Aircraft News - Europe.

For more aircraft news, data, fleets and analysis, please go to: http://www.airguideonline.com/professional.htm Jul 31, 2006

Airbus

Airbus unveiled a revamped A350 XWB at Farnborough and was able to secure an order by week's end. While Emirates and International Lease Finance Corp. say they have not seen guarantees on the A350 XWB, an SIA spokesperson said that airline "had been given guarantees." SIA's order for the A350 XWBs does not affect its commitment for up to 40 787s. Jul 24, 2006

Airbus

Airbus announced firm orders and commitments from 12 customers for 182 aircraft valued at $21.5 billion at Farnborough. "This air show clearly demonstrates the confidence our customers are placing in Airbus to deliver the product they need," new President and CEO Christian Streiff said. Jul 24, 2006

Airbus, Blue Wings

Blue Wings last week signed an MOU with Airbus for 20 A320 family aircraft, the plane-maker announced. The order is worth $1.6 billion at list prices, according to Reuters, which said the deal reached at Farnborough comprised 16 150-seat A320s and four 185-seat A321s to be delivered starting in 2009. Blue Wings is based in Dusseldorf and operates mostly charter services to Turkey, the Middle East and South Asia. It plans to launch flights to the CIS. It is 48% owned by Alpstream AG, a Zurich-based affiliate of Russian National Reserve Corp. Jul 25, 2006

Airbus, Boeing

EU says U.S. tries to unfairly influence subsidy talks. EU officials say the U.S. is trying to tilt possible talks over aircraft subsidies too heavily in Boeing's favor. The U.S. and the EU brought the dispute to the World Trade Organization in 2005 but both say they would prefer a negotiated agreement. European Union trade chief Peter Mandelson said the United States was trying to give Boeing too great an advantage in possible talks to resolve a row with European plane maker Airbus over state subsidies. Jul 25, 2006

Airbus, EADS

EADS reports 9% earnings decline, warns of 'huge challenges".Airbus parent EADS yesterday reported a [euro]527 million ($663.9 million) second-quarter net profit, down 9% from [euro]582 million in the year-ago quarter, on revenues of [euro]9.9 billion, a 10% rise over last year.It conceded that "operational issues" leading to A380 delivery delays, the A350 redesign and the resignations of top executives at both EADS and Airbus made the second quarter a difficult one. It also lowered its profit forecast for the full year, saying it now estimates 2006 EBIT of [euro]3.2 billion. Previously, it said its EBIT could be as high as [euro]3.4 billion. "Together we will address the huge challenges ahead," co-CEOs Tom Enders and Luis Gallois said in a statement. "We will rebuild the market's confidence in EADS." Airbus reported second-quarter EBIT before exceptional items of [euro]810 million, a 1% dip from EBIT of [euro]816 million in the year-ago quarter. Revenues rose 8% to [euro]6.79 billion from [euro]6.27 billion last year. In the first half of 2006, Airbus delivered 219 aircraft compared to 189 in the same period last year and received 117 gross orders, not including the 182 additional orders announced at the Farnborough Airshow. Jul 28, 2006

Armavia, Airbus

Armavia A320 crash that killed 113 people in May was attributable to what appears to be a loss of situational awareness by the flight crew, Russian aviation officials stated yesterday, according to press reports. Last month's flight data recorder analysis revealed no problem with the aircraft. According to civil aviation head Tatyano Anodina, the aircraft was too low on approach and the crew was unable to respond in a timely manner to a GPWS alert. It is not clear whether the aircraft was equipped with Enhanced GPWS. The aircraft was 11 years old and was in good condition, according to Armavia. Jul 27, 2006

BAE Sysytems Regional Aircraft

BAE Sysytems Regional Aircraft held a low key but useful briefing during the Farnborough Air Show. The Hatfield-based leasing operation currently manages a trading portfolio of 295 BAE Systems manufactured aircraft with an estimated current market value of over $1bn (source: Airclaims). This portfolio comprises 66 BAe 146s, 82 Avro RJs, 40 ATPs, 40 Jetstream 41s and 67 Jetstream 32s. During the course of its 13-year custodianship of the portfolio, Regional Aircraft has secured more than 1,400 portfolio transactions, worth in excess of $2.6bn. These transactions comprise new leases, lease extensions, aircraft sales, and a range of sometimes highly complex financial restructuring of legacy transactions to yield savings worth millions of dollars. Over this 13-year period these transactions equate to just over 107 per annum or an average of two a week. Over this same period around 700 aircraft have been refurbished, customized and delivered to lessees or purchasers. Currently Regional manages around 75 further aircraft on behalf of third party owners/lessors. The aircraft types managed and advised upon include the Airbus A320 family, A300-600, A330, A340, Avro RJ, Boeing 737, 747, 757, 777 and Bombardier CRJ-200. http://www.regional-services.com Jul 29, 2006

Boeing, SkyEurope

SkyEurope took delivery of its fifth 737-700 last month. It will be based in Krakow. Jul 25, 2006

Concorde

Brooklands own Concorde G-BBDG opens to the public from tomorrow. Visitors will be treated to what the museum calls "The Concorde Experience" flying Mach 2.2 and over 50,000 ft including all the right noises and an articulate BA captain giving the commentary. Last week Prince Michael of Kent, president of the Brooklands Museum trustees officially dedicated the aircraft, the first British Concorde and flown on by HRH in 1974, prior to commercial service. For the occasion Prince Michael wore the same tie as he wore over 30 years before. Brooklands, unique in being the cradle of motor racing and aviation, is expected to see a big rush of visitors with the new exhibition. It celebrates 100 years in 2007, the world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit. http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com Jul 29, 2006

Embraer, Swiss International

Swiss International's Embraer 145 era comes to an end today with the completion of the type's last rotation, flights LX 1664/1665 between Zurich and Venice. The 50-seater aircraft has been in Swiss International service for over six years. Following its withdrawal, the company will operate an all-Avro RJ85/100 fleet on its short-haul services. Swiss International put its first Embraer 145 into revenue service in spring 2000. With the changes experienced in the European air transport sector over the past few years, the Embraer 145 has been only partially able to meet operating requirements, in view of its limited seat capacity. As a result, Swiss International decided last summer to standardise its short-haul operations on an all-Avro RJ85/100 aircraft fleet. Jul 30, 2006

Lufthansa

Lufthansa opened the Lufthansa Aviation Center at Frankfurt International Airport. The facility will house offices for 1,800 employees and features 36 meeting rooms and seven conference rooms. Jul 26, 2006

Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce sees slight uptick in engine demand in 2006. Rolls-Royce expects a slight increase in commercial aircraft engine deliveries in 2006 compared with 2005. The company reports higher profits for the first half of 2006 but says it delivered fewer engines because of slower demand for engines for smaller planes. Jul 27, 2006

Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce H1 Profit Up 22 Percent. Engine maker Rolls-Royce posted a 22 percent rise in underlying profit on Thursday helped by cost cuts and growth in its spares and repair service business. Underlying profit before tax rose 22 percent to GBP324 million (USD$603.2 million) for the six months to June 30. Underlying profit before financing costs increased to GBP345 million (USD$642.3 million). Jul 27, 2006

Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce announced that Hainan Airlines signed a $250 million contract for Trent 700s to power five new A330s leased from ILFC. Hainan also signed a long-term TotalCare services agreement. Deliveries will begin in November 2007. Rolls said the Trent 700 is powering every one of the 100-plus A330s either operating or on order with Chinese carriers. Jul 24, 2006

Saab Aerostructures

Saab Aerostructures was awarded a renewed, $60 million contract by Airbus UK to supply ailerons for A320 family aircraft. Saab has delivered more than 1,000 units since 2000. Jul 24, 2006

SAS Ground Services

SAS Ground Services renewed its agreement with Novair for ground handling services at 15 Scandinavian airports for an additional three years. It also was chosen by bmi for ground handling at Chicago O'Hare. Jul 24, 2006

ST Aerospace

ST Aerospace completed the transfer of Airline Rotables of the UK to SAS Component for $22.5 million. The consideration comes by way of issuance of new shares in SAS Component to STA. The transaction was announced in December as part of ST's acquisition of 67% of SAS Component. It now holds 71.3%. Jul 24, 2006

Swearingen Metro

Swearingen Metro airliner, in its final form the Fairchild Swearingen Metro III, was one of the most popular turboprop commuter airliners ever built, just over 1,000 delivered in a production run from 1971 until 2001. Capable of carrying 19 passengers in pressurized comfort. It could cruse at nearly 300 knots and was a useful cargo carrier too. For whatever reasons it did not catch on in the UK (maybe because of a plentiful supply of J31s) and now after a decade in service the one and only British example has been sold to Canada. http://www.airatlantique.co.uk Jul 29, 2006