Tag Archives: Airbus A320neo

ANA firms up an order for 7 Airbus A320neo and 23 A321neo aircraft

ANA Holdings (All Nippon Airways-ANA) (Tokyo) has firmed up an order for 30 A320neo Family aircraft (seven A320neo and 23 A321neo). The initial agreement was announced in March 2014. The aircraft will be part of ANA Holdings fleet development and modernisation strategy to replace its existing single-aisle fleet in the coming years.

Deliveries will start from 2016.

Japanese Aero Engines Corporation (JAEC) is a 23% collaboration partner in PW1100G-JM program. JAEC is responsible for development, manufacturing and engineering support of the fan, low-pressure compressor, combustor, and low-pressure shafts. JAEC is a consortium, consisting of three Japanese companies: IHI (65%), Kawasaki Heavy Industries (25%), and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (10%).

The assembly of Airbus’ first A320neo has been completed following painting of the aircraft and the mounting of PW1100G-JM engines. It will soon start ground tests to prepare for first flight. The flight test campaign for the A320neo will kick-off in Q3 2014, paving the way for Entry Into Service in Q4 2015.

The A320neo – for “new engine option” – incorporates many innovations, including latest generation engines and large Sharklet wing-tip devices, which together deliver 15 percent in fuel savings and a reduction of 3,600 tonnes of C02 per aircraft per year. With a total of more than 3,000 orders received from more than 50 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo Family has captured over 60 percent of the market, clearly demonstrating its leadership.

Image: Airbus.

ANA:

Hong Kong Aviation Capital orders 40 Airbus A320neo and 30 A321neo aircraft

Hong Kong Aviation Capital (HKAC) (Hong Kong) has signed a firm order with Airbus for a total of 70 A320neo Family aircraft (40 A320neo and 30 A321neo)

The contract was finalized at the 2014 Farnborough Airshow by Donal Boylan, CEO of HKAC and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. The agreement follows the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed at the 2013 Paris Air Show.

HKAC currently has a portfolio of over 50 single and twin aisle Airbus aircraft. It provides financing leasing services to several airlines in Asia and worldwide. This is HKAC’s first direct order with any aircraft manufacturer.

SMBC Aviation Capital orders 115 Airbus A320 Family aircraft

SMBC Aviation Capital has signed a major firm order for 115 A320 Family aircraft (110 A320neo, five A320ceo). The contract was announced today at the Farnborough International Airshow 2014, by Peter Barrett, SMBC Aviation Capital, CEO, Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President & CEO and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

This new order is the industry’s largest ever single firm order by a worldwide leasing company for single-aisle aircraft. With these new planes, SMBC Aviation Capital’s total orders for Airbus aircraft rise to 206 A320 Family aircraft. SMBC Aviation Capital will announce its engines selection at a later date.

At the end of June 2014, firm orders for the NEO reached over 2,800 aircraft from 55 customers, representing a 60 per cent market share in its category.

Image: Airbus.

AerCap firms up an order for 50 additional Airbus A320neo Family aircraft

AerCap (Amsterdam) has firmed up an order for 50 additional Airbus A320neo Family aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow 2014. The contract, AerCap’s first major aircraft order following the acquisition of ILFC earlier this year, was signed by Philip Scruggs, AerCap’s President & Chief Commercial Officer and Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO. AerCap will announce its engine selection in due course.

Including today’s order for 50 A320neo aircraft, AerCap’s total order of A320neo aircraft rises to 200 and its total orders of Airbus aircraft rises to 945. Following the lessor’s acquisition of ILFC, AerCap becomes Airbus’ largest customer overall, both in number and value of aircraft purchased.

Image: Airbus.

IAG converts 20 Airbus A320neo options into firm orders for British Airways

International Airlines Group (IAG) (London) has converted 20 A320neo options into a firm order. These aircraft are currently intended to replace 21 shorthaul British Airways (London) aircraft.

British Airways already operates 120 Airbus single aisle aircraft covering the full Family range from the smallest A318 to the largest A321.

Previously in August 2013, IAG announced that, as part of a Vueling order for up to 120 Airbus A320 family aircraft, it had also secured 100 A320neo options.

To date, firm orders for the NEO have reached over 2,800 aircraft representing a 60 per cent share market share in its category.

Image: Airbus.

British Airways:

The first Airbus A320neo is rolled out at Toulouse

Airbus (Toulouse) yesterday (July 1) rolled out the first assembled A320neo (new engine option). The pictured Airbus A320-271N WL F-WNEO (msn 6101) will soon enter its flight test program. The manufacturer issued this statement:

The assembly of Airbus’ first A320neo has been completed following painting of the aircraft and the mounting of Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM engines. Msn 6101, which will be the first A320neo to fly, will soon start its ground tests to prepare for first flight.

The flight test campaign for the A320neo will kick-off in September 2014, paving the way for Entry Into Service in Q4 2015.

The A320neo “new engine option” incorporates many innovations, including latest generation engines and large Sharklet wing-tip devices, which together deliver 15 percent in fuel savings and a reduction of 3,600 tonnes of C02 per aircraft per year. With a total of nearly 2,700 orders received from more than 50 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo Family has captured some 60 percent of the market, clearly demonstrating its leadership.

Airbus also issued this statement about the upcoming test program:

The highly-efficient NEO (new engine option) single-aisle jetliner project is another step closer to taking flight with the rollout of the initial A320neo – a key milestone as Airbus continues on-schedule for the aircraft’s maiden flight.

Prominently featuring the NEO branding on its livery, this aircraft – designated MSN6101 in the company’s numbering system – is powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM engines and is the first in Airbus’ A320neo Family developmental fleet. It is equipped with extensive flight test instrumentation for handling qualities, performance and engine tests, along with the high-altitude, and hot- and cold-weather campaigns.

In total, Airbus’ NEO flight-test fleet will comprise eight aircraft. This includes two A320neos, one A319neo and one A321neo for each of the new engine choices: Pratt & Whitney’s PW1100G-JM and the CFM International LEAP-1A.

The company’s rigorous A320neo Family flight-test and certification programme is facilitated by the jetliner’s fly-by-wire commonality, as well as previous flight dynamics testing during the Sharklet-certification campaign, explained Sandra Bour-Schaeffer, Project Flight Test Engineer for the NEO programme at Airbus.

Once msn 6101 takes flight, Airbus will begin with initial development and aircraft flight manual tests, before proceeding into its A320neo development and certification phase and maturity campaign – to ensure the A320neo fully meets customer requirements at service entry, which is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2015.

In addition, a second Pratt & Whitney-powered A320neo aircraft is planned to join the developmental fleet this year – fitted with lighter flight test instrumentation for noise, functionality, reliability testing and ETOPS approval.

Airbus already is well advanced with “up-front” A320neo testing, including approximately 250 flight hours performed on the company’s A320ceo (current engine option) in-house developmental aircraft to evaluate hardware and software for NEO flight control laws, and test bench validation of thrust reversers.
To further prepare for first flight, Airbus will begin a “virtual flight-test campaign” this summer, which includes simulator-based evaluations of flying scenarios and aircraft systems.

Incorporating its new engine choices, along with the application of Airbus’ fuel-saving Sharklets wingtip devices, the NEO shares over 95 per cent commonality with CEO aircraft – while delivering at least 15 per cent reduction in fuel consumption for operators.

Royal Brunei signs a firm order for seven Airbus A320neo aircraft

Royal Brunei Airlines (Bandar Seri Begawan) has signed a contract with Airbus covering the firm order of seven A320neo aircraft plus three options, under the latest phase of its fleet modernization program. Featuring a two class premium layout, the aircraft will be operated on the airline’s regional network linking Bandar Seri Begawan with destinations across Asia. The aircraft will be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM engines.

Image: Airbus.

Royal Brunei Airlines:

The first Airbus A320neo moves ahead in the final assembly process

Final assembly of the first Airbus A320neo is advancing rapidly in Toulouse, France, putting this “new engine option” jetliner program on track for its maiden flight later this year, to be followed by the initial customer delivery in 2015.

The number one Airbus A320neo began its final assembly process last month – starting with the join-up of its forward and aft fuselage sections, which were produced at Airbus’ St. Nazaire site in France and Hamburg, Germany facility respectively, then delivered to Toulouse.

This was followed by the mating of major aircraft structures produced at Airbus sites across Europe, including the wings (Broughton, UK); vertical tailplane (Stade, Germany); horizontal tailplane (Getafe, Spain); engine pylons (St. Eloi, France); and outer and inner flaps (Bremen, Germany). During recent activity, the main flight-test instrumentation equipment also was installed.

In parallel, the first A320neo jetliner’s PW1100G-JM engines are being prepared at Pratt & Whitney’s manufacturing facilities in the U.S., and will be delivered to Airbus in the coming months.

The A320neo incorporates many innovations, including latest-generation engines and large Sharklet wing-tip devices – which together deliver 15 per cent in fuel savings and a reduction of 3,600 tonnes of C02 per aircraft per year. With a total of more than 2,600 orders received from 50 customers since its 2010 launch, the A320neo Family has captured some 60 per cent of the market.

Tigerair signs MOU for 37 Airbus A320neo aircraft + 13 options

Tigerair (Singapore) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Airbus for the purchase of up to 50 A320neo aircraft for future fleet renewal and growth. The deal covers 37 firm orders plus 13 options. The aircraft will be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100 engines and will be operated by the airline across its Asia-Pacific route network.

Tigerair, established in 2004 as Tiger Airways, comprises three airlines – Tigerair Singapore, Tigerair Mandala (Indonesia) and Tigerair Australia. Collectively, the Group’s network extends to over 50 destinations across 14 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The Group currently operates an all-Airbus fleet of 48 A320-family aircraft, averaging less than three years of age.

Image: Airbus.

Tigerair (Singapore):

Airbus starts the final assembly of the first A320neo in Toulouse

Airbus has started final assembly of the first A320neo (msn 6101) at its Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Toulouse (France), with the join-up of the forward and aft fuselage sections which recently arrived from St. Nazaire in France and Hamburg in Germany respectively.

Once this phase is completed, the next stage is the wing to fuselage join-up. Overall it takes about one month to complete the final assembly of an A320 Family aircraft. On average, every seven hours an A320 Family aircraft leaves one of the three A320 Family FAL’s in Toulouse, Hamburg, or Tianjin.

According to Airbus, “The A320neo first flight will take place in the fourth quarter of 2014 and first delivery in the fourth quarter of 2015. The A320neo “new engine option” incorporates many innovations, including latest generation engines and large Sharklet wing-tip devices, which together deliver 15 percent in fuel savings and a reduction of 3,600 tonnes of C0₂ per aircraft per year. With a total of more than 2,600 orders received from 50 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo Family has captured some 60 percent of the market, clearly demonstrating its leadership.”