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Aviation History
2000
2000 - 1008.PDF
Airbus targets Farnborough air show for launch of A330-100 GUY NORRIS/SANTIAGO AIRBUS INDUSTRIE hopes to launch its proposed mid- range A3 3 0-100 at the Farnbor ough air show in July, providing the basis of a twin-aisle replacement of the ageing A300-600 and A310. Revealing the plan atthe FIDAE 2000 air show in Chile last week, Airbus senior vice-president, com mercial, John Leahy says the hybrid will combine die passenger capacity of the A300-600 with the flightdeck of the A330/A340. Deliveries of the shortened fuse lage aircraft could begin in 2003. Airbus is studying two wing design options, but expects both will contribute to a 6% lower fuel consumption over that of present models. It has decided against fit ting a modified A3 30 wing. "It will also have growth capabil ity built into it," says Leahy, who explains that the baseline -100 design will have the flexibility to operate over ranges of 8,300- 12,000km (4,500-6,500nm). The range options are believed to be included from the start to meet the widely varying requirements of two prime launch candidates, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Ger man charter carrier Hapag Lloyd. Leahy also used the show to underscore Airbus' commitment to launching the A3XX, predicting that the programme would go ahead with "five or six launch air lines this year, and another 15-20 airlines in the next couple of years". The Airbus vice-president, who met executives from the oneworld alliance in Chile on 29 March, says: "This aircraft will be launched this year. I am in final talks with some oneworld and Star airlines." Although he declines to identify specific airlines, Leahy says the ini- The new variant oftheA330 is beading for a launch in July this year tial group is expected to consist of "two or three launch airlines in .Asia, at least one or two in Europe, one in the Middle East and one or two in North America". Prime A3 XX candidates are known to include Cargolux, Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, FedEx, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines and SIA. New data from Airbus claim the cash opera tingcost/seat of the 555- seat A3XX-100 is expected to be 17% lower than that of die Boeing 747-400, which seats 413. Direct operating cost/seat is predicted to be 16% lower than the-400's, while fuel consumption/seat is pegged at about 13% lower than the 747's. Despite diese gains, Airbus appears to be battling towards its original target of a 20% improve ment over the 747-400 in terms of overall seat kilometre costs. Leahy says it will be in die 15-20% range. In the face of growing demand for the A3 20 family, Airbus is also set to decide whether to raise the single-aisle monthly production rate from 26 to 28. Leahy says a fur ther push to 30 a month will be considered, while a review of wide- body production rates is expected to see levels raised from seven a month to "eight or nine". • See FIDAE 2000, PP8-13. Ansett's Eddington in line for top BA post Eddington: on his way to the UK? BRITISH AIRWAYS is expect ed within the next few weeks to name Ansett Australia executive chairman Rod Eddington as its new chief executive. If final nego tiations are completed he will suc ceed Robert Ayling. Eddington was recruited by Ansett's 50% shareholder News Corporation in 1997, having previously occupied the top job at Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong. He has successfully steered the Australian carrier towards viability after years of financial problems. Ansett is in the middle of a take over as Air New Zealand (ANZ) attempts to acquire die 50% of the airline it does not own. Asenior air line source says Eddington is deeply involved in smoothing the waters as ANZ attempts to win regulatory approval from the Australian and New Zealand authorities to com plete its takeover. "I think the final- isation of the deal will be his Ansett swansong," die source says. Ansett has not denied specula tion in the Australian press that Eddington will leave for BA. • JAL reveals 777X plans JAPAN AIRLINES GAL) is the first of the Boeing 777X launch customers to reveal its orders, con firming its long-expected deal for up to 10 aircraft. The Japanese flag carrier has placed firm orders for eight 777- 300ERs and taken options on two more. Deliveries of the 300-seaters will take place between June 2004 and 2008. The aircraft will replace the airline's older 747 Classics. JAL will use the 13,380km (7,230nm)- range twinjet on long-haul services from Tokyo to destinations such as New York and Rome. JAL, one of the original 777 launch customers, operates 10 Pratt & Whitney PW4000-pow- ered examples - five -200s and five -300s- and has five -200s on order. With General Electric the exclu sive engine supplier on the new- models, the airline's -300ERs will be powered by the GE90. JAL's 777X deal with Boeing is under stood to include the cancellation of five of the airline's eight remaining GE CF6-powered 747-400 orders. The -300ER will be the first to enter service with JAL, in September 2003, followed by the smaller, ultra-long-range -200LR six months later. JAL's deliver)' schedule indicates that it will not be the launch operator. Other poten tial customers for the new models include Air France, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, EVA Air and GE Capital Aviation Services. ^ 4 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 4 - 10 April 2000
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