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Aviation History
1999
1999 - 1900.PDF
L1~M*JiAL AVJAfJUM Airbus expects bigger share of corporate business with A319CJ MAX KINGSLEY-JONES/PARIS AIRBUS INDUSTRIE is gear ing up to take a bigger slice of the business jet market with its A319 Corporate Jetliner (ACJ), as the first one is prepared for service with UK sales and leasing company Twinjet. Airbus vice-president, commer cial operations, Paul Mason says that 14 commitments have been made for the ACJ, and that sales prospects are being improved by the reservation of delivery slots on the production line in Hamburg. "We have set aside four delivery slots in 2000 and four in 2001 to ensure we can offer customers early deliveries," says Mason. Airbus sees annual demand for up to 24 aircraft in the ACJ catego ry, and Mason says annual ACJ pro duction could be expanded to 10- 12 aircraft from 2002. He confirms interest in a larger ACJ model, which could lead to development of an A3 21CJ (Flight International, 9-15 June). "We are looking at a 60-seat corporate ver sion of the 93t [maximum take-off weight] A3 21-200, equipped with two ACTs [additional centre fuel tanks]," says Mason. With a list price of $35 million "green", plus $4-10 million for interior completion, A319CJ demand has exceeded Airbus' orig- The A319CJ set a distance record at Paris, as sales efforts are boosted inal expectations. The most recent customer, Harrods owner Mo hammed Al Fayed, will take deliv ery of his green A319CJ next May. The first customer A319CJ is going through certification with the UK Civil Aviation Authority and will enter service with London Luton-based Twinjet in Septem ber. Owned by Kuwaiti business man Mohamed Abdulmohsin Kharafi, it will be marketed and operated by Twinjet on worldwide charters. The 34-seater is equipped with two private lounges forward and a 24-seat first class cabin aft. Stephen Wells, Twinjet's com mercial manager, says: "An annual utilisation of 200-400h is our tar get. We are leasing the aircraft from die owner, who will effective ly charter it from us when he needs it." Twinjet aims to offer the air craft to the corporate/entertain ment market for an all-inclusive rateof$ll,000-12,000/h. The International Aero Engines V2524-A5-powered A319CJ will have a transport category cer tificate of airworthiness, while Twinjet is poised to receive its air operator's certificate. "The base line aircraft can operate non-stop from London to New York, and we are planning to install auxiliary fuel and increase die engine dirust rat ing to enable us to serve Los Angeles non-stop," says Wells. The setting up of an in-house charter operation represents a departure for Twinjet, and Wells believes similar deals could follow. • During the Paris air show, a development flight-test A319CJ arrived at Le Bourget from Santiago in Chile, after completing a record 15h 13min, 12,800km (6,918nm), non-stop flight. • Boom ahead for business aircraft, says analyst NEARLY 4,900 business air craft worth more tiian $62 billion will be built during the next decade, according to the latest forecast by US-based Teal Group. "After spending die late 1980s and early 1990s in die doldrums, die business jet market continues to be in die middle of a tremendous growth spurt," says Teal Group's leading analyst, Richard Aboulafia. As predicted in its forecast last September, Bombardier will again lead its rivals in terms of market share, followed closely by Gulf- stream, Cessna and Dassault. Al though Raytheon is predicted to rank fifth, its position is expected to improve after next year, with the introduction of new models, including the Premier I and Hawker Horizon business jets. "The other manufacturers will either become niche players or be absorbed by Bombardier, Cessna and Raytheon," says Aboulafia. Fairfax, Virginia-based Teal attributes die boom in sales largely to the introduction of fractional ownership, an unprecedented number of new models and the "near-supply push" phenomenon which pushes up demand which cannot be sustained. Aboulafia also links die increase in sales to the cutbacks in 19-seat regional airline services across die USA, driving private individuals and companies to transfer to busi ness aircraft for their transporta tion needs. Coupled with dlis, die unflatter ing image of business aircraft as "rich men's toys" and "admiral's barges" is being steadily eroded. • NEWS IN BRIEF • GALAXY PUNS Galaxy Aerospace plans to deliver nine Galaxy business jets this year, 15 next year and 18-24 annually thereafter. The company says thatithas a backlog of over two years' production. Zurich-based charter operator Lions Air, which has bought two Gal- axys, has ordered its second SPX business jet from Galaxy. • LEAR 45 IMPROVED Bombardier has enhanced the airfield performance and payload of its Learjet 45, with improved nosewheel steer ing and brake-by-wire sys tems, a 135kg (3001b) in crease in maximum take-off weight and a new approach flap setting. The 2,000th Learjet, a Model 45, will be delivered to Parker Hannifin in August. • JAGUAR THEME Raytheon Aircraft has ex tended its successful co-mar keting venture with Jaguar Cars, and plans to produce 2 5 Jaguar Special Edition air craft this year - 13 Bonanza A36s, three Bonanza B36TCs and nine Baron 58s. Lastyear Raytheon sold 15 Jaguar- themed King Air C90Bs. • 0MNIFLIGHT CONTRACT Omniflight Helicopters has signed a 10-year contract extension to operate Indianapolis, Indiana's Life Line air medical programme and to refurbish its two Euro- copter BK117s. Omniflight has signed a similar deal with Billings, Montana-based Help Flight Services, which will upgrade to a Euro- copter EC 13 5. • TURKEY DISTRIBUTOR Izmir-based Soytay Aviation has signed up as distributor and service centre for the Sino-Swearingen SJ30-2 business jet in Turkey. Its order for two aircraft takes the manufacturer's backlog to 142. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 30 June - 6 July 1999
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