Paul Bannwarth
sexta-feira, 7 de fevereiro de 2020
quarta-feira, 5 de fevereiro de 2020
sexta-feira, 31 de janeiro de 2020
Airbus’ A380 will continue pleasing passengers on a global scale
The A380, which takes off or lands somewhere in the world every two minutes, will retain its status as a passenger-pleasing aircraft in the years to come thanks to Airbus’ top-level support for the double-deck airliner and its continued use by operators around the globe.
More than 300 million passengers have flown on A380s since the aircraft’s service entry in 2007, with 330-plus flights performed each day by the global fleet – providing ample opportunity for travellers to enjoy the most spacious cabin in the sky. The A380 currently is operated on 150 routes, while 400 airports worldwide are A380-compatible.
Over 240 A380s have been delivered to date. Among the latest operators is All Nippon Airways (ANA), with the Japanese carrier gearing up to receive its third A380 from Airbus, optimising flight services on the highly popular route connecting Tokyo’s Narita International Airport and Honolulu in the U.S. Hawaiian Islands.
With the quietest cabin in the sky and room for highly comfortable seating in all classes of service, A380 passengers can enjoy every aspect of the flight and arrive at their destination feeling inspired and ready to go. Its double-deck interior enables operators to increase profit and maximise revenues.
Airbus is fully engaged in cabin refurbishing with several of its A380 customers – looking to introduce even greater levels of passenger comfort. The investments by these customers, which include Qantas and Singapore Airlines, herald many years of continued operations for the A380.
With the arrival of its third A380, ANA will be able to offer 14 A380 flights per week on the Narita-Honolulu route – an increase from the current 10, significantly expanding overall capacity.
Like the preceding two, ANA’s third A380 is painted in a special livery depicting the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle (also known as the Honu). This latest A380’s orange design – inspired by the Hawaiian sunset – was seen for the first time when the aircraft was recently rolled out of Airbus’ paint shop in Hamburg, Germany.
The first “FLYING HONU” entered service on ANA’s Narita-Honolulu route in May 2019 and features a blue design representing Hawaii’s blue skies. The second aircraft, also delivered last year, is painted emerald green to match the clear oceans surrounding the Pacific island chain.
Service entry: the BelugaXL supports Airbus’ production ramp-up with a “smile”
here’s a new shape in the sky as the next-generation BelugaXL begins regular operations in facilitating Airbus’ production ramp-up across the company’s commercial aircraft programmes.
The initial BelugaXL – featuring a livery with distinctive whale-type smile – was delivered for operation in December, and it entered service earlier this month. Ultimately, six of the highly modified twin-engine A330 airliners will operate from 11 destinations in Europe, providing Airbus with additional transport capacity as these oversize cargo airlifters gradually replace the five Beluga ST prececessors – which are derived from the company’s cornerstone A300 aircraft. All Beluga operations are managed by Airbus Transport International (ATI), an Airbus subsidiary.
According to Philippe Sabo, ATI’s Head of Oversize Air Transport, the BelugaXL’s service entry represents a step-change in the way aircraft components are transported across Europe.
“With 30% more capacity than the existing Beluga ST, it really will help us to better support the production ramp-up for A350 XWBs and the single-aisle A320 Family,” explained Sabo. “And its high-speed cargo loading system means we can significantly reduce turnaround times – something which is key to achieving our targets.”
Enhancing Airbus’ production network
The BelugaXL’s greater size enables the new-generation airlifter to accommodate a set of A350 XWB wings, for example, speeding up their transport from the Broughton, UK production site to the programme's final assembly line in Toulouse. The aircraft also can carry the A350 XWB's largest fuselage section with room to spare.
“We are really impressed with the aircraft,” Sabo added. “The way it behaves is fantastic and I particularly like the livery – it feels like the aircraft is looking at me when I’m close to it!”
ATI will operate a combined ST/XL fleet until mid-2023 as the remaining five BelugaXLs enter service. Airbus’ programme, customer support, engineering and ATI teams will work together in supporting the start of operations and subsequent ramp-up, with a second BelugaXL to be delivered in mid-2020, followed by a third in early 2021.
Nordic Aviation Capital finalised order for 20 A220 Family aircraft
Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC), the leading lessor of regional aircraft, signed at the end of 2019 a firm order for 20 A220 Family aircraft.
This latest order from NAC, counted in the 2019 order-book, is a huge endorsement and affirms the strong market demand for the state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient A220 Family.
“NAC’s order for the A220 shows this aircraft is just as relevant in the regional world as it is in the mainline one,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer. “We are delighted to work with NAC going forward, we thank them for their confidence and congratulate them on their new offices in Limerick.”
NAC is today the largest lessor of regional aircraft in the world, managing and owning 500 aircraft on lease to 78 airline customers in over 50 countries.
The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and widebody passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous-generation aircraft, along with significantly lower emissions and a reduced noise footprint. The A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft. At the end of December 2019, the A220 had accumulated 600 orders and over 100 aircraft in service with seven operators worldwide.
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