News Desk

Commercial

787 Achieves Initial Airworthiness

the 787 Completed Initial Airworthiness Testing in Mid January, One Month After the Aircraft Made Its First Flight on December 15 Last Year. The Initial Airworthiness Milestone Allows the Expansion of the Flight Test Program, Allowing More Crew Members to Be Carried on Flights and More Aircraft to Join the Flight Test Program. “this is an Important Step Forward,” Said Scott Fancher, Vp and General Manager of the 787 Program, in a January 15 Statement. “we Are Very Pleased With the Results We Have Achieved So Far. The Airplane Has Been Performing as We Expected.” the Two Flying 787s (Za001 and Za002) Had Been Involved in a Number of Test Flights, Which Have Taken the Aircraft to an Altitude of 30,000ft and a Speed of Mach 0.65, and Seen Initial Stall Tests, Other Dynamic Manoeuvres, and an Extensive Checkout of the Aircraft’s Systems Completed. “the Pilots Have Told Me the Results We Are Seeing in Flight Match Their Expectations and the Simulations We’ve Run,” Said Fancher. As at the End of January, 787 Za004 Was Due to Fly in Early February, Followed Soon After by Za003 (Which Has Been Fitted With a Partial Passenger Interior), and the Genx Powered Za005 and Za006 in March and April Respectively. Meanwhile, Boeing is Reassessing the Future of the Short Range 787-3 After Remaining Customer All Nippon Airlines Converted Its Order for 38 to the -8 Model. Japan Air Lines, Which Was the Only Other Customer for the 787-3, Cancelled Its Orders for the Model in 2009.

Record Airbus Deliveries in 2009, but A400m and A380 Still Tough

Airbus Delivered a Record 498 Aircraft in 2009, the European Manufacturer Announced on January 13, and Recorded Net Orders for 271 New Airliners, but Continues to Face Challenges With Its A380 and A400m Programs. During 2009 Airbus Delivered 402 A320 Family Aircraft, 86 A330/a340s and 10 A380s, Totalling 15 More Aircraft Than Delivered in 2008, an Impressive Result Given Recession in Much of the World Last Year. In Addition, Airbus Military (Formerly Eads Casa) Delivered 16 Light and Medium Military Transports. Although Customers Cancelled 39 Aircraft Orders in 2009, Airbus Still Booked New Orders for 310 Aircraft for the Year, Comprising 228 A320 Family Aircraft, 50 A330s (Including Four A330fs), One A340-500, 27 A350s and Four A380s. That Met Airbus’s Target of 300 Orders for the Year, and Exceeded Boeing’s 263 Gross and 142 Net Orders for 2009. “considering the Economic and Financial Environment We Have Done Rather Well in 2009,” Said Tom Enders, Airbus President and Ceo. “great Teamwork and Flexibility at Airbus and a Close Cooperation With Customers, Suppliers and Finance Institutions Were Key to Success. We Plan to Keep Production at 2008/2009 Levels, but We Need to Remain Prudent and Flexible. We Are Not Out of the Woods Yet.” Looking Forward, Airbus Expects to Record 250 to 300 New Orders in 2010, and Does Not Expect Orders to Begin Climbing Until 2012. “we Probably Agree With Boeing That 2012 is the Turnaround When It Starts Ramping Up Again,” Said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer – Customers. “we Aim to Keep Deliveries Flat. We Believe We Can Do It.” at the End of 2010 Airbus Says Its Order Backlog Stood at 3488 Aircraft, Valued at Us$437.1bn (a$472.1bn), Equivalent to Six Years of Full Production. As Well as the Flat Order Outlook, Another Challenge for Airbus is the A380 Program. It Delivered Just 10 N 2009, Down From 12 Delivered in 2008, Due to Ongoing Production Bottlenecks. “the A380 Will Remain a Financial Liability for Some Years to Come,” Enders Said. Airbus Plans to Deliver at Least 20 A380s in 2010. An Even Bigger Liability is the A400m Military Airlifter. Cost Overruns for the Fixed Price Development Contract Run Into the Billions of Euros. “we Cannot Continue Without a Significant Financial Contribution From Our Customers,” Enders Said. “if We Don’t Press for That It Will Jeopardise the Whole of Airbus. The A400m as It is Set Up Today Will Put the Whole of Airbus in Jeopardy and I Will Not Go Down That Road.”