Newsdesk – Commercial Aviation

Ba To Go Airbus?:

Overseas reports and rumours have recently beensuggesting that British Airways is planning to relinquish its very large fleet of smaller Boeing airliners and then replace it with various Airbus models. BA has long been one of Boeing’s best customers and has so far ignored Airbus with the exception of 10 A320s it inherited from its takeover of British Caledonian. This apparent move towards Airbus is seen by many observers as a signal to Boeing that when the time comes to buy new aircraft, an attractive deal is expected. It is known that BA is not that impressed with some aspects of the 777 and 737X family of small twinjets. BA’s current Boeing fleet comprises nearly 60 747s of various models, 44 757s, 74 737s and 21 767s.

Truncated Trunkliner:

China’s ‘Trunkliner’ programme (the localproduction of McDonnell Douglasbuilt MD-80s and 90s) has been cut, with only half the number of aircraft planned to be built at Shanghai now going ahead. A new agreement between Shanghai Aviation Industrial (SAIC) and MDC will see plans to build 20 MD-82s dropped and limit future production to just 20 MD-90s. The original Trunkliner programme was intended to see 150 aircraft built in China, with production following on from the kit assembly of 35 MD-80s, the last of which was rolled out last month. The 20 MD-82s will be built in the USA (and delivered to China) instead, while the first Chinesebuilt MD-90 will not be delivered until 1997. This leaves a large gap in SAIC’s plans, although manufacture of some MD-80/90 components for MDC will continue. The move is the result of China’s need to save money and improve efficiency with concentrating solely on the MD-90 seen as being more cost effective.

In Active Fl Eet Slightlydown:

The number of inactive jetairliners stored at desert ‘graveyards’in the USA has reduced slightly fromthe all time high of 1103 recorded inJanuary this year. The number had reduced to 1060 by the end of June, comprising 20 different models. Older Stage 1 and 2 aircraft make up about two thirds of the total and it is unlikely many of these will be returned to service, although some younger Boeing 727s and 737s may be candidates for re-engining or hushkitting. Of the 341 Stage 3 airliners in storage, four types make up just over half the total – the BAe 146, Airbus A310, Lockheed Ll0ll and MDC DC-10. The number of inactive 146s is listed as 55, although BAe claims the number is only 19.

Delta Withdrawsairbuses:

Delta Airlines is to withdraw itsfleet of 13 Airbus A310sfrom service and terminate four trans Atlantic services by September. The move comes as part of a fleet rationalisation plan and will save $US100m per year in leasing and support costs. Twelve of Delta’s A310s were acquired when Delta took over PanAm’s Atlantic routes in late 1991, while the 13th aircraft was purchased from Airbus as part of an order for eight A310s which was later cancelled. Ten of the A310s are leased and these will be returned to the lessor while the other three will be sold. The cut in trans Atlantic routes (Cincinnati/Munich, Miami/London, New York/Oslo and New York/Stock holm) are partly responsible for the decision to dispose of the A310s. Delta has also announced the first 2500 of the 12,000 to 15,000 job cuts it is planning to introduce by mid 1997. The airline’s maintenance will also be streamlined, reducing employment in that area by 22% and saving between $US175m and $US280m a year.