Day 3 of the Paris Air Show has been and gone, so lets wrap up the headlines today
Towards the MC-21.
First up is that Irkut is on course to release its competition to the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 – the Irkut MC-21, with the aim to manufacture first one towards the end of 2013.
The aircraft’s designation has changed from the MS-21 to the MC-21. These narrowbody aircraft will be powered by Pratt and Whitney Purepower Geared Turbofan PW1400 engines, with testing to commence of the engines shortly.
So far, the MC-21 has attracted 135 firm orders.
Irkut is hoping to fly the first aircraft in 2015, and commission the aircraft for service in 2017… and maybe have a competitor to Airbus and Boeing… and even Comac..
Meanwhile in the land of orders…
Ryanair have finalised an order for 175 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with Boeing managing to convince Ryanair CEO Micheal O’Leary out to visit an airshow. Whilst Mr O’Leary has ordered many aircraft, he avoids the airshows calling the places are crawling with “aerosexuals”.
What was O’Leary promising some years ago for that never started Ryanair Long haul service. Beds and ….. something which I can’t type with a family audience?
The signing on the line completes five years of Ryanair playing Airbus, Boeing and even Comac against each other for the perfect aircraft for the airline.
The order for 175 aircraft is valued at US$3Billion at list prices, and Ryanair is hoping it’s a gateway to the 737-MAX 8 aircraft – which Ryanair want to squeeze 9 more seats into, raising the total capacity to 199 passengers in a single class layout.
Just when you think Ryanair can’t take the pleasure out of flying any more, they go and do this….
CIT Aerospace – a New York based lessor has placed an order for 30 Boeing 737-MAX 8 aircraft, with the option to convert to the MAX 9 if the they choose.
Air France-KLM has firmed up an order for 25 Airbus A350-900s with options for 25 more – to be operated both Air France and KLM. The A350-900 will enter service with Air France from 2017.
SriLakan Airlines have ordered seven Airbus A350-900’s and six A330-300’s to replace their long haul widebodied fleets. The order is split with the airline buying six A330-300 and four A350-900’s, with the remaining A350’s to be leased. These aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Engines (the A330 with Trent 700’s, the A350’s powered by Trent XWB engines)
Finally, Arik Air is expanding is shorthaul fleet, with the purchase of three Bombardier CRJ1000’s and four Dash-8 Q400. Whilst it’s a few more orders for Bombardier aircraft, as well as orders for the Challenger Business Jet, there has yet to be a new order for the C-Series aircraft.. yet.
That’s your orders for today. There have yet to be any big Airbus announcements, so hopefully we’ll hear something tomorrow…
