The Farnborough Digest 2014 – Day 1

Welcome to the GhettoIFE Farnborough Digest 2014 – Day 1, where I take a short look at the happenings at Farnborough International Air show – examining the orders and happenings at the airshow, and how they’ll impact you as you get on the planes in future years.

So let’s kick off with the big news of the day from Airbus, with who after much discussion, debate and consternation will be launching the Airbus A330neo.

Airbus A330neo in flight – Rendering, Airbus

Like the A320neo project, this will be a re-engineering of the Airbus A330 airframe and will feature A350 style wings with new engines by Rolls Royce – The Trent 7000 series engine.

The class will be split into two – an -800 series (range optimised) and -900 series (payload optimised). Entry into service of the type is aimed to be towards the end of 2017. The 14% fuel burn will take aim at Boeing 787-8 primarily, and also chase after the A350 and Boeing 787-9.

Business Class cabin rendering aboard the A330neo – Image Airbus 

Economy Class seating rendering – Image Airbus. Note the classic 2-4-2 seating with 18 seat width. Rather nice looking…

For those with deep pockets, if you want an A330-800, it will set you back US$242.1 million at list prices. The A330-900 will cost you US$275.6 million  But in aviation… who pays list price for anything?

Air Lease International will be among the first to order the  the A330neo  (25 aircraft along with 60 A320neo aircraft)- with Airbus hoping many more to follow in the weeks and months ahead.

AerCap Holdings (a leasing company) further adds to the Airbus order book with a conversion of options to order for 50 A320neo aircraft. This will bring the order book to a 200 A320neo’s  aircraft from this lessor.

Sticking with Airbus, International Airlines Group will be converting an option for 20 Airbus A320neo family aircraft into orders, with the aircraft due to go to the British Airways unit of the group. These will be configured as Airbus A320neo aircraft to join the BA mainline fleet.

British Airways Airbus A320neo – Rendering, Airbus

Moving over to Boeing and their order book, Monarch Airways and Boeing have tidied up and signed an order for 30 Boeing 737-MAX aircraft – marking a transition away from Airbus short haul aircraft to Boeing short haul aircraft for the UK based leisure operator.

Lessors are still taking a big interesting the 787 and 737 MAX, with Avolon Leasing announcing a commitment for six 787-9 Dreamliners and five additional 737 MAX 9 aircraft.

And then there’s Okay Airways (yes, it is a real airline) who will be ordering a mixture of six 737-800s, upgrading five orders to the 737-900ER, and having four 737 MAX 9’s whilst its shopping around.

Okay Airways Boeings in formation – Rendering, The Boeing Company.

Moving onto smaller planes. The revived Eastern Air Lines is going east, with an order to boost the Mitsubishi Regional Jet with an order for 20 MRJ-90s and options for another 20. Subject to orders and confirmations, aircraft will be delivered from 2019.

There’s finally a bit of traction with the Bombardier CSeries with a slew of order for the class, with Loong Air of China signing a letter of intent for 20 CSeries CS100 to operate services within China.

Meanwhile Falcon Aviation services convert their letter of intent for aircraft into two CS300 series aircraft, and Air Baltic has ordered an extra three CSeries Aircraft.

In addition, a large letter of intent was signed for by Falko Regional Aircraft for 24 CSeries CS100 aircraft.

Petra Airways signs a letter of intent for up to four aircraft too.

Petra Airways CS-100, Image Bombardier

Whilst these don’t increase the actual order numbers, the commitments have jumped up – a sign that carriers maybe warming to the type after it took its first flight last year (despite some of the problems that they have had with the engines).

Embraer has taken a “re-confirmable” order from Trans State Airlines for 50 Embarer E175 E2 jets, with options for 50 more. These aircraft if confirmed will be used in regional fleets around North America as smaller 50 seater jets come up for retirement and older 70 seaters which are less economic to fly start to be withdrawn.

Finally Bek Air of Kazakhstan will take delivery of seven Sukhoi Superjet 100s in 2017 rounding off a quiet first day of the Farnborough International Airshow.

And the Lockhead Martin F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter that some of the press are clambering for? Unsurprisingly, it didn’t turn up today. Maybe later in the week… maybe not.

Odd things sometimes happen at Farnborough. This could be just one of them…