The Farnborough Digest – Day 3

As Day Three of the Farnborough International Airshow closes, lets look at the news and orders that has been coming forward from the show today.

First up is Qatar Airways who have confirmed an order for 50 Boeing 777X aircraft, with an options for another 50 aircraft, along with four orders and four options of the Boeing 777F Freighters.

Boeing 777X and 777F in flight – Rendering, The Boeing Company.

Following behind the Qatar order, is Hainan Airlines who is finalising terms for a purchase agreement for 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8s

Hainan Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 – Rendering, The Boeing Company.

Sticking with the Boeing 737 family is  Air Algerie was an odd order for two Boeing 737-700C –  The Convertible version.  These aircraft are convertible between passenger and cargo operations, with the aircraft able to hold 140 passengers in passenger mode or 40,000 pounds (18,200 kilograms) in cargo capacity in the hold and in the main deck – with a swing door on main deck.

 Air Algerie Boeing 737-700C in cargo mode – Rendering, The Boeing Company.

Finally from Boeing is an order for two Boeing 787-9 aircraft from MG Aviation Limited (another lessor of aircraft who already have two aircraft on its books).

A quiet day from Airbus who have announced an order from Air Mauritius for six A350 XWB aircraft.

Air Mauritius Airbus A350-900 – Rendering, Airbus.

The order will be split with four aircraft to be purchased, and two to be leased, with plans to operate them on European, Asian and Australian routes.

ATR racked up some extra orders today from Myanma Airways also ordered six ATR 72-600s, with options for a further six. Delivery of these aircraft will commence in 2015 through to 2017. These will replace existing Fokker F28 and  Xian Aircraft MA60 turboprops to centre on an ATR based fleet on their short haul network.

Bombardier have been busy too with five CSeries aircraft ordered for “an unidentified customer”, and two Bombardier Dash8-Q400s for Nok Air.

And as for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II? It didn’t turn up at all… and won’t coming to Farnborough 2014. A shame, but these things happen. Or as I tend to call it… and “Oops” moment.

And that’s a wrap for my Day Three digest of the Farnborough Airshow. In terms of orders, there could be some more tomorrow (and the take-up on the A330neo is a bit slim at the moment), but as the show now turns from an industry even to a public event, the orders will dry up, and the flying programme turns to a more entertainment lead programme.

In terms of orders, there have been two aircraft which have failed to score a single order at this airshow this year – The Airbus A380 and the Boeing 747-8….

But you never know – more surprises may be in the offing on the final commercial day of the Farnborough Airshow…