319LR.

In addition, Airbus will have a large presence on the EADS stand (N° 633 in Hall W), where visitors can experience features of the A340-600 and A319LR cabins, and view models of all of the Airbus airliner family - including a one-twelfth scale version of the A380. Airbus will also have a chalet (A45-46), where press information will be available for journalists.

The region is an important market for Airbus, with carriers in the Middle East and North Africa forecast to acquire some 620 airliners worth some $50 billion up to the year 2018. Airbus already has a strong presence in the region, where most major carriers fly its aircraft, having made them the cornerstone of their fleet modernisation plans.

Airbus’ A330/A340 family is the market leader in the 250-375 seat class, with more than 800 orders from over 60 customers. Its cabin is a firm favourite with travellers, who consistently vote it top in independent passenger surveys.

The ACJ has the best cabin of any business jet in its class, and features the same modern airframe and strong investment appeal of the A320 family, from which it is derived. It has already won several customers in the Middle East.

Airbus designs, builds and supports the world’s most modern airliners. It has a proven track-record of winning at least a half of annual sales of large airliners – those with 100 seats and above. This year Airbus will deliver around 300 large-airliners, giving it the lead in these for the first time since the start of the jet age.

Since its inception in 1970, Airbus has won firm orders for almost 5,000 airliners and, today, has some 240 customers and operators around the globe.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.

]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100acj,event,worldwide_genFirst Airbus A310 to be used for in-flight refuelling makes its debuthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/12_09_03_A310_refueling.html
Altogether, four A310 multi-role transport aircraft belonging to the German Air Force will be converted for in-flight refuelling. The conversion work is being carried out by the "Consortium A310 MRTT Luftwaffe," a joint venture of the two aviation companies Airbus and Lufthansa Technik AG. The first A310 MRTT has now been completed at the Elbe Flugzeugwerke in Dresden. By the middle of 2005, three others will have been converted by Lufthansa Technik AG in Hamburg.

As the A310 MRTT is based on a passenger aircraft, the aircraft can be maintained throughout the world within the framework of Lufthansa Technik AG's civilian maintenance and overhaul programme. This has considerable advantages in terms of operating costs compared with current military maintenance concepts.

In-flight refuelling is carried out by the means of two pods on the outer ends of the wings, making it possible for two receiving aircraft to be refuelled at the same time. The refuelling is controlled and monitored from an operating position behind the cockpit. About 1,500 litres of fuel can be transferred each minute. Four auxiliary tanks in the form of containers installed in the lower cargo hold enable the A310 MRTT to carry out in-flight refuelling missions to best effect.

As an airborne hospital, the A310 MRTT has space for up to six intensive-care units and 56 stretcher cases. With the airborne intensive-care units – known as 'Personal Transport Units (PTU)' – developed by Lufthansa Technik, patients are given the same standard of medical care during the flight as they would receive in an intensive-care unit in a hospital. As a troop transporter, the A310 MRTT provides up to 214 seats; in a combined cargo and troop-transport version, it is able to carry 12 pallets and 54 passengers.

The "Consortium A310 MRTT Luftwaffe" was founded in 1996 and offers a multi-role transport aircraft with unmatched flexibility and favourable procurement costs. The German Air Force is therefore a pioneer in the field of logistical multi-role transport aircraft.

The A310 MRTT is based on the civilian version of the Airbus A310-300, which has very low operating, maintenance and investment costs. The A310 has a modern glass cockpit, and can be flown with just two pilots. Five air forces are already using the highly reliable A310 as a multi-role transport aircraft.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Tue, 09 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a300a310,event_gen,innovation,flight_op,germany,worldwide_otherPMB confirms Airbus A380 purchase for Malaysia Airlines' operationhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/12_11_03_PMB.html
Deliveries to PMB are scheduled to begin in 2007. The A380s will be operated by Malaysia Airlines on key trunk routes to Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. With PMB’s order, Airbus now has 129 firm orders from 11 customers.

Built to the latest technological standards, the 555-seater A380 embodies the most advanced aircraft design features, providing 15 to 20 per cent lower operating costs than the largest aircraft flying today, and 10 to 15 per cent more range.

Dato' Gumuri Hussain, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of PMB said: "We are excited to have now finalised this major transaction which, we believe, has long term benefits to PMB, Malaysia Airlines and the country as a whole. This will also represent a continuation of two decade long relationship between Malaysia and Airbus. We believe the A380 aircraft will become a key part of our fleet."

Dato' Md Nor Yusoff, Managing Director of Malaysia Airlines said: "We are looking forward to the introduction of A380-800 into our operations as it will allow us to maintain our position as an airline in premier league. This sophisticated equipment will provide much-needed extra capacity on existing routes and enable us to maximize our presence in key markets and intensify our long term network expansion plan."

Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer said: "We are indeed heartened that Malaysia Airlines has demonstrated its vote of confidence in Airbus A380 during these challenging times for the industry. I am confident that the aircraft will play a pivotal role in the future of Malaysia Airlines. This order once more demonstrates that the A380 is really the right aircraft at the right time to respond to market needs and future developments."

Airbus' presence in Malaysia dates back to 1978 when Malaysia Airlines placed its first order for the A300B4, becoming one of the early Airbus customers. The carrier currently operates twelve Airbus A330 aircraft. In October 2002, Airbus reinforced its ties with Malaysia through an agreement with Composites Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM) as a key supplier for A380 wing components, adding to earlier agreements covering composites work for the A300 and A320 family of aircraft. The first set of A380 wing components were handed over to Airbus in October 2003.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Thu, 11 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a380,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherLanChile takes delivery of its first Airbus A319http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/12_15_03_LanChile.html
Powered by V2500-A5 engines from International Aero Engines, the A319s will be configured in a comfortable single-class configuration seating 136 passengers. The A319 is part of the A320 Family and benefits from the operational commonality that has become Airbus' trademark.

Airbus' A320 Family features the most modern design with the widest and most comfortable cabin in its class. It is a firm favourite with passengers, invariably coming top in independent surveys, as well as consistently leading in financial and operator polls. With its low maintenance costs, proven high residual value and superior revenue generating features, the A320 Family offers a great economic performance. The best–selling Airbus A320 Family comes in four different sizes - the 107-seat A318, 124-seat A319, 150-seat A320 and 185-seat A321. All of them share the same airframe – only the fuselage lengths are different – plus the same cockpits, systems and handling qualities, delivering unmatched operational commonality and savings to airlines.

Firm orders for the A320 Family now exceed 3,000, of which more than 2,000 have been delivered to more than 120 operators around the world.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Mon, 15 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherJETSTAR ORDERS AIRBUS A320 FOR LOW-COST CARRIER FLEEThttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/17_Dec_03_Jetstar_A320.htmlQantas Airways’ new low-cost carrier, Jetstar, has signed a contract with Airbus for 20 A320s and taken options on a further 40. Together with three leased A320s, Jetstar will operate an all-Airbus fleet of 23 Aircraft by mid 2005.
 
Melbourne-based Jetstar will use its A320s on services within Australia commencing in July 2004, with the first of the leased aircraft. Deliveries of the purchased A320s will begin in October 2004.
 
Jetstar’s Airbus A320s will each seat 177 passengers in a high comfort all-economy layout, with the most spacious cabin of any low-cost carrier in Australia – they will also have the most individual space for carry-on baggage. The aircraft will be powered by International Aero Engines V2500 engines.
 
As you might expect, economics played a big role in our choice of the Airbus A320 Family for Jetstar,” says Qantas Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Geoff Dixon, “but we also liked the competitive edge that its modern design and more comfortable cabin will give us in the low-cost arena.”
 
“Competition does not stop just because you have entered the low-cost sector by offering attractive prices,” says Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce, “and the Airbus A320, with its 1 to 1½ inch wider seats and more spacious cabin lends itself better to providing value that our customers will appreciate as well as fast turnarounds, will help us achieve our goals.”
 
’Qantas enjoys a reputation as a commercially competitive carrier, as well as for technical excellence, so its choice of the Airbus A320 for low-cost operations is a further mark of confidence in our growing presence in this field.’ says President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.
 
Airbus’ A320 Family features the most modern design, the widest and most comfortable cabin, and the highest degree of operational commonality of any single-aisle aircraft. It also has great economics, through lower fuel burn and maintenance costs, transcontinental range, superior short field performance and a proven worth as an excellent financial investment. The A320 is a firm favourite with passengers, airlines and the investment community alike, consistently coming top in independent surveys, financial and operator polls.
 
Widely accepted as the industry standard, the best–selling Airbus A320 Family comprises - the A318, A319, A320 and A321. All share the same airframe – only the fuselage lengths differ – plus the same cockpits, systems and engines, delivering unmatched commonality and savings.
 
Firm orders for the best-selling A320 family now stand at almost 3,100, some 2,100 of which have been delivered, with some 140 customers and operators worldwide.
 
Jetstar’s order is a further boost to Airbus’ increasingly strong presence in the Pacific region, where Qantas is already a major customer for the market-leading A330 and the 21 st Century flagship A380.
 
Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Wed, 17 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100a320Airbus and Remontowa: official delivery ceremony of the floating transfer station for the A380 transport programmehttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/12_17_03_Remontowa.html
The Polish ship yard in Gdansk built the euro eight million transfer station within a few months as part of a larger transport project, which includes the construction of a ro-ro ship and river barges. These vehicles will make it possible for the sea and river transportation of A380 sections..

The A380 is the world's first true long-range double-decker aircraft, which will enter airline service in 2006. Designed in close collaboration with major airlines, airports and airworthiness authorities, the A380 is the most advanced, spacious and efficient aircraft ever conceived.

The technical documentation for the FTS has been prepared by the shipyard's design office. It has been designed as a pontoon of steel construction, all welded, non-propelled, intended for the unloading of aircraft components from the sea vessels and the loading of components on to the river barges. The FTS will be located at the Pauillac Harbour near Bordeaux in the Gironde estuary. Ro-ro vessels will lower their ramps at the upstream end of the FTS and unload the aircraft components fitted on pallets.

The components will be stowed for a short period on the deck of the FTS and then re-located at the downstream end of the FTS before being moved onto the purpose built ro-ro sea vessel or river barge. The empty pallets and jigs returned by the barges will also be stowed temporarily on the FTS before loading onto the ro-ro vessel. The FTS and barges will be operated by SOCATRA, a French shipping company and partner of Airbus for all Garonne river transport operations.

The FTS is 150m long, 35m wide, 7.5m high and has a total weight of 3,500 tons. It has its own ballast system and hydraulically operated side ramp. Its hull is subdivided by five transversal and two longitudinal watertight bulkheads, resulting in 18 compartments. The FTS is anchored by fendered collars around two pairs of pillars of 2,400 mm diameter each.

The completion and delivery of the vehicle to France will take place from end December 2003 to January 2004 at which point the FTS will play a key role in the transport process for the construction of this A380 aircraft.

"Remontowa S.A. is contributing significantly to the A380 programme through its involvement in the design and manufacture of such an important structural part of the aircraft's transport process. We at Airbus are extremely satisfied with this collaboration, which clearly shows that this well established Polish company meets the extremely stringent requirements of our industry both in terms of know how and quality in this international competitive environment. This will no doubt benefit the Polish economy both in terms of revenues and employment," stated Jesus Morales, Vice President A380 Transportation at Airbus.

"Remontowa is proud to be associated with the A380 programme as part of the supplier chain where criteria of selection is based on excellency and competitiveness. We are also honoured to be an additional symbol of the construction of Europe in which Poland is now taking part. This has been enabled through our co-operation with Airbus," said Mr. Piotr Soyka, Chairman of "Remontowa" S.A.

Launched in 2000, the 555-seat A380, Airbus' newest and largest aircraft, is already an immense success on the market. To date, eleven customers have announced firm orders for a total of 129 aircraft, including 17 freighters. Its maiden flight is due to take place in 2005. Offering unequalled passenger comfort, unrivalled operating costs and state-of-the-art technology to minimize noise and emissions, the A380 is an evolution of aviation technology that promises to ease congestion at major airports by transporting more people more efficiently than ever.

Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of aircraft on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. The company has delivered 3,400 aircraft to more than 180 customers worldwide since it first entered the market in the early seventies. It also boasts a healthy order book of some 1,500 aircraft for delivery over the coming years.

With an annual turnover of 19.4 billion Euros in 2002, Airbus is a global company, employing some 48,500 people of many different nationalities in design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Poland has been involved in the Airbus success story for six years. PZL Swidnik has been supplying passenger door opening mechanisms for Airbus single-aisle A320 Family since May 1997 and passenger and rear bulk cargo doors for the A320/A321s and the wide-body ultra-long range A340s since mid-1999. In addition, the Polish industrialist produces aircraft composite fire protection for cargo doors as well as detail parts for the belly fairings for the A320 Family.

Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.]]>Wed, 17 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a380,event_gen,innovation,technical_sup,france,worldwide_otherJetstar orders Airbus A320 for low-cost carrier fleethttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/12_17_03_Jetstar.html
Melbourne-based Jetstar will use its A320s on services within Australia commencing in July 2004, with the first of the leased aircraft. Deliveries of the purchased A320s will begin in October 2004.

Jetstar’s Airbus A320s will each seat 177 passengers in a high comfort all-economy layout, with the most spacious cabin of any low-cost carrier in Australia – they will also have the most individual space for carry-on baggage. The aircraft will be powered by International Aero Engines V2500 engines.

"As you might expect, economics played a big role in our choice of the Airbus A320 Family for Jetstar," says Qantas Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Geoff Dixon, "but we also liked the competitive edge that its modern design and more comfortable cabin will give us in the low-cost arena."

"Competition does not stop just because you have entered the low-cost sector by offering attractive prices," says Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce, "and the Airbus A320, with its 1 to 1 1/2 inch wider seats and more spacious cabin lends itself better to providing value that our customers will appreciate as well as fast turnarounds, will help us achieve our goals."

"Qantas enjoys a reputation as a commercially competitive carrier, as well as for technical excellence, so its choice of the Airbus A320 for low-cost operations is a further mark of confidence in our growing presence in this field," says President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.

Airbus' A320 Family features the most modern design, the widest and most comfortable cabin, and the highest degree of operational commonality of any single-aisle aircraft. It also has great economics, through lower fuel burn and maintenance costs, transcontinental range, superior short field performance and a proven worth as an excellent financial investment. The A320 is a firm favourite with passengers, airlines and the investment community alike, consistently coming top in independent surveys, financial and operator polls.

Widely accepted as the industry standard, the best–selling Airbus A320 Family comprises - the A318, A319, A320 and A321. All share the same airframe – only the fuselage lengths differ – plus the same cockpits, systems and engines, delivering unmatched commonality and savings.

Firm orders for the best-selling A320 family now stand at almost 3,100, some 2,100 of which have been delivered, with some 140 customers and operators worldwide.

Jetstar’s order is a further boost to Airbus’ increasingly strong presence in the Pacific region, where Qantas is already a major customer for the market-leading A330 and the 21st Century flagship A380.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Wed, 17 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a320,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherFirst Airbus A330-200 in Livingston Aviation Group’s colours presented to publichttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/12_19_03_Livingston.html
The A330-200 wide-body twin-jets for Livingston Aviation Group SpA are powered by Trent 700 engines from Rolls-Royce and feature a comfortable two-class cabin with 24 seats in Business Class and 248 seats in Economy Class. Also, the Airbus long-range aircraft for Livingston Aviation Group SpA will feature the latest on-board entertainment systems (Matsushita 2000E), including SMS messaging and Internet access. Two more A330-200s are scheduled to be delivered to Livingston Aviation Group SpA by Summer 2005 and will be operated by Lauda Air SpA.

The holding Livingston Aviation Group SpA includes two airlines: Lauda Air SpA for both scheduled and charter long-haul flights and Livingston SpA (created in January 2003) for charter short & medium-haul flights. Both airlines are subsidiaries of Ventaglio Group (the second largest Tour Operator in Italy as for revenues). Livingston Aviation Group SpA’s fleet also includes three Airbus A321 single-aisle aircraft, seating up to 196 passengers, operated by Livingston SpA on its medium-haul routes to Mediterranean destinations.

Airbus aircraft of the A320 Family and the A330/A340 Family, such as the A321 and the A330-200, feature full design and operational commonality, which allows operators to benefit from shorter training times for pilots and engineers to transition from one type to another, thus leading to significant savings through streamlined maintenance procedures and reduced spare parts holdings.

The Airbus A330-200 has taken the leadership in the market segment of aircraft fleets for European holiday carriers, with a market share of 31 per cent and still growing. In comparison to previous generation aircraft, that the A330-200 is replacing in many cases, it is bringing greater range versatility, superior cabin comfort for passengers and very attractive operating costs for the airlines.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Fri, 19 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100customer,a330a340,event_gen,miscellaneous,asset_man,france,worldwide_otherFIRST AIRBUS A330-200 IN LIVINGSTON AVIATION GROUP’S COLOURS PRESENTED TO PUBLIChttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/19_Dec_03_Livingston_A330.html

Toulouse, 19 th December 2003: The first Airbus A330-200 long-range twin-jet for Livingston Aviation Group SpA, the Italian air transportation holding created in March 2003 and entirely owned by Ventaglio Group, has made its public debut at the manufacturer’s main facility in Toulouse, France. The aircraft is currently in the process of customisation for the airline’s long-haul operations from Italy towards some of the major leisure destinations in the Caribbean area, South America and the Far East starting from late December 2003.

The A330-200 wide-body twin-jets for Livingston Aviation Group SpA are powered by Trent 700 engines from Rolls-Royce and feature a comfortable two-class cabin with 24 seats in Business Class and 248 seats in Economy Class. Also, the Airbus long-range aircraft for Livingston Aviation Group SpA will feature the latest on-board entertainment systems (Matsushita 2000E), including SMS messaging and Internet access. Two more A330-200s are scheduled to be delivered to Livingston Aviation Group SpA by Summer 2005 and will be operated by Lauda Air SpA.

The holding Livingston Aviation Group SpA includes two airlines: Lauda Air SpA for both scheduled and charter long-haul flights and Livingston SpA (created in January 2003) for charter short & medium-haul flights. Both airlines are subsidiaries of Ventaglio Group (the second largest Tour Operator in Italy as for revenues). Livingston Aviation Group SpA’s fleet also includes three Airbus A321 single-aisle aircraft, seating up to 196 passengers, operated by Livingston SpA on its medium-haul routes to Mediterranean destinations.

Airbus aircraft of the A320 Family and the A330/A340 Family, such as the A321 and the A330-200, feature full design and operational commonality, which allows operators to benefit from shorter training times for pilots and engineers to transition from one type to another, thus leading to significant savings through streamlined maintenance procedures and reduced spare parts holdings.

The Airbus A330-200 has taken the leadership in the market segment of aircraft fleets for European holiday carriers, with a market share of 31 per cent and still growing. In comparison to previous generation aircraft, that the A330-200 is replacing in many cases, it is bringing greater range versatility, superior cabin comfort for passengers and very attractive operating costs for the airlines.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.

]]>Fri, 19 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100a330a340,event_gen,worldwide_genMamagement changes – Guy MCLEOD and Laurence BARRON switch roleshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_january_04_Management_changes.htmlLaurence Barron, currently Senior Vice President, Head of Asset Management, within Airbus’ Customer Affairs directorate in Toulouse, has been appointed as President of Airbus China, succeeding Guy McLeod who will take over from Mr Barron in Toulouse. The exchange is effective as of the January 1, 2004.

As President of Airbus China, Mr Barron will be responsible for Airbus' overall activities in the PRC, including business development, commercial activities, customer services and industrial cooperation. While as Head of Asset Management in Toulouse, Mr McLeod will lead the Asset Management Group in Toulouse.

Mr Barron, a British Law graduate, became a commercial lawyer in Paris with Clifford Turner (now Clifford Chance) in 1974 before moving to Tokyo as a foreign law consultant with Nakagawa Law Office in 1978. He joined Airbus’ legal department in 1982 before becoming Sales Finance Director North America in charge of financing sales to airlines in 1984. In 1985 he then became Head of Sales Finance with worldwide responsibility for financing sales. Two years later Mr Barron was appointed Vice President Customer Finance in charge of the entire financing team. In 1994, he became Vice President Asset Management with responsibility for setting up the Asset Management Organisation, before being promoted to Senior Vice President in July 2001.

Mr McLeod, a British graduate in Chemical Engineering, attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, in the UK, before being commissioned into Her Majesty’s Armed Forces. On leaving the British Army in 1995 he joined Airbus China in Beijing, firstly as a project manager for joint ventures then as Regional Sales Director based in Hong Kong from 1996 to 1998. Following this in 1998, Mr McLeod became Vice President for Sales for two and a half years where he was responsible for managing commercial activities in the PRC. For the last two and a half years, as President of Airbus China, Mr McLeod has fostered the growth of Airbus in the PRC.
                                        
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.

]]>Tue, 06 Jan 2004 00:00:00 +0100worldwide_gen2003: A Landmark Year for Airbushttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/15_jan_04_landmark_year.html2003 was a landmark year for Airbus, the year in which it became Number One.
 
With 305 deliveries in 2003, Airbus slightly exceeded its target of 300, and remains approximately at the same level as 2002 (303), despite the difficulties and uncertainties experienced in the air transportation business during 2003.
 
These deliveries represent 52 percent of the year’s total deliveries. They include the first A318 deliveries to Frontier Airlines of the USA and to Air France, as well as the first A340-500s to Qatar, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines. These deliveries make for a turnover of € 19.3 billion, including Airbus Military SL for a small amount.
 
In 2003, Airbus achieved 284 new firm orders from 24 customers, including 155 for the A320 Single Aisle Family, six A300-600s, 89 for the A330/A340 Family, and 34 for the all new double-deck A380. These orders, valued at US$ 32.8 billion at catalogue prices, give Airbus a 54 percent market share in the category of aircraft above 100 seats. When taking cancellations into account, Airbus’ net order book comprises 254 aircraft, with Airbus maintaining a 52 percent market share.
 
Overall, these results reflect the progressive leadership of Airbus in all market segments of this highly competitive market, in which the company today offers a complete product range – from  100 to 555 seats -  which is clearly becoming the reference. The success is especially significant in the wide-body field. The orders placed by four customers, including two new ones, for Airbus’ A380 double-decker, which is due to first fly in early 2005, are significant and confirm the market’s interest in the all new airliner. And in its own market, the A330/A340 programme got more than 80 percent of all orders.
 
Thanks to these orders, Airbus is able to maintain a high delivery backlog of 1,454 aircraft, which, at current rates, represents some five years of production.
 
From a “programmes” and industrial perspective, Airbus did more than manage successfully the very difficult industry environment of 2003. It began delivering the new A318, the smallest member of the Airbus Single Aisle aircraft Family seating 107 passengers in a standard layout, and the A340-500, the longest range airliner, which allows non-stop flights from Singapore to New York. It also continued with the development and production of the new A380, as scheduled and on target. Components and major subassemblies of the aircraft are taking shape throughout the Airbus factories in Europe, with contributions from associates and suppliers around the world. The first big sections are currently being completed at Airbus’ European locations, and will begin reaching Toulouse for final assembly in April 2004.
 
On the military front, the A400M reached a major milestone on 27th May with the formal launch of the programme, when OCCAR, representing the seven NATO customer nations, and Airbus Military signed a contract for the acquisition of 180 aircraft. Subsequently, the engine and propeller selection was completed, and the Quality Plan released to customers.
 
Commenting these results, Noël Forgeard, President and Chief Executive Officer of Airbus said: “All in all, Airbus managed the difficulties of 2003 quite well and, with its highly competitive product range – the most modern and complete in the industry – it is now in a good position to fully benefit from the market recovery when it comes. Yet for 2004, we expect the market to remain soft, with deliveries close to 300”.
]]>Thu, 15 Jan 2004 00:00:00 +0100Tom Williams New Executive Vice President Procurement - Iain Gray Appointed Managing Director And General Manager Of Airbus Ukhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/20_01_04_Tom_Williams.htmlTom Williams has been appointed Executive Vice President Procurement with effect of January 2004 in replacement of Ray Wilson, who is retiring. In his new role, Mr Williams will also be a member of the Airbus Executive Committee. Until the beginning of this year, Mr Williams was Managing Director and General Manager of Airbus UK – a position that is now being taken over by Iain Gray.
 
Born in 1952, Tom Williams started his professional career in 1972 with Rolls-Royce and went on to carry out increasingly senior roles in a number of UK manufacturing companies. He joined British Aerospace (now merged with Marconi Electronic Systems to form BAE Systems) in 1997 as Site Director and General Manager at the Prestwick site of the company’s Aerostructures division. Two years later he was appointed Operations Director – Internal Supply, within the company’s Military Aircraft and Aerostructures division. Most recently, Tom Williams became Managing Director and General Manager of Airbus UK on 1 st November 2000.
 
Tom Williams gained an HNC in Production Engineering during his apprenticeship and an MBA from Glasgow University in 1988. Married with one daughter, Mr Williams is a keen football supporter and occasional golfer.
 
Born in 1957, Iain Gray joined British Aerospace at Filton near Bristol in 1979 having gained an engineering science honours degree from Aberdeen University.  He has worked in a variety of roles on different Airbus programmes throughout his career; since 1997 as Director Future Programmes with additional responsibility for A3XX (now the A380 programme). Iain Gray was appointed Director Strategy and External Affairs for BAE Systems Airbus in 1999 and Engineering Director in 2000.  Following the creation of Airbus as a single company he was appointed Senior Vice President Wing Engineering Integration Centre for Airbus.
 
In 1989, Mr Gray gained a masters degree in aerospace engineering at Southampton University and in the early nineties, he completed a diploma in engineering management through the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. Married with four children, Iain Gray’s interests include football, walking, music and collecting aeronautical memorabilia.
 
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.
]]>Tue, 20 Jan 2004 00:00:00 +0100UK government announces preference for the Airbus A330-200 as its future strategic tanker aircrafthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/26_Jan_04_UK_Government.htmlThe UK government announced today the start of exclusive negotiations to make the Airbus A330-200 its Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA).
 
A market leader in its class, the A330-200 is the most modern platform available for air-to-air refuelling, providing greater interoperability and force projection by taking more fighter aircraft further than existing or alternative aircraft. Without compromising its refuelling capability, the A330-200 can also carry greater troop and cargo loads on military and humanitarian missions.
 
“We are very pleased and honoured by the announcement in favour of the A330-200 by the UK government for its air tanker requirement. This decision underlines the capability and efficiency of our aircraft for military as well as civil roles, as already demonstrated with the A400M and the converted A310 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft. As a consequence of those successes, Airbus is proud of its contribution to EADS's backlog in the military market ” said Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are convinced that Airbus aircraft can satisfy the need of many of the world’s air forces and will eventually become the market reference in the military transport field, just as Airbus aircraft are already the reference for commercial airlines.” he added.
 
The A330-200 FSTA will provide the RAF with outstanding flexibility, reliability and cost efficiency. Its modern and aerodynamically advanced wing carries 111 tonnes of fuel without the need for auxiliary fuel tanks, enabling it to refuel more receiver aircraft than existing and competing tankers.
 
Thanks to its true wide-body cabin, the A330-200 FSTA will be able to provide its full passenger and cargo capability while it is configured for air-refuelling operations. In a comfortable one class configuration it can accommodate almost 300 service personnel and carry a full range of cargo containers, including military pallets in both the forward and rear cargo compartments.
 
To date nearly 1,400 aircraft are used for special military missions, such as transport, air-to-air refuelling, AWACS or maritime patrol. Many of them will have to be replaced in the near future. Airbus’ extensive and most modern aircraft family will provide efficient platforms for many of these requirements.
 
The announcement in favour of the A330-200 for the RAF through a private finance initiative (PFI) is a strong acknowledgement of the aircraft’s potential to generate third party revenue. More than 460 A330s have been ordered by 60 airlines across the globe, and it is recognised as the most efficient and economic twin-engine aircraft ever built.
 
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Mon, 26 Jan 2004 00:00:00 +0100MOST FLEXIBLE 100-SEATER AIRCRAFT AIRBUS A318 MAKES DEBUT IN HELSINKIhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/27_Jan_04_Helsinki_Debut.html

Today Airbus showcased the most flexible 100-seater aircraft, the Airbus A318, at Helsinki-Vantaa airport. The A318 is the newest member of the Airbus single-aisle A320 Family, comprising the A318 (107 seats), A319 (124 seats), A320 (150 seats) and A321 (185 seats). The A318 combines unmatched efficiency, comfort and range thus providing airlines with the most flexible solution in the 100-seater market .

Commonality
 
As a member of the Airbus single-aisle Family of aircraft, the A318 offers unique operational commonality featuring the same flight decks, systems and fly-by-wire flight controls as all other Airbus aircraft in the same family. This allows pilots and cabin crews, as well as maintenance engineers, to switch easily from one aircraft type to another with only minor training. Airlines thus benefit from having only one pool of crews, which could be used to fly different missions on-board different Airbus aircraft. Furthermore airlines can save money by using common sets of spare parts. This leads to an unmatched flexibility as airlines can easily switch aircraft types depending on the demand and mission.

Comfort

With the widest cabin in its class, the A318 offers top-of-the-range comfort, providing passengers with wider seats and wider aisles while preserving the best economics on regional routes. Bigger overhead bins allow passengers to take modern roller-bags on board for a more convenient journey. The A318 offers in addition four full size service doors for quicker, more flexible and more comfortable ground handling and faster turn-around times. Crews benefit from the wider cabin by enjoying a more spacious and friendly working environment.

Capability

As a member of the most modern aircraft family, the A318 has superior operating capabilities and can reach all European capitals from Helsinki. The A318 is the only regional aircraft equipped with CAT IIIB automatic landing as a standard option, enabling the aircraft to land even in difficult weather conditions, which are often prevalent in northern Europe. This supports the airlines’ scheduling reliability, avoids the redirection of passengers and thus helps airlines to operate the aircraft more flexibly on a daily basis.

Environmentally friendly
 
The A318’s modern technology is key to its environmental friendliness. With its high bypass-ratio engines from CFM international, the A318 is quieter for people living close to airports. It also offers the lowest CO2 emissions and the lowest NoX emissions per seat in its class. 
 
Market leader

The A320 Family is the fastest selling single-aisle aircraft family with nearly 3,100 firm orders, of which almost 2,100 are flying with over 120 operators worldwide.

Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market and globally represented with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems. 

]]>Tue, 27 Jan 2004 00:00:00 +0100a320,general,worldwide_genMost flexible 100-seater aircraft Airbus A318 makes debut in Helsinkihttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/01_27_04_A318_debut.html
Commonality

As a member of the Airbus single-aisle Family of aircraft, the A318 offers unique operational commonality featuring the same flight decks, systems and fly-by-wire flight controls as all other Airbus aircraft in the same family. This allows pilots and cabin crews, as well as maintenance engineers, to switch easily from one aircraft type to another with only minor training. Airlines thus benefit from having only one pool of crews, which could be used to fly different missions on-board different Airbus aircraft. Furthermore airlines can save money by using common sets of spare parts. This leads to an unmatched flexibility as airlines can easily switch aircraft types depending on the demand and mission.

Comfort

With the widest cabin in its class, the A318 offers top-of-the-range comfort, providing passengers with wider seats and wider aisles while preserving the best economics on regional routes. Bigger overhead bins allow passengers to take modern roller-bags on board for a more convenient journey. The A318 offers in addition four full size service doors for quicker, more flexible and more comfortable ground handling and faster turn-around times. Crews benefit from the wider cabin by enjoying a more spacious and friendly working environment.

Capability

As a member of the most modern aircraft family, the A318 has superior operating capabilities and can reach all European capitals from Helsinki. The A318 is the only regional aircraft equipped with CAT IIIB automatic landing as a standard option, enabling the aircraft to land even in difficult weather conditions, which are often prevalent in northern Europe. This supports the airlines' scheduling reliability, avoids the redirection of passengers and thus helps airlines to operate the aircraft more flexibly on a daily basis.

Environmentally friendly

The A318s modern technology is key to its environmental friendliness. With its high bypass-ratio engines from CFM international, the A318 is quieter for people living close to airports. It also offers the lowest CO2 emissions and the lowest NoX emissions per seat in its class.

Market leader

The A320 Family is the fastest selling single-aisle aircraft family with nearly 3,100 firm orders, of which almost 2,100 are flying with over 120 operators worldwide. Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market and globally represented with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.]]>Tue, 27 Jan 2004 00:00:00 +0100corporate,a320,event_gen,brand,customer,france,worldwide_otherAir Tahiti Nui orders another Airbus A340-300http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/29_jan_04_Air_Tahiti.htmlAir Tahiti Nui has signed a firm contract with Airbus for another A340-300, which will be delivered in June 2005. The aircraft will become the fifth four-engined A340-300 in its fleet, which currently flies long-haul services across the Pacific and on to Europe - as well as to Japan.
 
With seating for 294 passengers in a first, business and economy layout, the latest A340-300 will be powered by CFM International CFM56-5C/P engines.
 
Much of Air Tahiti’s flying is on long-haul routes over the Pacific, over which it can count on the economy and operating flexibility of the four-engined Airbus A340, which is popular with our passengers around the world.
 
Air Tahiti Nui became the first A330/A340 family operator in the Pacific in 1998, when it began operations from its Papeete base. Today, Airbus A330s and A340s are in widespread service, or have been chosen by, most of the major “flag carriers” in the region, having become the aircraft of choice in the 250-375 seat class.
 
Air Tahiti Nui has been a key driver in helping to grow Tahiti’s tourism-dependent economy by providing frequent and reliable Airbus A340 services to its palm-fringed resorts.
 
Airbus’ A330/340 family is the clear leader in its category, with more than 800 firm orders and over 70 airline and VIP operators. Its modern design makes it a consistent leader in independent passenger surveys, and has unprecedented commonality with other Airbus aircraft.
 
Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Thu, 29 Jan 2004 00:00:00 +0100Singapore Airlines A340-500 flies into the record bookshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/04_Feb_04_Singapore_Airlines_Record.html(Los Angeles) A Singapore Airlines four-engine A340-500 has successfully operated the longest non-stop commercial air service in the world, with its first flight between Singapore and Los Angeles. The A340-500 departed at 16.00 Singapore local time and completed the 14,093 km / 7,609 nm sector to Los Angeles in 14 hours 42 minutes. This new daily service operates non-stop in both directions on a sector that is over 1000km / 540 nm longer than the previous record distance for a non-stop round trip commercial service between Hong Kong and Newark. Singapore Airlines is planning to inaugurate an even longer route between Singapore and New York in mid 2004.
 
Designated “A345LeaderShip” by Singapore Airlines, the aircraft seats 64 in an enhanced Raffles Business Class and 117 in all new Executive Economy Class. The cabins for both classes feature special areas and amenities for passengers to socialise and relax on ultra long haul services up to 18 and a half hours in duration.
 
With four Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines for the best economy and reliability on ultra long haul flights, the A340-500 enjoys unmatched operational flexibility on non-stop flights over remote areas – such as oceans, mountain ranges and polar regions.
 
“We celebrate the making of commercial aviation history with this flight. Not only does the flight open up unprecedented travel options for our customers, it also breaks new ground in in-flight comfort. We shall continue our relentless pursuit of raising the standard of our offerings to our customers,” said Mr Huang Cheng Eng, Executive Vice President Marketing and the Regions, Singapore Airlines. 
 
 “A pioneering spirit has been at the heart of Airbus since it was established and in the same way Singapore Airlines has long been renowned as a pioneer in commercial air transport. Today’s record breaking flight between Singapore and Los Angeles with the pioneering A340-500 serves to strengthen that proud credential.” says Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noel Forgeard.
 
The Airbus A330/A340 family is the market leader in its class, with 89 orders in 2003 bringing the total to over 800 from more than 60 customers worldwide. It is the aircraft family that passengers prefer to travel on for long haul flights, consistently emerging at the top in independent passenger surveys.
 
Singapore Airlines placed its original A340-500 order for five firm and five option aircraft in1999. The airline is also a launch customer for the A380 Super Jumbo with 10 firm orders and 15 options. Singapore Airlines will be the first airline to put the A380 into service in spring 2006.
 
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Wed, 04 Feb 2004 00:00:00 +0100a330a340,worldwide_genAirCaledonia becomes new Airbus A320 operatorhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/9_Feb_04_Aircalin.htmlAir Caledonie International has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320, becoming a new operator of the type. It plans to use it on flights from its base in Noumea, New Caledonia, to Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.
 
Aircalin’s A320 seats eight passengers in business class and 138 in economy, and is powered by International Aero Engines V2500s.
 
The airline already flies two Airbus A330-200s, and the addition of the A320 makes it an all-Airbus operator.
 
“Our passengers benefit from the reliable and comfortable service that our modern all-Airbus fleet provides, while we benefit from greater economy and the commonality between the A320 and A330,” says Aircalin Chief Executive Officer Jean-Michel Masson
 
Airbus aircraft have enjoyed considerable success in the Pacific in recent years, with all of the major ‘’flag carriers’’ choosing them for their fleet modernisations. In the region, Airbus’ A330 and A340 have already become the aircraft of choice in the 250-375 seat class, while the A320 family is well on the way to becoming so in the single-aisle field.
 
Aircalin faces the challenge of providing frequent and reliable services throughout the south Pacfic – a service on which New Caledonia’s tourism and economy depends – with only a small fleet, and we are delighted that Airbus aircraft are helping it to succeed,” says Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.
 
Airbus’ A320 Family features the most modern design of any single-aisle aircraft, with the widest and most comfortable cabin, excellent economy, and extensive commonality with other Airbus aircraft. It also has the range to fly long-sectors, low maintenance costs, and a proven worth as an excellent financial investment. These features make the A320 family a firm favourite with passengers, as independent surveys show, as well as a leader in financial and operator polls.
 
Firm orders for the best-selling A320 family now stand at more than 3,000, over 2,000 of which have been delivered, with some 140 customers and operators.
 
Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Mon, 09 Feb 2004 00:00:00 +0100Airbus at asian aerospace '04http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/09_feb_04_Asian_Aerospace.htmlAirbus comes to Asian Aerospace '04 (24th-29th February) with a positive outlook after a landmark year in 2003, in which it became Number One also in terms of deliveries. During 2003, Airbus delivered 305 aircraft and achieved 284 new firm orders despite the widespread challenges faced by the air transport industry during the year.
 
The SARS crisis heavily impacted upon Asia – Pacific carriers during the first half of 2003, yet Airbus orders from the region accounted for over 30% of the global total, with 87 firm orders from 11 customers. These included highly significant orders for the A380 from Korean Air and Malaysia Airlines’ parent company Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad, as well as orders for A340-500/600s from Thai Airways International. Other notable orders came from CASC in China (A319/A320/A330), China Airlines of Taiwan (A330), Vietnam Airlines (A321) and Qantas (A320) for its new low cost operation, JetStar.
 
Singapore Airlines became the first customer from the region to take delivery of the A340-500 in December 2003 and inaugurated record breaking non-stop service between Singapore and Los Angeles on 3rd February 2004. An even longer non stop service between Singapore and New York is scheduled to start in mid 2004. Other significant deliveries in 2003 were the first A330s for Eva Air of Taiwan and first A320s for Air New Zealand. Almost 580 Airbus aircraft of all types are currently in service with over 40 operators across the Asia – Pacific region.
 
In the field of regional industrial collaboration, Composites Technology Resources Malaysia delivered the first set of A380 wing components to Airbus in October 2003. Industrial collaboration continues on the A380 with Japanese companies, as well as on other Airbus programmes with suppliers from Australia, China, India, Japan and Korea.
 
Airbus will be present at Asian Aerospace '04 with a Chalet (Row D 1-3), as well as a large stand (Hall A - 701) with model and video displays of its products including A380, A340-500/600, A330-200 and A320 family.
Airbus will hold a press briefing in the “Bravo Suite” (Row C) at 1.30pm on Wednesday, 25th February. Further media briefings may also to be expected during the course of the week.
 
Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Airbus has delivered almost 3,500 aircraft to 210 customers and operators world-wide, and boasts a healthy deliver backlog of well over 1,400 aircraft, which, at current rates, represents some five years of production. With an annual turnover of €19.3 billion in 2003, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.
]]>Mon, 09 Feb 2004 00:00:00 +0100Austrian Airlines receives first Airbus A319http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/20_Feb_04_Austrian_Airlines.htmlAustrian Airlines received its first Airbus A319. The aircraft will join the carrier’s current Airbus single-aisle fleet, consisting of eight A320s and six A321s. In total Austrian Airlines has ordered seven A319s. This new aircraft will be the first reflecting the airline’s new corporate identity with a new livery, new interior colours and new seats.
 
The A319 is a member of Airbus’ A320 Family, the best selling single-aisle aircraft family ever, which is renowned for its unmatched cabin comfort and economics.  It offers wider seats, wider aisles and bigger overhead stowage than the competition, which means long-range comfort on short haul routes. The airline’s A319s will seat  up to 126 passengers in a very comfortable and flexible two-class layout and are equipped with CFM 56-5B6/P engines by CFM international.
 
The new A319s reinforce Austrian Airline’s move to the most advanced and efficient family of aircraft in this category. All A320 Family aircraft and A330/A340 widebody-long-range aircraft, of which eight are in service with Austrian today, share similar flight decks, systems and fly-by-wire flight controls, allowing pilots to switch from one aircraft type to another with only minor training. This operational commonality between all Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft allows Austrian Airlines to take full advantage of a number of benefits, such as savings in crew training and aircraft maintenance.
 
Austrian Airline’s new A319s will also enable the airline to further enhance its scheduling flexibility, with the possibility to select between the A319, A320 and A321. And, as the different aircraft can be operated by the same teams, any aircraft can be deployed at short notice to meet changes in demand. 
 
The A320 Family is the market leading single-aisle aircraft family with nearly 3,100 aircraft sold to over 120 customers and operators all around the world.
 
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Fri, 20 Feb 2004 00:00:00 +0100Air Deccan to acquire Airbus A320Shttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/25_feb_04_Air_Deccan.htmlAir Deccan, India’s first low-cost carrier, has chosen Airbus’ A320 family to expand services to major Indian cities from its Bangalore base. It will acquire two new Airbus A320s from Airbus, and has taken options on two more. In addition, it will lease a further five A320s from Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (SALE).
 
Deliveries of the leased aircraft will begin in July this year, while those of the new aircraft from Airbus will start in September 2005.
 
All of the aircraft will seat 180 passengers in an all-economy layout and will be powered by International Aero Engines V2500-A5 engines.
 
“With our low-cost approach, we naturally wanted the most economical aircraft for the job, and the Airbus A320 was the clear winner in our evaluation,” says Air Deccan Managing Director Captain G.R. Gopinath. “We also recognised that the Airbus A320’s cabin is the widest and most spacious in its class, which will allow us to compete with other carriers on product, as well as cost.”
 
Air Deccan currently flies seven ATR 42 turboprops on services from Bangalore to cities in the south of India. Air Deccan intends to use the A320 to expand its low-cost operation throughout India.
 
“We are delighted that Air Deccan will become another customer and operator of the Airbus A320 family, which is increasingly successful in the low-cost market – as well as with full-service carriers,” says Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard. “We look forward to being Air Deccan’s partner as it expands in the important Indian market.”
 
Airbus’ A320 family is the most successful aircraft family in the world, having been chosen by more than 160 customers and operators around the world, including many in Asia-Pacific. Firm orders for the Airbus A320 family stand at some 3,100 aircraft, more than 2,100 of which have been delivered to date.
 
Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Wed, 25 Feb 2004 00:00:00 +0100a320,worldwide_genA380 Ro-Ro vessel christened “Ville de Bordeaux” in Nanjinghttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/27_feb_04_Ro-Ro.htmlThe Airbus A380 program has reached a new milestone with the christening of a roll-on and roll-off sea (ro-ro) vessel built for the transportation of components of the aircraft. The vessel was named “Ville De Bordeaux” at a ceremony held today in Nanjing in East China’s Jiangsu Province.
 
The 5,200-dwt roll-on and roll-off vessel measures 154.15 metres long, 24 metres wide and 21.85 metres deep and features the largest ever watertight stern door on a ro-ro vessel (22 metres by 14 metres). It has a cargo deck space of 6,720 square metres and holds as much as 1,805 lanes metres. It incorporates special features tailored to the loading and transport of aircraft components like stern mooring system, cargo hold environment control, lashing arrangements and control of accelerations.
 
Airbus will charter the vessel to transport A380 sections by sea from Airbus sites in the UK, Germany, France and Spain to the French city port of Bordeaux.  The vessel is built by the Nanjing-based Jinling Shipyard and commissioned by FRET/Cetam, a subsidiary of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) of France, and Leif Hoegh of Norway.
 
Specially designed barges will then carry the components on the penultimate part of the voyage along the Garonne River, from Bordeaux to the river harbour of Langon. Here the aircraft components will be transferred to road trailer to continue the final part of the journey to the final assembly line in Toulouse.
 
The 555-seat A380, Airbus' newest and largest aircraft, will enter service in 2006. It offers unequalled passenger comfort, unrivalled operating costs and state-of-the-art technology to minimise noise and emissions. An evolution of aviation technology, the A380 promises to ease congestion at major airports by transporting more people more efficiently than ever. To date, 11 customers have announced orders and commitments for a total of 129 A380s.
 
“Suppliers worldwide have taken part in the development of the A380 programme and China in particular is making a very visible contribution,” said Philippe Delmas, Airbus Executive Vice President Government Relations, Communication and External Affairs, at the christening ceremony.  “The Republic’s involvement in the A380 program opened up a new chapter in the co-operation between Airbus and China.”
 
Chinese government officials, Mr Philippe Louis-Dreyfus, Chairman and CEO of LDA group, and Mr Westye Hoegh, Chairman of the Board of Leif Hoegh, as well as envoys from France and other European countries attended the christening ceremony.
 
In April, the vessel will be delivered to the city of Yizheng on the Yangtze River, sailing downstream to Shanghai before eventually arriving in Europe.
 
Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Airbus has delivered almost 3,500 aircraft to 210 customers and operators worldwide, and boasts a healthy delivery backlog of well over 1,400 aircraft. At current rates, this represents some five years of future production. With an annual turnover of euros 19.3 billion in 2003, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS company with BAE Systems.
]]>Fri, 27 Feb 2004 00:00:00 +0100a380,chinaSAA takes delivery of first Airbus A340-300http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/9_mar_04_SAA.htmlSouth African Airways (SAA) took delivery of its first Airbus A340-300E, which is the first “enhanced” version of this Airbus type. SAA will receive six A340-300E by 2005.
 
The 295-seat A340-300E features several enhancements, including a higher thrust-generating version of the CFM56 engine, which burns less fuel and is ideally suited for the hot-and-high conditions, at airports such as Johannesburg International Airport.  Among the other improvements are the use of LCD cockpit display units and a revised cabin interior design creating even more personal space for passengers.
 
Today’s delivery sees SAA move into the second phase of its comprehensive fleet modernisation programme. This involves the acquisition of 41 new Airbus aircraft, including nine A340-600s and six A340-300Es for ultra-long and long haul flights.  It has also ordered 11 A319s and 15 A320s and will use these best-selling and passenger-appealing single-aisle aircraft on its domestic and African route network.  In addition, SAA also operates six leased A340-200s and two leased A330-200s.
 
Speaking on taking ownership of the new A340-300, SAA CEO, André Viljoen said; “SAA is delighted to receive this latest addition to its fleet.  The new Airbus Family aircraft, with its unrivalled commonality, allows us to reap increasing immediate operational efficiencies and cost-savings as our fleet modernisation programme progresses.  These translate directly into greater operational profitability for SAA and enables us to pass on savings to our customers”.
 
He explained that SAA’s fleet acquisitions “strengthened the underlying value and profitability of the company.  If you are going to compete in a tightly contested global market, you must be properly equipped.  These modern and efficient Airbus aircraft provide SAA with the right tools to compete successfully and to deliver a sustainable return on investment to its shareholders”.
 
Airbus President and Chief Executive Noel Forgeard, said: “SAA is a benchmark airline renowned for setting very high standards for safety, efficiency and customer satisfaction.  Airbus also prides itself on setting new standards in the design, development, manufacture and support of new aircraft.  We’re confident that the family of Airbus aircraft it is acquiring will help SAA meet all of its requirements”.
 
The new Airbus fleet also enables SAA to carry containerised cargo across its entire domestic, regional and long-haul network.  This facilitates air freight exports of perishable and high-value goods while also resulting in faster turnaround between flights and improved fleet utilisation.
 
Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.
]]>Tue, 09 Mar 2004 00:00:00 +0100a330a340,worldwide_genLUFTHANSA starts operating its first new Airbus A330-300 http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/16_march_2004_Lufthansa.htmlToday German airline Lufthansa started operating its first A330-300 on a scheduled flight from Frankfurt to Cairo and Karthoum, Sudan. The A330-300 is a new Airbus aircraft type in the carrier’s fleet. Lufthansa has ordered ten A330-300s, the spacious medium-range twin-engine aircraft from Airbus’ market leading A330/A340 Family. All A330-300 aircraft will be delivered by end of 2005. The carrier will introduce the aircraft on its route network to the Middle East, Africa and the US East Coast. With 43 Airbus A330/A340s currently in service, Lufthansa operates the world’s largest fleet of Airbus wide-body aircraft.
The A330s will give Lufthansa the full benefit of Airbus’ unique operational commonality, which will enable Lufthansa to operate the A330s and A340s using the same pool of pilots, cabin crews and maintenance engineers. This gives Lufthansa more crew and fleet planning flexibility and will result in significant cost savings in training.
 
Airbus’ wide-body cabin is renowned for its outstanding level of comfort and its optimised cabin layout providing passengers with ample space, where space really matters. With its new A330-300s Lufthansa offers a three class layout for 221 passengers, including a premium first class. The carrier also continues to introduce its new business class product with new lie-flat seats and individual entertainment systems with video on demand. Economy class passengers also benefit from newly designed seats providing more leg room on intercontinental flights.
 
Lufthansa’s choice to order the A330-300 underlines its commitment to operate the most modern and most environmental friendly fleet of aircraft. With its combination of state-of-the-art technology, optimised wing design and low emission Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, the A330-300 offers the lowest fuel burn in its class.
 
Lufthansa‘s selection of the A330 further reinforces the remarkable success of Airbus’ A330/A340 Family as the preferred medium to ultra long-range aircraft among airlines worldwide. The A330/A340 Family has booked some 820 orders from more than 60 customers to date.
 
The leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
 

 
]]>Tue, 16 Mar 2004 00:00:00 +0100a330a340,germanyMATSUSHITA, KOITO Iindustries, SUMITOMO Precision join the A380 programme JAMCO repeats: a total of 18 japanese companies to datehttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/17_mar_04_Matsushita.htmlThe European aircraft manufacturer Airbus announced today the addition of new Japanese partners for the A380 programme.  Matsushita Avionics Systems (MAS), Koito Industries and JAMCO Corporation have all been selected as preferred suppliers of new technology equipment for the next-generation very large aircraft programme.   Moreover, Sumitomo Precision Products (SPP) and JAMCO Corporation will supply structural assemblies for the A380.
 
Airbus’ President and CEO, Noel Forgeard, said,  “We are honoured to welcome these fine companies in the A380 programme.  With their contribution we can provide the most advanced technology for the world’s most advanced airliner programme currently launched in production.”
 
The addition of these three new partners brings to eighteen the total of Japanese companies collaborating in the A380.   The estimated revenue of the Japanese suppliers in the A380 programme will rise to well over US $4.25 billion in the years to come.
 
The contribution of each company is as follows:
 
Matsushita Avionics Systems has been selected as preferred supplier of in-flight entertainment equipment for the A380.   Development of the next generation eX2 system is underway at MAS’ Development Centre in Lake Forest, CA (USA) and production will be completed at Matsushita Electric Industrial`s Kadoma plant near Osaka (Japan).   In 1988 MAS provided the first IFE system to Airbus – the then-most advanced MPES system for the A320 family.
 
Koito Industries has been selected as preferred supplier of A380 passenger seats.   The design and production of the new seats is on-going at Koito Industries’ Yokohama plant (Kanagawa Prefecture).   Koito Industries supplies passenger seats for all current models of Airbus aircraft.
 
Sumitomo Precision Products will be supplying the gear uplock spring strut assembly for the actuation system of the wing landing gear of the A380.   The design is underway at SPP’s Amagasaki plant (Hyogo Prefecture) and production will be at Shiga plant near Kusatsu (Shiga Prefecture).   Sumitomo Precision has been working in all Airbus programs since 1985.
 
JAMCO has been selected as preferred supplier of galley systems for the A380.   JAMCO will also supply the A380 rear bay electronic rack assembly.   JAMCO’s Tachikawa plant (Tokyo) is responsible for design, and serial production will take place at JAMCO’s Murakami plant (Niigata Prefecture).   JAMCO is already working in the A380 upper floor beams and VTP center box stringers using its revolutionary advanced pultrusion (ADP) technology.
 
To date, eleven customers have announced firm orders and commitments for a total of 129 A380s.  The 555-seater A380 will enter into service in early 2006.
 
Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.
]]>Wed, 17 Mar 2004 00:00:00 +0100a380,general,japanAirbus plant Hamburg: fuselage section for first A380 completedhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/18_Mar_04_Airbus_plant_Hamburg.htmlAt Airbus in Hamburg today, the first equipped fuselage section for the 555-seat superjumbo A380 was ceremoniously unveiled. This section represents the forward part of the fuselage, which will later be united with the cockpit section. Among the roughly 3,000 guests in the new major component assembly hall (MCA Hall) located on the Airbus site extension was Ole von Beust, First Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. In his words of welcome, he emphasized the outstanding importance of Airbus for the aeronautics site Hamburg.
 
The forward fuselage section is approximately 11 metres long, has a maximum cross section of 8.4 metres and weighs ten tonnes. It is the first component from Hamburg that will later also actually be part of the first Airbus A380 to fly. The floor panels for the upper, main and lower decks are being manufactured at Elbe Flugzeugwerke in Dresden. Further important suppliers are, for example, Eurocopter (doors), Labinal (cable harnesses) and Spekon (insulation). Previously, a forward fuselage section had already been transported from Hamburg to St. Nazaire by ship. This was a structural test airframe, which had been manufactured for test purposes only.
 
In his speech, Gerhard Puttfarcken, Chairman of the Airbus Deutschland GmbH Executive Management Board, emphasized: "Today marks a further milestone on the route to the first flight of the A380, planned for early 2005. At all Airbus sites in Germany and the rest of Europe, A380 production is running on schedule. The same applies to the plant extension here in Hamburg, which includes the construction of new halls and state-of-the-art production facilities. We shall all achieve our goal of delivering the first Airbus A380 to its purchaser in the spring of 2006."
 
Along with the forward fuselage section, two days later an upper fuselage shell and a rear fuselage section will leave the Hamburg plant by water. However, the upper shell and rear fuselage section will not be used for a flying A380 but are destined for use in static and dynamic crash tests in Toulouse and Dresden. Major component assembly had started at Hamburg in August last year. Series production of four A380 aircraft per month is due to begin in the year 2008. To date, there are 129 firm orders for the A380 from eleven customers around the world.
 
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with
]]>Thu, 18 Mar 2004 00:00:00 +0100Airbus present at FIDAEhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/24_Mar_04_Airbus_present_at_Fidae.htmlAirbus will be present at FIDAE 2004, the “Feria Internacional del Aire y del Espacio” held at Los Cerillos airfield near Santiago de Chile from March 29 th – April 4 th.
 
The European manufacturer will showcase the A318 that will also take part in the daily flying displays. The A318 is the smallest and latest addition to the successful A320 family. Airbus will highlight the rest of its aircraft family on the EADS stand (Hall B – 51-82) and host visitors at its hospitality chalet (Row C 7 – 9)
 
Airbus’ presence in Latin America goes back to the second half of the ‘70ies when Airbus placed some of its very first products, the A300 in Brazil and Colombia. Since then Airbus has steadily expanded its presence in the region and today some 180 Airbus aircraft are operated in the region by 13 airlines including carriers such as Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Jamaica, Grupo TACA, LanChile, Mexicana, TAM.
 
Airbus will hold a press briefing on Monday March 29 th in meeting room 3 at 1.15 pm.
 
With the most modern airliner family in the world and an 87 per cent share of net firm sales in the region over the past ten years, Airbus is committed to maintaining its presence in this very important and growing market, by working closely together with its customers and future operators.
 
Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Airbus has delivered almost 3,500 aircraft to 210 customers and operators world-wide, and boasts a healthy delivery backlog of well over 1,400 aircraft, which, at current rates, represents some five years of production. With an annual turnover of €19.3 billion in 2003, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Wed, 24 Mar 2004 00:00:00 +0100Airbus shows leading cabin innovations at aircraft interiorshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/29_Mar_04_Airbus_shows_cabin_innovations.htmlAirbus is underlining its leadership in cabin innovation at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg and is exhibiting in hall 7, stand no. B20. Based on the trend for more efficient cabins in the low-cost market and more luxurious cabins in the ultra-long-range market, Airbus will present a new seating concept for the Airbus A320 Family and a mock-up of the long-range Airbus A340 cabin, which is renowned worldwide for its outstanding levels of comfort and innovation.
 
Thanks to a wider aisle, wider seats and full-size service doors, the A320 Family offers the most efficient cabin for low-cost carriers by allowing quicker turnaround times for this highly demanding market. To further enhance the cabin performance, Airbus will show a new seat concept, which is designed like a theatre seat and can be folded up when not in use. This concept enables passengers to move directly into the seat row to stow their hand luggage in the overhead stowages without blocking the aisle. Passengers behind them can pass without delay, meaning improved boarding and disembarking times.
 
Airbus will also show the popular long-range cabin technology demonstrator of its A330/A340 Family, for which new innovations have been introduced with airlines all around the world such as Emirates, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines or Virgin Atlantic Airways.
The A330/A340 cabin technology demonstrator is also equipped with Tenzing, the inflight-email system, which is part of Airbus’ In-Flight Information Services (AFIS). Visitors will thus have the chance to experience the most efficient on-board connectivity system available on the market.
 
Airbus A380 customers will have the possibility to explore the new A380 cabin highlights in a virtual reality mock-up. The 3D vision system gives a view to the new cabin and highlights of the A380 cabin design
 
The leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.
]]>Mon, 29 Mar 2004 00:00:00 +0100Delivery begins of the world's largest civil aircraft wingshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/05_april_04_delivery_begins.htmlThe first wing for the double-deck, 555 seat A380 aircraft leaves Airbus’ factory in North Wales today on the first leg of its journey to France.  This milestone in aviation history is being  witnessed by hundreds of A380 workers at Broughton, near Chester, as the huge wing (measuring over 45 metres along its leading edge) is driven out of the dispatch area and off on the start of its journey to Toulouse.
 
Loaded onto its specialised transportation ‘jig’, which sits astride a special 96-wheel powered trailer or Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV), the starboard ‘static-test’ wing travels 1.6 kilometres along a new, specially built track to the River Dee this morning.  The wing, jig and MPV together weigh around 200 tonnes and the journey involves a large crew of Airbus’ transportation and handling specialists.

 

 The first wing will be positioned on the Dee River Craft later today, ready to start the next phase of its journey - travelling 24 km along the Dee estuary to Port of Mostyn; this is expected to take place in the next few days.  Together with the port wing (which will also be moved to Mostyn, later this week) both wings will leave by ship from Mostyn shortly after Easter, heading for Bordeaux, France.  From Bordeaux the trip will continue by river barge to Langon; then at Langon by special road vehicles to Toulouse – where these wings will arrive at the end of April.

 

UK Minister of State for Industry and the Regions, the Right Honourable Jacqui Smith MP, who viewed the wing before delivery, said:  “This marks the completion of a major phase of this groundbreaking project in civil air transport.  These wings, indeed the entire A380 project, are a fantastic demonstration of what can be achieved through teamwork and co-operation – between industry, work force, local authorities and national governments, all coming together to turn the vision of a new super-jumbo into the reality we can see here”.

 

 Iain Gray, Managing Director and General Manager, Airbus UK and Head of A380 Wing Programme said:  “Much has been achieved in such a short space of time – especially considering the complexity and enormity of the A380 project.  The decision to launch the programme was only made at the very end of 2000 and the first metal was cut in factories around Europe in mid 2002.  Main assembly of the first wing began only ten months ago, it was removed from the jig in November and today we see the first completed wings.  That pace is being reflected across the other Airbus factories in France, Germany and Spain and in hundreds of suppliers companies both here in the UK and around the globe.

 

 “The scale to which Airbus has now grown means that in the UK it has become one of the mainstays of the aerospace industry and as such is of real significance for the UK economy.  As well as being, without doubt, the most exciting civil aircraft programme of our time, A380 is making a valuable and growing contribution to the UK economy through the boost it is providing to the country’s aerospace and manufacturing industry”.

 

 A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.

 

***

 

For further information please contact:

AIRBUS UK – COMMUNICATION
Chester Road, Broughton, Nr Chester, UK
Tel:  01244 52 4423/2146; Mobile:  07711 063751


NOTES FOR EDITORS

 

First A380 Wing
The first wing to leave the factory, the starboard “Static Test” or “ES” wing will be used for ground based structural testing of the airframe in Toulouse. (The port wing will begin its journey later this week).  The wings form part of an aircraft which will be attached to hydraulic jacks on a test rig at the ‘loading pads’ covering its surface.  Static testing is part of a wide programme of tests required by the certification authorities on every new model of aircraft.

 

A380 Key Facts
· To date, eleven customers have placed 129 firm orders for the A380. 
· The 555 seat aircraft, and a freighter version, is the largest member of the Airbus family. 
· Its range will be 15,000 kilometres/8,000 nautical miles. 
· Maximum take off weight (MTOW) 560 tonnes
· Wingspan 79.8 metres
· First flight is due in the first quarter of 2005
· First deliveries to customers are scheduled for 2006 – the first being for Singapore Airlines.

 

UK Investment

Airbus UK is investing nearly £2 billion in the A380 programme; the design, manufacture and assembly of the high tech wings and the testing of the landing gear.

 

UK Government

In March 2000, the UK Government agreed £530 million Repayable Launch Investment for the A380 programme.  The investment is repayable as part of a public-private partnership securing a return for the taxpayer along with wider economic benefits for the UK.

 

UK Jobs 

The A380 programme directly and indirectly sustains 100,000 jobs across the UK. Over 400 UK companies have been awarded over £7.5 billion worth of work on the programme.  This is set to double to £15 billion over the life of the programme.  As the A380 programme builds up, the Airbus contribution to the UK’s net exports will rise from £1 billion to more than £1.5 billion per annum.

 

Global Partners

Hundreds of companies are partnering Airbus on the design and build of the A380 wing.  These include twelve risk-sharing partners; AS&T, BAE SYSTEMS, CTRM, EADS, Fokker, GKN, Hawker de Havilland, Labinal, Mayflower, RUAG, SAAB and Shinmaywa.

 

Airbus UK is responsible for the design and manufacture of the high-technology wings for all Airbus models as well as overall design and supply of the fuel system.  For most Airbus models the company is responsible for overall design and supply of landing gear.  Employing around 12,000 people, Airbus UK is based at two sites; Broughton, North Wales being where wing component manufacturing and wing assembly takes place and Filton near Bristol where the engineering and design activity takes place along with some manufacturing work.

 

 

 

 

]]>Mon, 05 Apr 2004 00:00:00 +0100a380,ukCATHAY Pacific expands Airbus fleet by six more A330 aircrafthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/14_April_2004_Cathay.htmlCathay Pacific Airways has signed a contract with Airbus for three additional A330-300, plus three further A330-300s from US leasing company ILFC, expanding the Airbus widebody fleet at the airline. Deliveries of the new aircraft, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, are scheduled between 2005 and 2007.
 
Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific already operates one of the largest Airbus fleets in the Asia - Pacific region, with 23 A330-300s, 15 A340-300s and three A340-600s currently in service. The airline operates its fleet of A330-300s on medium range regional routes, as well as on longer sectors to Australia. The A340-300s and A340-600s are deployed on ultra long-haul non-stop routes linking Hong Kong with destinations in Europe and North America. The A340-600s will inaugurate daily non stop services between Hong Kong and New York in July 2004.
 
Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Chairman David Turnbull said: “The addition of six more A330s ties in with our plans to grow the airline and shows our continued commitment to Hong Kong. The aircraft will be used to provide more services in the coming years, strengthening our network and at the same time helping to enhance Hong Kong’s status as a leading global aviation hub. We will also be able to provide more job openings for local people.”
 
Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard said: “It is remarkable how Cathay Pacific has dealt with the enormous challenges over the past 12 months. I am delighted to see this prestigious airline enjoy a dramatic recovery in business and select more A330-300s to match future traffic growth across the dynamic Asia-Pacific region.
 
“Cathay Pacific was the first airline in the world to have established a mixed A330/340 fleet operation, fully exploiting the unique common design concept pioneered by Airbus. Sharing the same cockpit layout, operational procedures and handling characteristics, the aircraft are operated by Cathay Pacific as a single fleet, with pilots qualified to fly both types on a regular basis. Further benefits are also achieved through streamlined maintenance procedures as a result of the high level of common on-board systems and airframe components shared by the A330 and A340.
 
Cathay Pacific’s latest order of the A330 further reinforces the success of the A330/A340 Family as the preferred choice of airlines worldwide in the medium to long-range segment, with over 800 total orders from more than 60 customers. The A330/A340 Family has been especially successful in the Asia-Pacific, with more than 200 orders from 18 airlines in the region.
 
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Wed, 14 Apr 2004 00:00:00 +0100a330a340,worldwide_genJean Claude NICOLAS appointed senior vice president communicationshttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/30_april_04_Senior_VP.htmlAirbus announces the appointment of Jean Claude Nicolas as Senior Vice President Communications, effective mid April 2004. Mr Nicolas (52) is joining from Pechiney Group where he was Head of Communications since January 1998.
 
After graduating from the Rouen University in Law and Economic Sciences in 1974 and from the Political Science Institute (I.E.P.) of Paris in 1977 applied post-graduate diploma), Jean Claude Nicolas started his professional career with Chrysler-France in 1978 as a trainer in the Personnel and Industrial Relations Directorate. He then moved on to the automotive PSA Group where he held a series of different responsibilities within the Communications Department, ending as Deputy Vice President Press Relations.
 
After a short stay with the Agache Group (LVMH) as Deputy Vice President Group Communications, Mr Nicolas joined SNECMA in 1990 as Vice President Communications where he was in charge of developing the Communications Department and defining and implementing the Group’s external Communications policy. In 1995 he joined the French automotive manufacturers’ federation (C.C.F.A.), again as Vice President Communications. In 1997, he moved on to Pechiney as Deputy Vice President Communications and then Head of Communications. In this capacity, he was in charge of defining and implementing the communications strategy related, amongst others, to positioning the Communications Department as a business partner for operating departments and core functions.
 
Jean-Claude Nicolas is married and has two daughters. In his free time he likes reading, especially Anglo-Saxon literature, and mechanical sports.
]]>Tue, 20 Apr 2004 00:00:00 +0100Scandinavian charter airline NovAir becomes new Airbus A321 operatorhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/23_Apr_04_Novair.htmlThe Swedish charter airline Novair became a new Airbus A321 operator when it took delivery of its first Airbus A320 Family aircraft from the manufacturer’s assembly line in Hamburg. In total, Novair will receive two A321s, both leased via the US-based International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). Airbus’ A321 is the largest A320 Family member and the most economical aircraft in its class offering the lowest seat-mile-costs in this segment.
 
The delivery to Novair underlines Airbus success in the low fares market. With nearly 400 Airbus A320 Family aircraft in operation and on order from European budget operators, Airbus is the clear market leader in this segment.
 
The carrier’s A321s will be powered by V2500-A5 engines from International Aero Engines. Novair will use the aircraft on its charter services from Scandinavian cities to holiday destinations around the Mediterranean. The airline’s passengers will profit from unmatched comfort in the cabin, a benefit of all Airbus A320 Family aircraft, which consists of the A318, A319, A320 and A321. The widest and most spacious cabin in the single-aisle category will allow Novair to offer long-range comfort on medium-haul routes. The aircraft has been configured to seat 199 passengers in a comfortable single-class layout.
 
As Novair already operates two Airbus wide-body A330-200s the carrier will benefit from Airbus’ unique operational communality. All members of the Airbus aircraft family share commonality in airframes, on-board systems, flight decks and handling characteristics, pilots, cabin crews and maintenance engineers can easily switch from one Airbus aircraft to another. This allows much more flexibility and efficiency when it comes to operational planning. It also saves training time and significantly reduces operating costs.
 
The leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Fri, 23 Apr 2004 00:00:00 +0100a320,worldwide_genAirbus receives 180 minute ETOPS approval for A320 family aircrafthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/28_Apr_04_Airbus_receives_180_minute.htmlLeading aircraft manufacturer Airbus has received approval for 180-minute extended range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) with its A319, A320 and A321 single-aisle aircraft, including its corporate jet versions.
 
The approval was granted by the new European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Airbus is also in the process of obtaining approval for the latest family member, the A318. This means that, other than some of its very early aircraft, all twin-engine Airbus aircraft will be approved for ETOPS operations up to 180 minutes.
 
For around 20 years, ETOPS regulations have governed the design and operation of twin-engine aircraft that are flying routes with a trajectory point that is further than 60 minutes away from an adequate airport when flying on a single-engine. Over the years - due to demonstrated systems and engine reliability - the maximum diversion time that can now be granted to an aircraft type has been increased up to 180 minutes.
 
Airbus, as a manufacturer of the most cost efficient twin-engine aircraft, has been a driving force in promoting ETOPS approvals and operations for twin-engine aircraft. Its first approval for ETOPS was obtained in 1986, soon after original ETOPS regulations came into force.
 
Airbus, which was the first aircraft manufacturer to have a fly-by-wire aircraft ETOPS certified, as well as being the first to introduce ETOPS requirements into its entire product line, has also established methods for accelerated-ETOPS approval. These are used to achieve ETOPS approval from day-one of entry into service.
 
Its recent approval recognises the significant in-service experience gathered by the A320 Family and the excellent reliability of the CFM and IAE engines. The A320 Family has now accumulated over 31 million flight hours since entry into service and more than ten years worth of 120-minute ETOPS operations worldwide. Currently there are around ten ETOPS approved Airbus A320 Family operators, a figure which excludes A319 ACJ operators.
 
The leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.
]]>Wed, 28 Apr 2004 00:00:00 +0100Airbus showcases A340-600 and A318 at ILA 2004 Berlin Airshowhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/4_May_04_Airbus_Showcases.htmlAirbus will be present at this year’s ILA 2004 Berlin Airshow (10 to 16 May) showcasing two of the latest aircraft, the 107-seat A318 and the 380-seat A340-600. Both Airbus aircraft will participate in the daily flying displays in the afternoon and can be seen on static display for the rest of the time throughout the show. On public days, Airbus will also display the A300-600ST Super Transporter, the biggest transport aircraft in terms of volume, which is used to carry Airbus aircraft sections around Europe.
 
Airbus will also be present on the EADS stand, which will feature a 1/20 th model of the Airbus A380 and a cabin mock-up of the preferred Airbus A320 Family showing a new seat concept that folds up like a theatre seat when not in use. Visitors can also see 1/100 th models of the complete Airbus aircraft family and find out about Airbus activities in Germany. A plasma screen will display the different Airbus aircraft families in flight. Airbus has a chalet (no6) to welcome its guests.
 
On Tuesday 11 th May, at 12h00, Airbus will hold a press conference in the ILA Press Centre, Hall 4, Press Conference Room A.
 
The leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.
]]>Tue, 04 May 2004 00:00:00 +0100AIRBUS A380 ASSEMBLY SITE IS OPENED BY FRENCH PRIME MINISTERhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/07_may_04_French_Prime_Minister.htmlAirbus’ A380 assembly facility in Toulouse, France, was formally inaugurated by French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin today, at a ceremony attended by more than 3000 guests, including customers, government officials, suppliers and employees.
 
The ceremony celebrated and thanked those who contributed to the building of the Airbus A380. It took place inside the facility - named to honour the memory of Jean-Luc Lagardère, co-Chairman of Airbus shareholder EADS at the time of A380 launch.
 
Beginning with a brief programme history, the event included speeches by Prime Minister Raffarin and Airbus President and CEO Noël Forgeard - plus the opening of giant curtains to reveal the first structural-test A380 in its assembly jigs. Both leaders also signed a commemorative plaque.
 
"Our thanks go to all those who, since the beginning of this adventure, are each day transforming the Airbus A380 vision into a reality, and especially to our customers, our employees, our shareholders, government officials and all our partners and suppliers" says Noël Forgeard. "The Airbus A380 completes – and in what an impressive way – the most modern and complete family of civil aircraft."
 
The Airbus A380 assembly building is one of the largest in the world, measuring 490m by 250 m, with a height of 46 m. It is the largest of several buildings on the site which, together, incorporate more than 32,000 tonnes of steel – the equivalent of four Eiffel towers or the Millau viaduct - plus 250,000 cubic metres of concrete.
The Airbus A380 is the world’s newest and largest airliner, and will seat 555 passengers in first, business and economy class on ranges of up to 8,000 nm/15,000 km, allowing it to fly non-stop from Europe to Asia, North America and South America. An A380 Freighter carrying up to 150 tonnes of cargo is also available.
 
Eleven prestigious carriers have already ordered 129 Airbus A380s, highlighting the programme’s strikingly successful launch. Passengers will be able to fly in the Airbus A380 from 2006, when it is due to enter airline service. The Airbus A380 is the only modern aircraft design in the valuable 400-plus seat market, in which it has already established strong market leadership.
 
Airbus designs, builds and supports the world’s most modern and comprehensive airliner family, with different sizes and ranges to match every airline need in the market above 100 seats. It unites 50,000 aerospace employees, mainly in France, Germany, Spain and the UK.
 
Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Fri, 07 May 2004 00:00:00 +0100a380,franceSpirit Airlines orders Airbus low-cost carrier to become all-Airbus carrierhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_May_04_Spirit_Airlines.htmlSpirit Airlines of Fort Lauderdale, Florida – a new customer for Airbus – has signed a firm order to purchase 15 Airbus A320 Family aircraft, plus up to 50 options. The firm order consists of 11 A319s and four A321s. Also, the airline will lease four A321s, in addition to the 20 A319 and A321 aircraft it has already announced it will lease from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). Altogether, this order has a potential for up to 65 purchased aircraft and 24 leased aircraft. All Spirit’s Airbus aircraft will be powered by International Aero Engines V2500 engines. First delivery of an Airbus aircraft to Spirit will be a leased A321 in September 2004.
 
Spirit will operate their A319s and A321s throughout their current and growing 16-city low-fare network, ultimately becoming an all-Airbus airline by 2008, as it continues to replace its current fleet of 32 MD-80s. Spirit’s A319s will seat eight people in “Spirit Plus”, the airline’s business-class product, and 130 in coach. The A321s will accommodate 16 people in Spirit Plus, and 182 in coach. The airline plans to double its size over the next five years.
 
“We founded this airline on the concept of value, and these new Airbus aircraft will allow us to deliver on the promise to our customers to provide more for less,” said Jacob Schorr, CEO and President of Spirit Airlines. “In the interest of economics, technology and comfort, the choice of the A320 Family was a clear one. This is our 14 th year in business and we’re the 16 th largest airline in the U.S. – we look forward to advancing those numbers on the wings of Airbus.”
 
“Low-fare carriers are thriving in this challenging rebound period of our industry, and with its selection of the A320 Family, Spirit has secured its position among the leaders in the climb to restored profitability.” said Noël Forgeard, Airbus Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We are very pleased to have yet another U.S. airline attest to the value and virtues of Airbus aircraft by signing us on as part of their future.”
 
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Tue, 11 May 2004 00:00:00 +0100a320,naAirbus main sponsor's for the “blessing of europe”http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_May_04_Airbus_main_sponsors.htmlWithin the framework of the long-standing cooperation with Malta and Air Malta, and on the occasion of Malta’s accession to the European Union on the 1 st May, Airbus was the Main Sponsor of The Blessing of Europe, a musico-inter-religious cultural event that was held in Malta on Sunday 9 th May. Air Malta, on its part, was appointed Official Carrier for the event.
 
This event brought to a conclusion the activities that have been held in Malta to mark Malta’s accession to the EU.
 
The Blessing of Europe, produced by EBU, the European Broadcasting organisation, through Nordisk Film & TV A/S and “The Rest is Music” ApS of Denmark under the direction of renowned TV producer Stein-Roger Bull and PBS Malta, took place in the magnificent setting of the 16 th Century St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta Malta and was broadcast prime time live on Eurovision in some 20 countries.
 
The Blessing of Europe event, besides the musical elements, featured a brief “blessing” by the leaders of the main religious denominations represented on the island, marking the unity in diversity of cultures in Malta and Europe.
 
The musical programme included Mozart’s The Coronation Mass and Laudate Dominum, Haydn’s Te Deum and Schubert’s Ave Maria. The event will show the talents of both Maltese and other celebrity musicians and voices from various countries in Europe.
 
“We, at Airbus, are delighted that we are contributing to and participating in such a high level European cultural event that links Malta and Europe through music, beyond the numerous links that already exist in the business environment with Air Malta”, said Christopher Buckley, Senior Vice President Customer Affairs of Airbus.
 
He added, “Airbus, a true example of European cooperation and integration, highly supports this kind of cultural exchange and cooperation that will bring more understanding of European values and traditions among its inhabitants.”
 
On his part Lawrence Zammit, Chairman of Air Malta said “This unique opportunity to bring to the forefront Malta’s rich cultural and architectural heritage was one that could not be missed, not only as a result of the historic moment The Blessing of Europe was celebrating, but also as a result of the extensive support being given by one of our main business partners, Airbus”
 
Air Malta, recently leased a fleet of five new Airbus A320 and seven new A319 aircraft within the framework of its long-term lease agreement with International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), in order to replace its current aircraft over a period of four and a half years. Air Malta, an early customer for the A320, received the first of its new aircraft, acquired under its fleet rationalisation programme, on Wednesday 7th January 2004. To date Air Malta has already taken delivery of 3 A320s and 3 A319s.
 
With the most modern and comprehensive airliner family in the world offering a high level of economics to the customers and increased comfort to the passengers, by end 2003 Airbus became the number one world-wide manufacturer for aircraft of 100 seats and more in terms of deliveries.
 
Headquartered in Toulouse (France), Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.

 

]]>Tue, 11 May 2004 00:00:00 +0100Airbus opens new maintenance training center for A320 family http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/12_May04_Airbus_opens_new_maintenance.htmlAirbus has opened a new maintenance training centre in Hamburg, Finkenwerder, for A320 Family aircraft.
 
Maintenance engineers and mechanics worldwide can access a wide range of training such as full technical JAR 66 courses for light and heavy aircraft maintenance, lessons for ramp and transit agents and general familiarisation courses. In addition Airbus will use the new facilities to train its own technical staff from mainly its Hamburg plant. Around 2,500 trainees a year can be trained in the new facilities.
 
The newly built centre covers approximately 5,000 square meters on two floors. It is equipped with several maintenance training devices, two mock-ups of auxiliary power units and twelve lecture rooms. The A318, A319 and A321 assembly line in Hamburg is in close proximity to the new training centre, which will give trainees a practical insight, and contribute to the overall quality of the courses.
 
”This new maintenance training centre in Hamburg underlines our philosophy to offer premium services to Airbus operators and also to be the number one in customer services,” said Patrick Gavin, Airbus Executive Vice-President Customer Services.
 
The customer base of A320 Family operators has increased significantly over the last few years. Today nearly 130 airlines are operating around 2,200 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. With more than 3,100 aircraft sold, the A320 Family is the best selling single-aisle aircraft Family of all time.
 
The new Hamburg training centre in Germany is now included in the Airbus training JAR 147 approval after a successful audit carried out jointly by German LBA (Luftfahrt Bundesamt) and the French DGAC (Direction Generale Aviation Civile) and is thus able to provide authorisation for trainees to carry out aircraft maintenance work.
 
The leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.
]]>Wed, 12 May 2004 00:00:00 +0100AIRBUS A380 ENGINE BEGINS FLIGHT TRIALS ON A340 TESTBED http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/17_may_04_A380_engine_flight_trials.htmlThe first engine destined to power the 21st Century flagship A380, the Rolls-Royce Trent 900, made a successful first-flight aboard Airbus’ A340-300 testbed today.
 
The flight, which lasted 3 hr and 40 min, begins a 50-60 hour programme of some 30 flights spread over almost four months. It was flown by Experimental Test Pilots Peter Chandler and Wolfgang Absmeier, accompanied by Flight Test Director Fernando Alonso and Flight Test Engineers Jacky Joye and Gerard Desbois.
 
The flight trials, which follow extensive ground-based testing by Rolls-Royce, will provide early feedback on engine behaviour in the air, paving the way for those of the Airbus A380, which are due to begin early next year. The results will also help to ensure a smooth and reliable entry into airline service in the second quarter of 2006.
 
Generating  70,000 lb of thrust in its A380 role, the Trent 900 is more than twice as powerful as each of the four 34,000 lb CFM56-5C4 engines that normally power the A340-300. It is the largest and most powerful engine to fly on any Airbus aircraft. During the trials, the Trent 900 replaces the inner left CFM56-5C4 on the A340.
 
In addition to exploring engine behaviour, the flight-trials will investigate some of the new engine-driven systems that will be used by the Airbus A380. These include hydraulic pumps generating a pressure of 5,000 psi and variable-frequency electrical generators.
 
Airlines have a choice of engines to power their Airbus A380s – Rolls-Royce Trent 900s or the competing Engine Alliance GP7200s. The Trent 900, which is the first to take to the air, will power initial flight trials of the A380, and will power the first versions of the aircraft delivered to airlines. Flight trials of the GP7200 on General Electric’s flying testbed are due to begin in autumn this year.
 
With 129 firm orders already to its credit from eleven prestigious customers – Air France, Emirates, Federal Express, ILFC, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways – the A380 is one of Airbus’ most successful programmes ever.
 
Airbus designs, builds and supports the world’s most modern and comprehensive airliner family, with different sizes and ranges to match every airline need in the market above 100 seats. It unites 50,000 aerospace employees, mainly in France, Germany, Spain and the UK.
 
Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Mon, 17 May 2004 00:00:00 +0100a330a340Airbus Espana delivers the first horizontal tail plane for the A380 to the final assembly line in Toulousehttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/27_may_04_Airbus_Espana.htmlToday, Thursday 27th May, the official ceremony presenting the Horizontal Tail Plane for the world’s largest and most technologically advanced aircraft, the A380, has taken place at the Airbus plant in Puerto Real (Cadiz).
 
In the presence of the President of the Regional Government of Andalusia, Manuel Chaves González, the Horizontal Tail Plane, manufactured by Airbus España, initiated its journey to the Bajo de las Cabezuelas dock in the Port of Cadiz for maritime transport to Bordeaux in France.  Once there, it will become part of a spectacular convoy that will cross France by river and road to Toulouse.
 
The dimensions of the Horizontal Tail Plane are in keeping with the aircraft to which it will be fitted, with a span of more than 30 metres and a width of almost 16 metres when fully equipped.  With a surface area of 204 square metres, it is more than twice the size of any other horizontal stabiliser manufactured for the rest of the Airbus aircraft family.
 
With the exception of the central coupling section and certain fittings, this element has been designed and constructed in carbon fibre, using the most advanced technologies, an area in which Airbus España is the world leader.
 
Each of the parts of this element has been designed at the Engineering facilities in Villaverde (Madrid), manufactured at the composite materials excellence centre in Illescas (Toledo) and initially assembled at the Getafe plant (Madrid).  On completion of this initial phase of assembly, and in view of their enormous size, the parts are sent to Puerto Real for final assembly, the installation of the hydraulic and electrical systems and flight controls and for final testing.
 
Companies from several Autonomous Communities have participated as industrial partners, providing their own resources and maintaining direct contacts with Airbus.  These companies have included Internacional de Composites (ICSA), that has undertaken responsibility for the leading and trailing edges and wing box union; Ariex Complex, in charge of manufacturing the elevator; Mecanizados Aeronáuticos (MASA), responsible for manufacturing the metallic parts of the boxes; ITD, responsible for systems; and Composystem, in charge of the fuselage union fairings.
 
Airbus is a joint EADS and BAE Systems company.
]]>Thu, 27 May 2004 00:00:00 +0100a380A380: topping out ceremony in the equipment hall. A380: special transport ship in Hamburg for the first time http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/10_jun_04_topping_out_ceremony.htmlA further two important milestones in the A380 programme will be celebrated today at the Airbus plant in Hamburg-Finkenwerder: the topping out ceremony, which is to take place in the equipment hall and the first arrival of the special transport ship "Ville de Bordeaux" at the new ro-ro quay facilities on the Elbe.
 
The foundation stone for the equipment hall was officially laid on 7 May 2003. The hall will be used to fit out the passenger cabins and service compartments of all A380 aircraft according to the airlines' wishes. It is 370 m long and 102.5 m wide and has bays for four A380 aircraft. A five-storey section houses offices, workshops and various other rooms. The clearance height of the hall is 27 m. The raised roofing above the vertical tail units in the centre of each of the assembly bays is over 31 m high. The complete process for equipping the cabin of an A380 takes 20 days and production of 48 aircraft per year is planned. Delivery of the fully equipped and painted A380 aircraft to the customers will then take place in Hamburg and Toulouse.
 
As Gerhard Puttfarcken, Chairman of the Airbus Deutschland GmbH Executive Management Board, pointed out: "The employees have to meet the demands of an extremely high-tech workplace in the equipment hall. Being a centre of competence for equipping cabin interiors, we have many years' experience and acknowledged know-how in this area, which will also be of benefit to us for the A380. We can be rightly proud of our important role in this aircraft of the future." The installation of the entire cabin fittings includes the cabin panelling and seats as well as the entertainment and communications systems and all the associated electronics systems. The cabin concept is highly innovative and provides maximum comfort combined with cutting-edge technology. The passengers rate an aircraft first and foremost by its interior fittings. As a result, this is an important element of A380 final assembly work.
 
The equipment hall is the third large-scale construction project currently underway on the 140 hectare extension of the Mühlenberger Loch site. Operations are due to begin in early 2005. The construction of the Major Component Assembly (MCA) hall next to the equipment hall began in December 2001. The hall was officially opened on 21 May. The foundation stone for the first A380 paintshop was laid on 28 March 2003. The first A380 vertical tail unit will be painted here at the end of this year.
 
The roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessel "Ville de Bordeaux" was specially built for transporting the large A380 components. Using the ro-ro method, large components are transferred directly in and out of the ships on special transport vehicles. The ship is 154 metres long and 24 metres wide and its cargo door measures 22 by 14 metres. The "Ville de Bordeaux" was launched in late February this year at the Jinling shipyards in Nanjing, China. The special transport ship will now be loaded for the first time at Airbus in Hamburg-Finkenwerder. The location of the plant directly on the Elbe fulfils the requirements for the necessary ship and sea transport in an ideal manner. Gerhard Puttfarcken: "Transportation of the components by water is now becoming plain sailing for us. For the first time at our plant, the large fuselage sections are today being loaded onto the new, specially built ship "Ville de Bordeaux", following a journey to the Cadiz site at the end of May, where the ship collected a horizontal tail unit from our Spanish colleagues."
 
The Hamburg plant is delivering three fuselage sections for the construction of the A380, which all have to be transported by water due to their large dimensions. The forward section behind the cockpit and the upper half of the fuselage shell above the wings will be transported together to St. Nazaire and used in further production sequences there. The 23.79 metre long rear fuselage section will be taken via Mostyn in Britain – where the wings will also be onloaded – to Pauillac near Bordeaux and transferred to a barge. The components will then be transported approximately 40 kilometres along the Garonne to Langon and subsequently a low loader will be used to take them the final 240 kilometres by road to Toulouse. The "Ville de Bordeaux" will take six days to reach Pauillac, whilst the total transport time is 11 days.
 
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.
]]>Thu, 10 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100a380Airbus to offer new projects worth $ US 100 million to China http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_Jun_04_Airbus_to_offer_New_Projects.htmlAirbus has reached an agreement with China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I) on subcontracting projects worth  $ U.S. 100 million to Chinese manufacturers. A signing ceremony was held today in Paris, attended by visiting Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan and French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.
 
The upper and lateral panels of the A380 Nose Landing Gear Bay will be subcontracted to AVIC I. The project will be carried out via Airbus first-tier supplier Latecoere, a French company.  This has been the first time for Airbus to involve China in producing A380 components.
 
Airbus will allocate A330/A340 forward cargo door projects, via Eurocopter, a first-tier supplier of Airbus, to Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, which is affiliated with AVIC I.  
 
“We appreciate Airbus’ efforts to carry out effective cooperation of mutual benefits with Chinese manufacturers,” AVIC I Senior Vice President Gu Huizhong said. “We hope that our cooperation could be further consolidated and expanded. We are particularly pleased to see that Chinese companies will produce A380 components.”
 
"Airbus is not only selling aircraft in China, but also committed to the long-term development of China's aviation industry," said Airbus President and CEO Noel Forgeard.
 
AVIC I is a large state-owned enterprise group in China, which has involved itself in the R&D, manufacturing, sales and after-sales services of aircraft, aero-engines, airborne equipment, as well as non-aero products. Fifteen affiliated companies of AVIC I have manufactured aircraft and aero engine parts and components for many world-renowned foreign companies including Airbus.
 
Five Chinese companies have got involved in producing parts for Airbus aircraft, namely Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, Xi’an Aircraft Company and Hong Yuan Aviation Forging & Casting (HYFC) and Guizhou Aviation Industrial Group. 
 
Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.
]]>Fri, 11 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100CASGC signs agreement with Airbus on purchasing 20 A330-300s http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/11_june_04_CASGC.htmlThe China Aviation Supplies Imp. & Exp.  Group Corporation (CASGC) and Airbus signed an agreement for the purchase of 20 A330-300 aircraft.  The aircraft are scheduled for delivery from the first quarter of 2006. Selection of the engines for the aircraft has yet to be decided.
 
The agreement was signed in a ceremony attended by Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan and French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.
 
“CASGC has enjoyed a very good cooperative relationship with Airbus for many years. With joint efforts, we hope that Airbus could provide more modern and economic aviation products to Chinese airlines, while CASGC could offer high quality and value-added services to Chinese airlines, “ CASGC President Li Hai said.
 
“We are delighted that China is giving us a new vote of confidence to our products,” said Airbus President and CEO Noel Forgeard. “This agreement marks a new milestone in the long standing cooperation of our two sides.”
 
The twin-engine A330 combines some of the lowest operating costs of any aircraft ever designed with maximum flexibility for a wide range of route structures. The A330-300, which first entered service in early 1994, typically seats 335 passengers in two classes or 295 passengers in three classes and can fly up to 5,600 nm/10,400 km.
 
The A330s will give airlines the full benefit of Airbus’ unique operational commonality, which will enable airlines to operate the A330s and A340s using the same pool of pilots, cabin crews and maintenance engineers. This gives airlines more crew and fleet planning flexibility and will result in significant cost savings in training, combined with unmatched passenger comfort.
 
CASGC‘s selection of the A330 further reinforces the remarkable success of Airbus’ A330/A340 Family as the preferred medium to ultra long-range aircraft among airlines worldwide. The A330/A340 Family has booked some 820 orders from more than 60 customers to date.
 
Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Airbus has delivered more than 3,500 aircraft to 210 customers and operators world-wide, and boasts a healthy deliver backlog of some 1,400 aircraft, which, at current rates, represents some five years of production. With an annual turnover of €19.2 billion in 2003, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Fri, 11 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100a330a340,chinaVirgin America orders A320 familyhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/15_Jun_04_Virgin_america_orders_A320.htmlVirgin America has announced a firm order for 18 Airbus aircraft, including 11 A319s and seven A320s. In addition, Virgin America will lease 15 A320 Family aircraft from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). All 33 aircraft will be used to launch and sustain service of Virgin America, a US-based, low-fare airline. First deliveries are scheduled for early 2005. All the aircraft, purchased and leased, will be powered by engines from CFM International, a GE company based in Ohio.
 
“This is the type of economic boost the U.S economy needs,” said Fred Reid, who is leading the formation of the future carrier. Reid joined Virgin in April from Delta Air Lines where he was President and Chief Operating Officer. “The wider bodies of the A320 Family, their modern design, lighting and climate control features will help us deliver that unique Virgin flair and outstanding customer experience travellers have come to expect from the Virgin brand.”
 
“The A320 Family has become the preferred choice of the new low-cost carriers,” said Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. “Offering our products’ comfort, economy and technology is a great way to attract passengers to a new airline.”
 
Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats with the latest state-of-the art technologies on the market. Airbus has delivered more than 3,500 aircraft to some 260 customers and operators world-wide, and boasts a healthy delivery backlog of some 1,400 aircraft, which, at current rates, represents close to five years of production. With an annual turnover of €19.2 billion in 2003, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems. 
]]>Tue, 15 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100Jetblue orders 30 A320shttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/17_june_04_Jetblue.htmlNew York-based low-fare carrier JetBlue Airways has ordered 30 new Airbus A320s. Like the rest of the airline’s extensive A320 fleet, they will be powered by International Aero Engines V2500s. Deliveries of the newly contracted aircraft will begin in 2006 and run through 2011. To date, JetBlue orders for Airbus aircraft total 173.
 
“As the sixth largest A320 operator in the world as measured by weekly departures, we’re very excited to add an additional 30 Airbus aircraft to our fleet,” said David Neeleman, CEO of JetBlue Airways. “We continue to see a strong demand for more flights from our loyal customer base. Today’s announcement of 30 more IAE-powered A320s will help us meet that demand by providing the JetBlue experience to even more customers around the country.”
 
"This agreement will make JetBlue our fourth largest airline customer in the world, in terms of numbers of aircraft ordered," said Noel Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. "The fact that a low-fare carrier holds this stature speaks volumes of the value of the A320 Family in the low-cost sector. JetBlue continues to be a leader in the recovery and strengthening of the U.S. market, and we are proud to be a partner in their success."
 
Each new Airbus order means new business for American companies. Airbus spends some 40 percent of its procurement budget with hundreds of suppliers in more than 40 U.S. states. In 2003 alone, Airbus spent more than $5 billion in U.S. contracts. Using U.S. Department of Commerce figures, that dollar amount translates into Airbus support of more than 100,000 American jobs.
 
JetBlue currently flies a fleet of 60 A320 aircraft, including 50 purchased from Airbus, plus an additional 10 leased aircraft. Taking into account today’s announcement, the airline’s outstanding A320 firm order backlog stands at 123 aircraft, to be delivered at a rate of up to 17 aircraft per year through 2012.  All JetBlue A320s offer passengers single-class accommodations of 156 all-leather seats, each equipped with 24 channels of DIRECTVâ programming.
 
JetBlue, as “New Air”, placed its very first aircraft order, for Airbus A320s, in 1999. In the five years since, JetBlue has brought its total firm order for A320s to 173 - only airline customers Lufthansa (196), United (195) and Northwest (194) have ordered more Airbus aircraft.
 
Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats with the latest state-of-the-art technologies on the market. Airbus has delivered more than 3,500 aircraft to some 260 customers and operators world-wide, and boasts a healthy delivery backlog of some 1,400 aircraft, which, at current rates, represents close to five years of production. With an annual turnover of €19.2 billion in 2003, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Thu, 17 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100a320,worldwide_genAirbus rejects allegations on aeroflot contracthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/17_Jun_04_Airbus_Rejects.htmlFollowing some libellous articles published in certain newspapers seeking to undermine the reputation and the image of the company and of its staff, Airbus wishes to clearly state and emphasise that the sales contract for 18 Airbus aircraft to the Russian airline Aeroflot was concluded in due form, and in compliance with all commercial and legal rules. Airbus sells its products world-wide on their merits in a correct and professional way.
 
Airbus is nonetheless confronted with what appears to be a campaign of anonymous and libellous denunciations, coupled with attempts at manipulating the media. There is no doubt that these are intended to harm the reputation of Airbus’ commercial teams and of its directors. Faced with these very disturbing manoeuvres, Airbus’ only resort is to consider, with its lawyers, the most appropriate legal means the company can use in order to put an end to them and to identify their originators.
 
Philippe Delmas, for his part, is lodging a complaint for false accusation.
]]>Thu, 17 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100Airbus Espana delivers the first section 19.1 tail cone of the A380 rear fuselage http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/18_Jun_04_Airbus_Espana.htmlYesterday, Thursday 17th June, has seen a ceremony at the Airbus plant in Getafe (Madrid) to mark the official delivery of Section 19.1 tail cone of the rear fuselage of the world’s largest and technologically most advanced airliner, the A380.  The ceremony was attended by the major of Getafe, Pedro Castro, as well as the General Secretary of Industry of Spain, Joan Trullén, and different representatives of the national, regional and local administrations, as well as by Airbus employees and envoys from the different media.
 
Section 19.1 of the rear fuselage of the A380, which houses the aircraft’s Airborne Power Unit (APU), measures 6 metres in length and 3 metres in diameter.  This element has been designed and constructed mainly in carbon fibre using the most advanced technologies, a sector in which Airbus España is the world leader.
 
This component was designed at the Engineering facilities in Villaverde (Madrid), manufactured at the composites centre of excellence in Illescas (Toledo) and assembled at the Getafe plant (Madrid).
 
Companies from various autonomous communities of Spain have participated in the manufacturing of the part, such as ITD, which undertook the design and manufacturing of systems; SK10, which was in charge of manufacturing metal parts; COMPOSYSTEM, responsible for the manufacturing of elementary parts in carbon fibre; and SMA, which designed and manufactured the tooling.
 
Airbus is a joint EADS and BAE System company.
]]>Fri, 18 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100EUROFLY orders Airbus A319 long range aircrafthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/22_june_04_Eurofly_orders.htmlItalian leading charter carrier Eurofly has signed a contract for one A319 Long Range aircraft and plans to acquire a second, becoming a new customer for the Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) family.
 
Milan-based Eurofly is already an Airbus operator, flying five A320s and two A330-200s on services within Europe and to destinations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
 
Delivery of Eurofly’s two A319 Long Range aircraft is planned for spring 2005, with each aircraft being equipped by Airbus with four-abreast seating for 48 passengers. The aircraft will fly scheduled all-premium class services, such as from Milan and Rome to New York, offering business travellers a new style of travel. They will also be available for executive charter flights to other destinations.
 
Each of Eurofly’s Airbus A319 Long Range aircraft is powered by two 27,000 lb thrust CFM International CFM56-5B7 engines.
 
“The front of an airliner cabin is sold on the basis of the product that it offers – with the emphasis on seating, service and schedule – and if we can offer premium-class passengers something better, then they will prefer to fly with us,’’ says Eurofly Chief Executive Officer Captain Augusto Angioletti. ‘’And with the widest and most spacious cabin of any bizjet, the Airbus ACJ family is ideal for providing exactly that.”
 
Eurofly has provided charter services with Airbus aircraft since its inception in 1989.
 
“All-premium class transatlantic flights – as a complement to scheduled services - are increasingly popular with business travellers, and the Airbus ACJ family is proving increasingly successful in this field,” says Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard. “With public transport certification to carry 40-50 passengers in comfort and style, the Airbus ACJ family is what the market wants.”
 
Airbus’ ACJ family features unmatched cabin width, comfort and spaciousness, unmatched payload/range flexibility, and an unmatched modern design - all for about the same price as its competitors. It is the only business jet certificated for the public transport of over 30 fare-paying passengers, the only one with fly-by-wire, Category 3B autoland and fuel-saving wingtip fences as standard, and is backed by an unparalleled worldwide network of spares, training and support centres.
 
Directly derived from the best-selling Airbus A320 product line, the Airbus ACJ family has won more than 30 sales from the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, with more than 20 of them in service worldwide.
 
Airbus designs, builds and supports the world’s most modern airliners. It consistently leads in sales of large airliners – 100 seats and above - and has firm orders for almost 5,000 airliners and some 260 customers and operators worldwide.
 
Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Tue, 22 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100a320,worldwide_genEgyptAir takes delvery of first Airbus A330shttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/22_june_04_Egyptair.htmlEgyptair has taken delivery of the first of seven Airbus A330-200s on order, becoming a new operator of the type. It will use the aircraft on routes to Europe and within the Middle East.
 Each aircraft seats 24 passengers in business class and 244 in economy, and is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700s.
 
 “The Airbus A330-200 is by far the top of the aircraft pyramid in the 250 seat class, with a passenger-pleasing cabin, attractive economics, and cost-saving modern technology,” says Egyptair Holding Company Chairman General Atef Abdel Hamid Mostafa. “Egyptair will also benefit from the cockpit commonality that the A330 shares with the A320s, A321s and A340s already in its fleet, helping it to be more efficient.”
 
 The A330-200 offers optimum cabin comfort in its class, reflecting the commitment to this that is found in all Airbus aircraft. And like all the passenger aircraft that Airbus produces today, it features many modern technology features at no extra charge – such as advanced fuel-saving aerodynamics, including winglets, widespread weight-saving carbonfibre composites, and pilot and maintenance-friendly fly-by-wire controls and centralised maintenance.
 
 “In adding the Airbus A330-200 to its fleet, Egyptair joins an increasingly large and successful group of carriers that are flying this modern aircraft, as well as building on the 25 years of partnership that exists between our companies,” says Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.
 
 Egyptair was Airbus’ first customer in the Arab world, and remains one of its largest customers in the Middle East.
 
 The A330-200 is renowned for being the most efficient aircraft in its class, combining the lowest operating costs with highly efficient cargo capabilities that enhance airline profitability through freight operations.
 
 The A330/A340 family is the preferred airline choice in medium to long-range aircraft, with more than 800 orders from over 60 customers to its credit. It is the acknowledged leader of its class in both orders and customers.
 
 Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats with the latest state-of-the-art technologies on the market. Airbus has delivered more than 3,500 aircraft to some 260 customers and operators world-wide, and boasts a healthy delivery backlog of some 1,400 aircraft, which, at current rates, represents close to five years of production. With an annual turnover of €19.2 billion in 2003, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
 
]]>Tue, 22 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100a330a340,worldwide_genSingapore Airlines A340-500 beats its own non stop flight distance recordhttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/29_jun_04_Singapore_Airlines.html Singapore Airlines has flown into the commercial flight distance record books for the second time this year, with an A340-500 successfully inaugurating the carrier’s latest non-stop round trip commercial air service between Singapore and New York (Newark). The A340-500 departed at 12.25 Singapore local time on 28 th June and completed the 16,600 km / 9,000 nm sector to New York in 18 hours 18 minutes. The airline beat its own previous record distance for a non-stop round trip commercial service, when it introduced the A340-500 on the service between Singapore and Los Angeles on 3 rd February 2004. On that occasion, the A340-500 completed the 14,093 km / 7,609 nm sector to Los Angeles in 14 hours 42 minutes.
 
Singapore Airlines’ fleet of five A340-500s are all configured with 64 enhanced Raffles Business Class and 117 Executive Economy Class seats. The cabins for both classes feature special areas and amenities for passengers to stretch their legs, socialise and relax on ultra long haul services.
 
With four Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines for the best economy on ultra long haul flights, the A340-500 enjoys unmatched operational flexibility on non-stop flights over remote areas – such as oceans, mountain ranges and polar regions.
 
“I am delighted to congratulate Singapore Airlines on successfully completing its latest A340-500 record breaking non stop flight between South East Asia and North America. Airbus is very proud to be to be sharing in Singapore Airlines’ aim of making the world a smaller place” said Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noel Forgeard.
 
The Airbus A330/A340 family is the market leader in its class, with almost 850 orders from 64 customers worldwide. It is the aircraft family that passengers prefer to travel on for long haul flights, consistently emerging top in independent passenger surveys.
 
Singapore Airlines placed its original A340-500 order for five firm and five option aircraft in1999. The airline is also a launch customer for the A380 Double Decker with 10 firm orders and 15 options. Singapore Airlines will be the first airline to put the A380 into service in spring 2006.
 
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Tue, 29 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100a330a340,worldwide_genVietnam Airlines takes delivery of first ordered Airbus A321http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/6_Jul_04_Vietnam_Airlines.htmlVietnam Airlines took delivery of the first of five A321s at ceremony involving the airline’s President Mr Nguyen Xuan Hien in Hamburg today. The airline has been operating A320 family aircraft since 1993, but the A321 delivered today is the first aircraft directly ordered by the airline in a contract signed in October 2002. Vietnam Airlines currently operates a leased fleet of ten A320s and three A321s.
 
“The A321 will enable Vietnam Airlines to continue to expand its network and to address the needs of a rapidly growing Vietnamese market,” said Vietnam Airlines’ President Nguyen Xuan Hien. "We are confident that, with the additional aircraft, the Airbus Single Aisle Family will continue to play an important role in our fleet, and we look forward to a robust partnership between our two companies in the future. Furthermore, we are particularly proud to have contributed to the development of economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Europe."
 
“The new Airbus aircraft will offer Vietnam Airlines the ability to further maximise profit potential while offering passengers the highest standards of in-flight comfort available today,” said Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard.
 
Widely accepted as the industry standard, the best–selling Airbus A320 Family comprises the 107-seat A318, 124-seat A319, 150-seat A320 and 185-seat A321. All of them share the same airframe – only the fuselage lengths are different – and the same cockpits, systems and engines, delivering unmatched operational commonality and savings to airlines.
 
Vietnam Airlines' selection of the A320 Family further reinforces the success of the aircraft as the preferred choice of airlines worldwide in the short to medium range segment, with over 3,100 total orders from more than 120 customers. The A320 Family has been especially successful in the Asia-Pacific, where it is in service with more than 20 airlines.
 
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems
]]>Tue, 06 Jul 2004 00:00:00 +0100Airbus at Farnborough 2004http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/08_july_04_Farnborough.htmlAirbus comes to Farnborough International Air Show (19-25 July) after a solid performance in 2003 when it also became Number 1 in terms of deliveries, a performance it continued in the first half of 2004 with its advanced product range. Simultaneously, the A380 programme continues to meet all its milestones.
 
Airbus aircraft will participate both in the flying and the static display. As part of the flying display, Airbus will have its smallest and its largest aircraft currently in service: the A318 and the A340-600. Also, an Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) and its test A340-300, fitted with one Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine instead of the conventional CFM International CFM 56 engine, will be on static display. The Trent 900 engine is one of two engine options on the A380 and is currently undergoing flight test on the A340-300.
 
Airbus will be present with a Hospitality Chalet (Row D 5-9) and a dedicated Press Suite with its own separate entrance. The Airbus Stand in Hall 4 (stand number A14) will feature all Airbus products as well as a number of displays covering many subjects including Manufacturing and Environment. Also, Airbus Military will be present with 1:20 scale models both of an A330 FSTA and an A400M.
 
On Monday, 19th July, Airbus will hold a press conference at 11.00 h in the “Radlett Suite” room in the exhibition’s press centre. Further media briefings, particularly on Airbus’ leadership in technology, will be held both on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Airbus Chalet (see notes for timings).
 
A special daily edition of Airbus’ on-line magazine, “Live from Farnborough”, will provide live coverage of events at the show, live video, a guided tour of the stand, a virtual guest book as well as all the news and background information throughout the show. It will also feature an exhibition of photographs taken at Airbus sites around the world. This special magazine will be accessible directly from the Airbus corporate website, www.airbus.com.
]]>Thu, 08 Jul 2004 00:00:00 +0100ukAirbus publishes second edition of EHS reporthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/16_Jul_04_Airbus_Publishes.htmlFollowing the first edition published in July 2002, Airbus is now publishing the second edition of its report on Environment, Health and Safety (EHS). The report, entitled “The Airbus Way – Environment”, is available on-line on the Airbus website www.airbus.com, and also as printed hardcopy in time for distribution during the upcoming airshow at Farnborough (UK) in mid-July.
 
The document is covering main aspects of environment, health and safety relevant to Airbus activities, both in terms of product and site performance. The report is underlining the Airbus commitment to its stakeholders, ranging from employees and shareholders to customers, passengers and authorities as well as suppliers and other members of society.
 
The latest Airbus EHS Report features in particular the sharing of views between Giovanni Bisignani, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of IATA, and Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer, describing their vision for sustainable aviation.
 
While Airbus already operates on a high level of EHS standards, it will nevertheless continue working to further improve its performance. For example, in 2003 the first phase of an Environmental Management System according to ISO 14001 standard was launched, and global company certification is expected by 2006. By meeting ISO 14001 standards, Airbus guarantees that it has a continuous improvement process in place with regard to environmental matters, such as waste management, energy consumption, material treatment as well as emissions.
 
“Society’s demand for air transport is growing, and this must be reconciled with responsible activity that minimises the environmental impact of this growth”, Noël Forgeard said when stressing the importance of the Airbus EHS report.
 
Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market. They range in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats and incorporate the latest state-of-the-art technologies. Airbus has delivered more than 3,500 aircraft to some 260 customers and operators worldwide, and boasts a healthy delivery backlog of some 1,400 aircraft, which, at current rates, represents close to five years of production. With an annual turnover of €19.2 billion in 2003, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
]]>Thu, 15 Jul 2004 00:00:00 +0100ETIHAD selects Airbus A380 and A330/A340 family aircrafthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/20_july_04_Etihad_selects.htmlEtihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has selected Airbus’ widebody long-range aircraft and the new generation double-deck Airbus A380 for its future growth. The Abu Dhabi based full-service airline has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to purchase 24 Airbus aircraft, including four of the highly advanced double-decked A380s, four ultra-long range A340-500s, four A340-600s and twelve A330-200s, the most efficient widebody twin.
 
Deliveries to Etihad are to begin in 2006 for the A330-200s and A340-500s, and in 2007 for the A340-600s and A380s. The A340-500s and –600s will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 500s – the A330 and A380 engines have yet to be selected.
 
Etihad will use the aircraft to further develop its route network within the Middle East and to Europe, Asia, India and to North America.  Etihad currently operates a fleet of six aircraft, including four of the market leading A330-200s and an Airbus A340-300.
 
Dr Ahmed Bin Saif al Nahyan, chairman of Etihad Airways said, “Today is a truly significant day in Etihad’s young existence. I cannot recall a time in airline history when a start-up operation, barely eight months old, has had the confidence, resources and ambition to place orders for 24 new widebodied and very large aircraft. If you think the last eight months have been busy for us – this is nothing compared to what the coming months and years have in store.”
 
“We have, for over a year now, been in intensive discussions about our future craft needs with both Boeing and Airbus in which we considered a whole range of aircraft types, “ the chairman continued.  “In all these discussions, we have had one goal – a fleet strategy which matches our own objectives of providing high quality air services to, from and through Abu Dhabi – the capital of the United Arab Emirates.  We believe that the Airbus range of aircraft offers us the best option for both guest satisfaction and the future growth of the airline.”
 
“Etihad’s commitment gives me a great sense of pride. In less than one year, Etihad has attained an enviable reputation as one of the most respected airlines in the region. With our modern and very efficient aircraft we are proud to become Etihad’s partner for its rapidly expanding network,” said Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer.
 
The Airbus A380 is the only modern aircraft design in the valuable 400-plus seat market, in which it has already established strong market leadership. Passengers will enjoy an outstanding level of comfort with more space in every seat, while airlines benefit from significant lower operating and maintenance costs.
 
Airbus A330/A340 aircraft form the most flexible and efficient long-range wide-body- family available on the market. They are equipped and manufactured with state-of-the-art technology, both in terms of materials and systems. With the A330/A340 and A380 sharing the same basic cockpit, Etihad is in addition well placed to benefit from savings in training for pilots, maintenance engineers and cabin crew.
 
Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market. Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan. It is headquartered in Toulouse, France. Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
 ]]>Tue, 20 Jul 2004 00:00:00 +0100a330a340,worldwide_genTurkish national carrier chooses Airbus for fleet increase http://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/21_Jul_04_Turkish_National_Carrier.htmlAirbus confirms that the Turkish national carrier Turkish Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the purchase of 36 Airbus single aisle and wide body aircraft, further strengthening Airbus’ presence in Central Eastern Europe. The purchase agreement is expected to be signed shortly.
 
This agreement renews the partnership between Turkish Airlines and Airbus that began in 1984, when the A310 became the first Airbus aircraft to be operated by the Istanbul-based airline. Now, 20 years on, following the introduction of the A340-300 in its fleet in 1993, Turkish Airlines has opted to use the modern and efficient Airbus family products, by acquiring 19 A320’s, 12 A321’s and five A330-200’s. The new aircraft will support Turkish Airlines’ aggressive growth strategy.
 
With deliveries scheduled as from end 2005, the airline, which operates domestic and international flights via Istanbul, plans to use the aircraft on both domestic, medium and long haul routes internationally. Turkish Airlines will select the engines type to equip the different aircraft at a later stage.
 
On the occasion of this announcement, the Chairman of Turkish Airlines, Dr. Candan KARLITEKİN said that “having analysed the tender proposals thoroughly, we have come to the conclusion that by acquiring the Airbus aircraft, Turkish Airlines will position itself optimally, both in terms of passenger appeal and cargo potential, but also cost-wise. The economic benefits brought about by the technological level and design features of these aircraft are unique and very compelling indeed.”
 
“We are delighted to be strengthening our relationship with Turkish Airlines and supporting it in its growth strategy” said Noel Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. “The advantages of using a mixed Airbus fleet are enormous and we are sure that Turkish Airlines crew and passengers will benefit from these.  This agreement confirms the growing popularity of the A320 family in the Central and Eastern European region and the success of the A330-200, which has become the reference for medium-long haul routes and point-to-point destinations for both the traditional carriers and the charter market.
 
Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats with the latest state-of-the art technologies on the market. Airbus has delivered more than 3,500 aircraft to 223 customers and operators world-wide, and boasts a healthy deliver backlog of some 1,400 aircraft, which, at current rates, represents close to five years of production. With an annual turnover of €19.2 billion in 2003, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE Systems.
 
Note to the editor:
 
The Airbus A320 family includes the 100 seat A318, the 124-seat A319, the 150-seat A320 and the 185-seat A321. Each of these two-engine aircraft features the widest fuselage of any single-aisle aircraft in the world. In addition the A320 family features the most economical and environmentally responsible aircraft in their class, offering the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noice footprints in their size category. To date, Airbus has sold 3184 A320 Family aircraft to 122 customers world-wide.
 
Launched in 1995, the A330-200 is the unquestioned leader in its category, with a total of 260 orders from 30 customers, including 210 orders secured while its direct competitor, the 767-400, achieved only 37 orders. The Airbus A330-200 offers 253 seats in a standard 3-class configuration and a range of 6750 nm (12.500 km). It provides more comfort to passengers through its wider cabin and more flexibility in carriage of cargo pallets. The latest version of the A330-200 continues to offer the highest levels of technology in terms of structure, aerodynamics and systems, benefiting from the incorporation of many of the features developed for the A340-500 and –600. Lighter, stronger metal alloys and the expanded use of composites have reduced airframe weight, allowing for better economics and less fuel burn. New systems such as the electronic flight displays in the cockpit improve operability and reduce maintenance costs.
 
In addition to the specific product advantages of each family, the mix of A320 and A330 family aircraft allows Turkish Airlines to fully benefit from the communality advantages Airbus offers on its all fly-by-wire product range, increasing efficiency with the possibility of cross crew qualification and mixed fleet flying and reducing important cost centres such as training and maintenance costs.
]]>Wed, 21 Jul 2004 00:00:00 +0100Airbus acknowledges the excellent performance of its suppliers in customer supporthttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/21_july_04_Performance_of_suppliers.htmlAirbus rewarded its top ten suppliers at the Farnborough airshow during the Airbus Supplier Support Award Ceremony, for their full commitment and continued product quality improvement.
 
Airbus’ top ten suppliers receiving an award for best performance are Airbus Avionics, Diehl Avionik Systeme, AOA-LGG, Vibro-Meter, Goodrich Fuel and Utility Systems, Technofan, Ultra Electronics, Goodrich Aircraft Interior Products, Parker, and Honeywell Aerospace Electronics Systems. Also, a special award for best support improvement in 2003 was given to Hamilton Sundstrand.
 
Airbus’ rating system has been evaluating the support performance of its suppliers in terms of products, services and costs for nearly 15 years now. This ranking has evolved, with new standards being defined to measure our suppliers’ performance and thereby to help our customers to achieve the best performance for their aircraft.
 
"I would like to congratulate our best suppliers who strive to achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction” says Patrick Gavin, Airbus Executive Vice President Customer Services. “We are delighted to see that the support delivered by our suppliers gains in quality, in a continuous momentum. The quality of the support our suppliers provide to our client operators is a key ingredient of customer satisfaction and something we are closely monitoring”.
 
The best suppliers’ results were defined by benchmarking for product reliability, technical assistance, service, repairs performance, spares delivery and customer communications. Maintenance costs and spares prices are also a primary factor for customer satisfaction. Supplier performance is measured by Airbus and its customer airlines. This year, 38 suppliers were rated and over 75 airlines contributed to the assessment, with over 4700 survey questionnaires returned.
 
Airbus analyses the feedback from its customers together with the suppliers' performance reports to evaluate areas for further improvement, thus driving improvement action plans for the suppliers.
 
With regard to the high response Airbus received from its customers, Patrick Gavin continued: "The level of participation we have had from our customers demonstrates their constant involvement in supporting this rating system. Our customers appreciate the positive impact it has on the quality of services they receive and ultimately on safe, reliable and cost-effective operations satisfying passenger expectations. Naturally, they wish to be part of such a beneficial process".
 
Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.
]]>Wed, 21 Jul 2004 00:00:00 +0100KINGFISHER Airlines to launch services with Airbus A320Shttp://stagev4.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/21_july_2004_Kingfisher.htmlKingfisher Airlines, India’s new value-bas