It’s the end of the day first day at the Farnborough Air Show. Let’s see what announcements there are and any interesting titbits on the way.
As usual, we’ll be presenting this alphabetical order of the Civil Aircraft OEMs, followed by any other headlines that raise an eyebrow.
Airbus
Drukiair goes neo and XLR
Only one for Airbus today, with Drukair – Royal Bhutan Airlines, the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bhutan, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for 3 A320neo and 2 A321XLR aircraft to expand its international network.
The new aircraft are anticipated to start delivery in 2030. The airline plans to fly these aircraft out of Paro International Airport and the new airport at Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), envisioned to become Bhutan’s futuristic economic hub. From here, Drukair will expand its connectivity to Europe, South East Asia and Australia.
Drukair already operates four Airbus A320 Family aircraft consisting of three A319s and one A320.
Based on His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s vision, GMC, located in the southern plains of Bhutan, is emerging as a new economic engine for the Kingdom. As the national carrier, Drukair plays a pivotal role in enabling the prosperity of GMC and Bhutan by efficiently and reliably meeting growing transportation and logistics needs.
In Quotes
Tandi Wangchuk, Drukair CEO said,
“We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter in Drukair’s history, which dovetails perfectly with development of the Gelephu Mindfulness City and work to expand the Gelephu airport. Our investment in these state-of-the-art aircraft underscores our dedication to supporting Bhutan’s vision of holistic and mindful development.”
Executive Vice President Sales of Airbus Commercial Aircraft business Benoît de Saint-Exupéry said:
“We are grateful to Drukair for reaffirming their trust in Airbus to power their next phase of growth. Airbus has been a long-standing partner of Bhutan and we are extremely proud that our latest generation aircraft will be a part of the Kingdom’s next chapter of development, connecting the Gelephu Mindfulness City to the rest of the world.”
Boeing
National to order four Boeing 777F aircraft
Boeing kicked off its show, initially with National Airlines signing for four Boeing 777F aircraft. The 777 Freighters will join National Airline’s expanding fleet of nine 747-400 freighters.
Once finalised, National Airlines’ first direct purchase of Boeing airplanes will be posted to Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website.
The 777 Freighter can fly up to 9,200km/4,970nmi and carry 107 tonnes of freight.
In Quotes
Christopher Alf, chairman of National Airlines said:
“We are elated by this remarkable order of four Boeing 777 Freighters. This demonstrates our commitment to offering efficient, resourceful, and modern air freight services to support our global customers’ increasing transportation demands,” said
“The order affirms our fleet growth plan as we enter into the next chapter of National. We sincerely appreciate the support by Boeing and all its associated teams in this journey ahead.”
Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes said:
“We appreciate National Airlines for its trust in Boeing and the 777 Freighter to grow the carrier’s global fleet and deliver greater value for its customers,” said
“With its cargo capacity, range and reliability, operators continue to rely on the 777 Freighter to build their future fleets, making it the best-selling freighter of all time.”
Korean Air signs for 777X and 787-10
The big order of the day has come from Korean Air, which is signing a big widebody intent to order.
This covers 20 777-9s and 20 787-10s with options for 10 more of the largest 787 Dreamliner variant. The airline will be using them to support planned growth and renewal of its fleet in size, range and capacity to reach high-demand markets in Europe and North America, as well as popular regional routes within Asia.
The 777-9 can seat 426 passengers in a two-class configuration with a range of 13,500 km (7,285 nautical miles) and the 787-10 can carry up to 336 passengers with a range of 11,730 km (6,330 nautical miles).
In Quotes
Walter Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air said
“The addition of the Boeing 777-9 and 787-10 aircraft marks a significant milestone in our strategic objective to expand and upgrade our fleet,”
“This investment underscores our commitment to providing a best-in-class flying experience. These new airplanes will elevate passenger comfort and enhance operational efficiency, while significantly reducing carbon emissions, supporting our long-term commitment to sustainable aviation.”
Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes added
“We are honored Korean Air has selected our largest, most efficient widebody airplanes to add capacity to its global network,” said.
“Boeing airplanes have played an integral role with Korean Air over the past 50 years, and the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will continue to support the airline’s long-term goals for sustainability and continued growth.”
Luxair goes large on the MAX
A year after purchasing the 737-7 and 737-8 models, Luxair has now placed an order for two 737-10 with options for two more.
Luxair plans to operate its new 737-10s to offer passengers a minimum of 30-inch seat pitch. In this configuration, the airline can fly up to 213 passengers on routes stretching 5,740 km (3,100 nautical miles), resulting in more capacity and range to capitalize on growing leisure travel.
Luxair currently operates a regional fleet of 21 aircraft, including two leased 737-8s and eight Next-Generation 737s.
In Quotes
Gilles Feith, Luxair CEO said
“The purchase of the 737-10 is another step towards Luxair positioning for its future with the investment in the latest airplane technology that will support Luxair’s growth plans and the decarbonization of our fleet. There is high commonality between the 737 MAX models, and this allows for significant operational savings for the airline,” said
“In addition to reducing overall fuel use and emissions, the 737 MAXs will help create a 50 percent smaller noise footprint by reducing noise generated by takeoffs and landings at Luxembourg Airport.”
Brad McMullen, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing.
“With three members of the 737 MAX family in its fleet, Luxair will have the flexibility to use the right-size airplane according to the market demand,”
“We appreciate Luxair for choosing the 737-10 to support its growth and improve the passenger experience, while realizing the benefits of operating an increasingly fuel-efficient fleet.”
Japan Airlines to add up to 20 more Dreamliners
Japan Airlines announced an agreement for up to 20 more 787 Dreamliners. The deal includes 10 787-9s with options for 10 more, adding to JAL’s current fleet of more than 50 of the type.
In recent years, JAL has leveraged the versatility of the 787 to open new point-to-point markets from Tokyo to San Diego, Boston and Bangalore. With a range of up to 7,565 (14,010 km), nautical miles, it the 787-9 has the longest range of the family.
In Quotes
Yukio Nakagawa, JAL Executive Officer of Procurement.
“We are delighted to announce the addition of 787 Dreamliners to our fleet. This order underscores our commitment to accelerating the introduction of the modern and more fuel-efficient aircraft to deliver unparalleled service to our customers and further reduce CO₂ emissions. We greatly appreciate the strong relationship and support from Boeing, which has been instrumental in our efforts to modernize our fleet and expand our international routes,”
Brad McMullen, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing added
“Japan Airlines continues to be a global ambassador for the 787 Dreamliner and this latest agreement is a testament to the versatility and efficiency of the 787-9 for the airline’s key long-haul routes,”
“We value our long-standing partnership with Japan Airlines and are pleased that they have re-selected the 787 Dreamliner as they continue to modernize their world-class fleet.”
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada
It’s been a very busy day for De Hallivand of Canada, with them announcing “The De Havilland Canada OEM Certified Refurbishment Program.”.
This is a program whereby DHC acquires, upgrades, and re-markets the aircraft for each specific customer’s needs. Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) work will take place at our facilities in Calgary, Alberta, to help keep the fleet flying.
They include the following refurbishment:
- Aircraft configuration to match the customer’s existing fleet
- Completion of overdue maintenance, integration of Airworthiness Directives, and Service Bulletin upgrades
- Airframe life extensions through our ESP (Extended Service Plan) to extend the lives of Dash 8-100/200/300 to 120,000 cycles, or the ESP+ which can take the Dash 8-100 to 160,000 cycles
- Freighter conversions, including the introduction of the new Dash 8-400 Large Cargo Door and Quick Change between cargo and passenger missions
- Avionics upgrades
To date, De Havilland Canada has acquired 28 Dash 8-400 aircraft for the program.
So, what have they done with this? Made sales it seems.
Widerøe extended its Dash 8 fleet
Widerøe Asset AS (Widerøe) of Norway has signed a purchase agreement for two DHC OEM Certified Refurbished Dash 8-400 aircraft.
In Quotes
Ryan DeBrusk, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for De Havilland Canada said on the sale:
“Wideroe is one of our long-term customers and we are thrilled to announce their purchase of two DHC OEM Certified Refurbished Aircraft,”
“We are proud to support Wideroe as they continue to connect the people and communities of Norway using rugged and reliable De Havilland Canada aircraft.”
Tanzania Government Flight Agency adds a Dash 8
The Tanzania Government Flight Agency (TGFA) has signed a purchase agreement for a DHC OEM Certified Refurbished Dash 8-400 aircraft. this operates under the Air Tanzania brand.
In Quotes
Ryan DeBrusk, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for De Havilland Canada said
“The addition of a De Havilland Canada OEM Certified Refurbished Aircraft to the TGFA fleet provides continuity to the TGFA’s growing national airline program.”
“We are proud that we will see another Dash 8 aircraft in Tanzania, where the aircraft is ideally suited to support the development of domestic air travel.”
In addition, Skyward Express will also add an additional aircraft through the OEM Refurbished Programme.
Embraer
Not a Civil headline, but The Netherlands and Austria are to purchase nine C-390 Multimission aircraft, in a joint order, with five going to The Netherlands and four going to Austria.
Other headlines
Airbus and the Airports Council International (ACI) World Association have signed a cooperation agreement to support the industry’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of aviation. This alliance will address key areas including Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), hydrogen technologies, advanced air mobility, operations efficiency, and aircraft noise management practices.
De Havilland of Canada is gearing up for its future as it releases a roadmap for the Dash 8 Family. With new DHC production facilities at De Havilland Field near Calgary, Alberta coming on stream in the latter portion of the decade, the time is right to determine what operators are looking for in their fleet planning, and where a new Dash 8 might fit in.
To best understand the customer’s needs, De Havilland Canada has assembled a Product Strategy Council and has been meeting over the past months with operators in North America, Oceania, Japan, Africa, and Europe, to understand their requirements and expectations as their businesses objectives and passenger preferences evolve into the future.
Boeing and Lufthansa Technik has announced an agreement to designate Lufthansa Technik as the first Boeing-licensed Service Center (BLSC) for cabin modifications on 787 Dreamliner, bringing additional choice and capacity to the market. As a BLSC, Lufthansa Technik is licensed to perform interior modifications on the 787 as an external MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) service provider.
The two parties will continue to make the necessary preparations to enable Lufthansa Technik to start its first 787 cabin modification project in 2025. The BLSC will complement Boeing’s existing 787 Interior Modifications offerings with additional capacity for the market.
This agreement on 787 cabin modifications follows the completion of the first base maintenance event on a 787 Dreamliner this April at Lufthansa Technik Malta.
Qatar Airways updates QSuites – with QSuites Next Gen.
A Quiet First Day
Even though Boeing has scaled back its commercial presence at Farnborough 2024, they’re hitting it out of the park with announcements for the bigger aircraft, with the majority of the orders logged so far being widebody aircraft.
In addition, De Havilland of Canada is finally on the bounce back, especially with their Refurbishig and Remarketing programme already racking up.
Meanwhile, it’s been comparatively quiet in Airbus and Embraer’s chalets, as well as ATR’s.
It’s also interesting that none of the big lessors have made an aircraft order… yet.
I suspect we’ll see a lot more action on Day 2 and Day 3.
We’ll have updates and headlines at the end of the day in an easy-to-consume post.
Images, Airbus, Boeing, De Havilland Canada.
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