Page 51 - AA 2018_09

AIRBUS A220

180 minutes ETOPS, all the tests Or, as Antonio Da Costa, head of enthusiasm for the 100-150 seat
of the aircraft and engines are now ‘The -100 is product marketing for the A220, puts market segment.
completed and documentation has it: “The -100 is our lowest risk aircraft, “Combining the state-of-the-art
been submitted to the authorities, with our lowest an ideal entry-level aircraft offering technology of the C Series aircraft with
certification expected later this year. low costs to operate and perfect to the global scale and reach of Airbus
Airbus does concede that making risk aircraft, open small new routes. It is also a in terms of global sales worldwide,
significant inroads with the A220 into great growth path for regional carriers in terms of excellence in industry
the world’s fastest growing airline an ideal that want to go beyond the 100 seats capabilities and procurement and,
market, Asia Pacific, will be something as traffic grows.” of course, in terms of global support
of a challenge. Here, incumbent entry-level As it matures the A220 program, network will bring value: value for our
full-service carriers, low-cost operators Airbus knows it probably won’t have customers, value for our employees,
and start-ups alike have all been aircraft.’ the field to itself for too much longer, value for our suppliers and value for
fixated on operating either A320 or though it does certainly have a head our shareholders,” insisted Dufrenois.
737 types in their single aisle fleets. ANTONIO DA COSTA start. Boeing and Brazilian jet maker “This partnership is good for a lot
The only customer for the C Series Embraer, Bombardier’s major rival, of reasons. First of all is competition
in the region currently is Korean Air, has already announced they are and we do like competition. We
which has six CS300s. attempting to form a joint venture believe there is a market in the 100
Dufrenois said Asia Pacific is that would also push the US aerospace to 150-seat segment and we are
probably “not the first market for giant into the market for smaller convinced that the C Series responds
the C Series” but could still account regional jets. fantastically to the need of that
for 15 and 20 per cent. “It’s still a Under the proposal a new company market.
great market for the 100-150 seater. is being valued at US$4.75 billion, “This partnership is good for
You are right, the A320 has been with Boeing owning 80 per cent and the passengers because you will see
very successful in Asia Pacific and Embraer the remaining 20 per cent. the comfort of this aircraft is just
still dominates the market. We will That deal, however, is not expected to outstanding. It has 18-inch seats, wide
probably have to get some start-up, be finalised until the end of next year aisle tracks, high windows. It’s simply
some airline that wants to start afresh but if consummated would see Boeing the best aircraft in its class and I
with a new model. We will probably marketing Embraer’s range of new E2 would like to remind you it is also the
try to convince some airlines who have Jets in direct competition to the A220. quietest aircraft in its category. It will
the A320 to try the C series at the Whether the Embraer product be good also for the communities, in
same time. would be rebranded under a Boeing Canada at Mirabel where the aircraft
“I think we will also have to tackle brand is not yet known. Boeing exited will be built and very soon it will be
all these little regional airlines who the 100-seat jet market in 2007 when good for the communities of Alabama
have a project to develop and see how it stopped building the 717, which it where we will have our second
we could help them to develop with The A220-300 flies in formation had inherited with the acquisition of assembly line which will serve our
the C Series and go into the bigger with an A321neo during a McDonnell Douglas. huge US market.”
league if you will but with a module pre-Farnborough Airshow photo Difficulties aside, there is no Just how right he is, only time
that is a bit less risky than the A320.” shoot. airbus questioning Airbus’s new-found will tell.

SEPTEMBER 2018 51