Procurement News Notice |
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| PNN | 9856 |
| Work Detail | Airbus chose JetExpo’2016 at Moscow-Vnukovo Airport to display an ACJ319 operated by MJet and to promote the ACJ350XWB with local customers, says David Velupillai, director for marketing for the Airbus Corporate Jets division. The annual business aviation expo runs from Thursday through Saturday this week. Out of 180 ACJs in operation worldwide, 15 are either permanently based in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) or owned by local operators and registered elsewhere. While most ACJ customers go for VIP jets on the narrowbody platform, every sixth sale is a widebody. “First, the widebody can take a larger group of travelers onboard. Secondly, it can cover longer distances nonstop,” Velupillai explained. Out of 30 widebody ACJs flying ‘round the globe, at least two are known to be serving CIS customers. ACJ340-300, registration M-IABU, has been the personal aircraft of Russian business tycoon Alisher Usmanov for about four years. It is a conversion of standard passenger airliner, now configured for 75 travelers and a maximum flight range of 14,500 km (7,825 nm). ACJ340-600, registration 4K-A108, belongs to the government of Azerbaijan and flies with AZAL – Azerbaijan Airlines national carrier – on transportation duties for President Ilham Heydar oghlu Aliyev. Outfitted by Jet Aviation Basel in 2014-2015, it can take 80 travelers nearly 16,000 km (8,634nm) . Observing that local customers do use widebody jets as personal transports, Airbus is looking to place some new A350XWBs with them. The manufacturer managed only three ACJ deliveries last year. It launched “active promotion” of the ACJ350XWB version back in May, but has yet to secure any orders. Most ACJ customers make their buying decisions based on: “Does it carry the number of people I want to carry on the range that I want?” according to Velupillai. “For most customers, the ACJ330 can do the job, because Airbus widebodies are inherently very capable aircraft. The A350 gives you a little bit more performance. Besides, it is the latest and greatest. Some customers want to buy the newest, and we expect them to go for the ACJ350.” Today, the number of positions is limited because of the large backlog of orders from commercial airlines, “but it will increase over time.” He further said the main target audience for the ACJ350XWB is “heads of states and heads of big corporations.” Its cabin, 5.6 meters wide and 2.44 m high, offers 270 square meters of floor space, enough to seat 75 passengers in a high comfort. “Widebodies in VIP roles are mostly used by governments; they have space for invited guests, such as heads of companies and journalists that the government officials sometimes invite to fly with them.” The A350XWB offers an enhanced pressurization system, enabling a “lower” cabin altitude environment. Some people who have flown in the airplane say they feel better, and that jet-lag feeling is reduced, according to Velupillai. “It is another plus that we can offer with the A350XWB.” The VIP version of the plane has seven zones in the cabin, with the capability to set temperatures and other climate parameters individually in each zone, for instance, a higher temperature in the bedroom and lower at the lunching table. “This is just a concept. We have yet to build and deliver such an aircraft,” said Velupillai. Airbus pictures the ACJ350XWB as “the most modern widebody VIP aircraft” in the world. Comparing it to the previous generation, Velupillai lists a 25 percent reduction in fuel burn at Mach 0.85 cruise speed and extended range among other advantages of the newer product. When operated out of Moscow, the ACJ350XWB can transport 25 passengers 17,600 km [9,500 nm], reaching as far Wellington, New Zealand or Tierra del Fuego, Argentina without a fuel stop. The ACJ350XWB ULR with advertised range of 20,000 km [10,800 nm] can go even farther than that. “This aircraft can fly non-stop almost anywhere,” Velupillai said. Composites in the A350XWB make up 53 percent of the airframe and titanium 14 percent. Using these advanced construction materials reduces structural weight and cuts cost on keeping aircraft operational. “The airframe, made largely of carbon-fiber, is less susceptible to fatigue and, therefore, lasts longer. Besides, it requires less maintenance. Checks for cracks are done once in 12 years, compared to six for aluminum airframes. And carbon-fiber does not corrode,” Velupillai said. Airbus prescribes that A350 operators subject their aircraft to checks every 1,200 flight hours; perform base maintenance every 36 months; and heavy maintenance every 12 years. On the downside, a composite airframe makes life harder for outfitters specializing in VIP cabins. According to Velupillai, normally they drill some 200 holes in the airframe’s structural members to attach interior items. In most instances, making holes in aluminum is acceptable, but the composites are not that tolerant. To make things easier for interior installations, Airbus offers newly delivered A350s with “Easyfit mechanical interface,” which is an option to optimize installation of interior items and provide special interface/connectivity for systems. Conceived around “no drilling concept” via pre-installed interfaces. Velupillai explains: “In the floor, you have the seat tracks and reinforced floor panels available in the airliner version to attach interior items. The cabin outfitter can use those to attach what he needs. Higher up you have some attachment points, because the airliner version has overhead storage bins – so these points already exist. With Easyfit, what we are talking about is adding some extra attach points in the middle, between the floor and the overhead storage-bin height. It could be something like 200 easy attachment points. We have cooperated with three of the experienced cabin outfitters to prepare this solution. We have worked with LHT [Lufthansa Technik], Jet Aviation and Associated Air Center. These three companies have a lot of experience in doing widebody aircraft. Some of them have also done carbon-fiber aircraft from our competitor. We worked with them to make use of their experience to make sure we will do well for the ACJ350. |
| Country | Russia , Eastern Europe |
| Industry | Airports & Aviation |
| Entry Date | 15 Oct 2016 |
| Source | http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2016-09-08/airbus-promotes-acj319-and-acj350wb-moscows-jetexpo |
