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Commercial

A330 Freighter Flies

the Airbus A330-200f Freighter Successfully Completed Its Maiden Flight From Toulouse on the Morning of November 5, Launching a 180 Hour Flight Test Program. The 3hr 50min Hour Flight Departed From Toulouse-blagnac Airport’s Runway 32 at Just After 10am Local Time. After Evaluation of Test Points, Including an Altitude of 41,000ft and a Speed of 330kt, the P&w4000 Powered Aircraft Returned to Toulouse for a Flyby, Touch-and-go and Final Landing. “the A330-200f is the Right Aircraft at the Right Time,” Airbus Chief Operating Officer – Customers John Leahy Said. “we Are at the Eve of a Market Recovery, and Now is the Time for Airlines to Prepare for Future Freight Growth. ” First Delivery to Launch Operator Etihad Crystal Cargo is in Due in August 2010, Following Easa and Faa Certification in March. Airbus Holds 67 Firm A330f Orders From Nine Customers. Airbus Says the A330f Can Carry More Than 64 Metric Tonnes Over 4000nm or More Than 69 Metric Tonnes Up to 3200nm.

Boeing Selects Charleston for Second 787 Assembly Line

Boeing Announced on October 28 That It Has Chosen Its North Charleston, South Carolina, Facility as the Location for a Second Final Assembly Site for the 787, Which Will Also Have the Capability to Support the Testing and Delivery of the Aircraft. “establishing a Second 787 Assembly Line in Charleston Will Expand Our Production Capability to Meet the Market Demand for This Aircraft,” Said Jim Albaugh, President and Ceo of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, in a Statement. “this Decision Allows Us to Continue Building on the Synergies We Have Established in South Carolina With Boeing Charleston and Global Aeronautica. ” Albaugh Said the Move Would Also Improve Boeing’s Competitiveness. Many Analysts Believe That a Major Motivation Behind Boeing’s Decision Was to Access a Non-unionised Workforce, Particularly After Prolonged Strike Action by the International Association of Machinists (Iam) Last Year Which Halted Production for Seven Weeks and Contributed to Delays in the 787 Development Program. The Iam, Which Had Been Involved in Negotiations With Boeing to Keep a Second 787 Assembly Line in Washington, Expressed Its Disappointment in the Decision, Calling It “an Ill-advised, Billion Dollar Bet on a Strategy That’s a Proven Loser. ” Albaugh Reinforced That the Puget Sound Region Will Remain the Headquarters and Home of a Number of Key Production Sites for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “everett Will Continue to Design and Produce Aircraft, Including the 787, and There is Tremendous Opportunity for Our Current and Future Products Here. We Remain Committed to Puget Sound. ” Until the Second 787 Assembly Line is Brought on Line in North Charleston, Boeing Will Establish Transitional Surge Capability at Its Everett Facilities “to Ensure the Successful Introduction of the 787-9,” the Company Said. “we’re Taking Prudent Steps to Protect the Interests of Our Customers as We Introduce the 787-9 and Ramp Up Overall Production to 10 Twin-aisle 787 Jets Per Month,” Said Albaugh. Boeing Sees Slow Global Recovery Boeing’s Vice President of Marketing Randy Tinseth Told Media in Sydney on October 26 That the Economic Downturn Has “reached Bottom and Recovery Has Begun”, Although Recovery Will Be a “long, Slow Process”. Tinseth Made the Comments While Presenting Boeing’s Current Market Outlook, With a Special Focus on the Oceania Region. He Noted That Australia’s Economy Had Fared Better Than Others, Which Would Have a Positive Effect on Travel in the Region. “economic Conditions Obviously Affect Air Travel in the Region,” Tinseth Said. “oceania Air Travel Growth is Expected to Be Above Five Per Cent, Compared to a World Average Growth of 4. 9 Per Cent. ” Boeing Expects That 670 New Commercial Aircraft Will Be Delivered to Operators in the Region Up to 2028, With 67 Per Cent of Commercial Airliners to Accommodate Growth and the Remaining 33 Per Cent for Fleet Replacement. Of Those, 63 Per Cent Are Expected to Be Narrowbodies, 30 Per Cent Twin Aisle, Six Per Cent Large Aircraft and One Per Cent Regional Jets. Australasia Demand Resilient – Airbus Airbus Says the Resilience of Passenger Traffic Will Require Carriers in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands to Acquire 631 New Aircraft Valued at Us$87bn (a$96bn) Between Now and 2028. According to Its Global Market Forecast, Airbus Predicts That Revenue Passenger Kilometres Will Grow by Five Per Cent Over the Next 20 Years, Higher Than the 4. 7 Per Cent Predicted Globally. A Large Part of the Growth Will Come From New Air Links Are Forged With Countries in the Asia-pacific Region Such as the Powerhouse Economies of India and China as Such, 360 Aircraft Will Be Required to Accommodate This Growth, While 271 Will Replace Existing Aircraft. By Segment, Airbus Sees Demand for 399 Single-airline Aircraft, 172 Twin Aisle Widebodies and 60 Very Large Aircraft. The Forecast is Broadly in Line With Boeing’s Current Market Outlook, Which Predicts That the Region Will Require 670 New Aircraft, of Which 63 Per Cent Are Expected to Be Narrowbodies, 30 Per Cent Twin Aisle, Six Per Cent Large Aircraft and One Per Cent Regional Jets.