Aircraft News - Europe

AirGuide Business, Feb 11, 2008

Feb 11, 2008

ATC overhaul would cut emissions, European carriers say. European carriers say overhauling the Continent's aging air traffic control system will help cut greenhouse gas emissions. Experts note that fuel consumption and emissions would decline by up to 10% if air routes were straightened and the air traffic control system unified. Feb 5, 2008

Airbus

Airbus COO Leahy said he hopes the peaks and troughs of previous aircraft cycles -- the market is in its fifth cycle in the jet age -- can be turned into "hills and valleys" this time, and told reporters his best guess was there will be a slowdown in deliveries from 2013-15. Airbus's forecasts are based on average annual passenger traffic growth of 4.9 percent with 5.8 percent freight growth. It sees oil at USD$80 - USD$95 per barrel for the next five years and then rising gently to 2026, by when China will be the world's second-largest economy with India fifth, up from third and 10th respectively in 2006. Feb 7, 2008

Airbus

Airbus said it had raised an internal target for sales of its new double-decker A380 given its latest global market forecast includes an expectation that 1,700 very large aircraft, seating at least 400 passengers, will be needed. The A380 is the only aircraft that currently fits the bill, Airbus Chief Operating Officer - Customers John Leahy said. Last year was a record year for plane makers, with Boeing notching 1,413 orders, beating Airbus's 1,341. Both expect fewer orders this year but have backlogs that will keep them at record production well into the next decade. Feb 7, 2008

Airbus

Among aircraft types, Airbus forecast 16,620 single-aisle planes being sold, accounting for 40 percent of the market by value. Twin-aisle aircraft will account for 41 percent of sales by value and 5,940 in number. The 1,700 very large aircraft will be worth 19 percent of the market by value. Airbus expects traditional network airlines to account for 70 percent of orders, with low-cost carriers, charter and regional airlines making up the balance. The forecasts are based on Airbus's "low congestion scenario", and therefore conservative, Leahy said. Feb 7, 2008

Airbus

The Airbus A380 was being talked of as a 550 seater but airlines are actually asking for about 470 seats to allow flat beds in business class, an idea only considered as a first class option a few years ago. While Boeing's 747, the original jumbo jet, can be configured to carry more than 400 passengers, today's more affluent society wants more space, Leahy told reporters. Feb 7, 2008

Airbus, Dassault, Saab, Rolls-Royce

Europe pushes for greener aviation. Some of the biggest names in European industry have begun a public-private partnership with the EU to produce greener aircraft. Airbus, Dassault, Saab and Rolls-Royce are all taking part in the 1.6bn euro (u1.2bn) "clean sky" initiative. Half the money will be raised by the European Union and half by industry. EU Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik said the investment would keep Europe at the cutting edge and help combat climate change. Feb 5, 2008

AJ Walter Leasin, Alitalia, Airbus

AJ Walter Leasing signed a six-year, $6 million deal with Alitalia to provide Airbus A321 spare parts. Feb 4, 2008

Armavia, Superjet

Armavia will be the first non-Russian carrier to take delivery of the Superjet 100, Transport Minister Igor Levitin said yesterday, according to press reports from Yerevan. Aeroflot will be the first airline to fly the new regional jet. Armavia signed a $50 million contract for two aircraft and will take delivery this year, Levitin said. Feb 7, 2008

Lufthansa Systems, Silverjet

Lufthansa Systems said Silverjet selected its Lido Operations Center flight planning application. Contract comprises Lido eFlightBag, Lido RouteManual, Lido FMS and Lido Takeoff Performance Analysis. Resource management requirements will be met by NetLine/Ops for operations control processes and NetLine/Crew for aspects of crew management. Feb 10, 2008

Lufthansa Technik, Hamburg Airport

Lufthansa Technik AG is investing 50 million ($73.2 million) to extend its engine maintenance business in Hamburg. The new 15,000-sq.-m. facility will start operations early next year and should increase annual engine maintenance from 320 units to 400. Feb 10, 2008

Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce Year Profit Up 13 Percent. British engine maker Rolls-Royce posted a 13 percent rise in underlying annual profit on Thursday. It made an underlying pretax profit of GBP800 million pounds (USD$1.57 billion) in 2007, on sales up 6 percent to GBP7.82 billion. "Growing global markets give us confidence that in 2008 the business will continue to deliver profitable growth and positive cash flow," the company said in a statement. Rolls-Royce is best known for aero engines, and booming demand from commercial airlines last year left it with a record order book. But it also has sizeable business making gas turbines for ships and power generation markets, and gets half its turnover from contracts to service engines. On January 11, Rolls-Royce announced plans to cut 2,300 jobs in an efficiency drive to help offset rising costs, such as higher prices for speciality metals, and the effect of a weak dollar. Feb 7, 2008