It’s time to pack your buckets and spades, and head of to Dubai for the airshow.
(What… Dubai is Blackpool but with Sun? Nothing of the sort. You might like to think that – I possibly couldn’t comment)
Anyhoo, they’re having an airshow, so lets look at the run up and day 1, and see what’s interesting in Civil aviation….
Jazeera Airways orders IFE and Avionics
Rockwell Collins has struck a deal with the upcoming Jazeera Airways to equip 30 A320’s with IFE and inplane avonics. Fiscal terms are hush hush.
See – it’s possible to shove Personalised IFE into an A320. Any European airline AT ALL paying attention?
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise orders engines… and lots of them.
DAE has brought IAE International Aero Engines V2500 SelectOn to match their A320’s they are obtaining in the 2011 onwards. These aircraft are currently unassigned – pending the hopeful upturn in 2010.
Well more modern aircraft to displace the older ineffient aircraft must be a good thing…
Bombardier close to signing New C Series Middle Eastern Signer.
Bombardier – maker of little aircraft and not so little aircraft. The C Series will be an intresting proposition – think a CRJ but a bit longer and more passengers with it’s engines under the wing, but with capacities close to the low capacities Boeing 737-600/A318, whislt leapfrogging the ERJ-195.
Current purchasers include Lufthansa AG. Intresting times ahead.
Etihad Airways announced a major $750 million investment package
Well lets talk proper airline investment. Etihad (Abu Dhabi) is spending some serious money on itself – and not on frames – but on improving the product…
On the IFE Front, new aircraft that are coming in with A330’s and B777’s will have the celeibrated Panasonic eX2 IFE system – this system (first seen on SQ’s A380) is the wonder system that has large screen and iPod connectivity (banning GettoIFE systems to being remote controls). Installation and delivery is from December onwards.
For A340 flyers in the nose of the plane, expect brand new first class seats. Expect more on the layout and configurations later. However, if you’re thinking of going in a B777 down the back – start panicking – the dreaded 10 abreast (3-4-3) configuration is coming to Eithad.
Expect to play sardines later!
There is also major technical and planning work going on too. Good to see investment going on.
Ethopian further commits to B787 – and maybe extra A350’s…
What? An actual customer who is happy about the B787 delay? Oh Committed. Nothing new there.
Ethiopian is expecting their delivery to being in mid-2011, with two of the B787’s being the longer 787-9 varity – due for delivery in 2013 if Boeing can get their finger out.
Whilst the A350’s aren’t due till 2017, there is consideration at the right price to dry lease some before they’re formally deployed – with an order for 12 aircraft. This brings Airbus up to 500 A350s.
Air Arabia takes advantage of the market – gets its planes earlier.
Air Arabia loves chatting to Airbus, with the net benefit being 6 extra A320’s delivery slots from 2010-2011 opened up, and they’ve swooped it in it, to expand their airline.
Nice swooping.
Yemenia signs memorandum of understanding with Airbus for 10 A320s.
Yes, the A320 is doing rather well, with Yemina signing away $700millon for 10 A320’s in a MoU, subject to the usuals. Of course – no engine has selected.
Yes, it’s Military, but hey. We do cargo planes here too. Lets enjoy breaking our own rules.
Airbus is finally getting near a solution with it’s A400M transport, with all four engines spooling and demoing in Dubai. With an exception for first flight this year, it can only help the disaster that’s this project…
Thats it for today – more tommorow…
