Company Watch -- Airbus.

May 28, 2007

Air France Announces USD$7 Billion Aircraft Orders. Air France announced a USD$7 billion aircraft order today, split between Airbus and Boeing. The deals include an order for two more A380 superjumbos, the world's largest airliner whose two-year production delays have left manufacturer Airbus facing penalties to airlines. Air France said it had also placed orders for 30 A320-family single-aisle aircraft from Airbus and 18 wide-body 777 long-haul aircraft from Boeing. The Boeing 777 order is designed to help phase out Boeing 747s in the Air France network and includes 5 cargo aircraft. May 24, 2007

A380 on Far East tour. Following a series of proving flights to India, Airbus is taking its A380 aircraft to the Far East. May 22, 2007

China powers Airbus production Co-operation with a joint Chinese venture will see Airbus reach an eventual A320 manufacture total of 40 per month. May 21, 2007

Avion Aircraft Trading placed a firm order for eight Airbus A330-200 freighters, increasing its MOU commitment by two. The order follows finalization of a first leasing arrangement with Icelandair Cargo for four A330-200Fs, Airbus said. Deliveries will start in 2010. No engine type was selected. May 25, 2007

Indian Aviation Growth Spurs Aircraft, Skills Demand. India needs up to 500 new business jets, 1,000 helicopters as well as skilled pilots and engineers to meet demand in its rapidly expanding aviation market, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on Wednesday. India's burgeoning airline industry surprised plane makers with hefty orders two years ago, but Patel said the market's needs go well beyond the big airliners made by Airbus and Boeing. The Paris air show set for next month was where Indian airlines emerged as major aircraft buyers when the event was last held two years ago. May 24, 2007

New Kuwaiti Airline Talking To Airbus, Boeing Planned new airline Kuwait National Airways said it is in talks with aircraft makers Airbus and Boeing about its fleet requirements but is yet to make a decision. May 21, 2007

Russia Links EADS Stake To Joint Aircraft Deal. Russia sees no benefit in holding on to its stake in aerospace firm EADS if it does not strike a deal on the joint production of new-generation aircraft, a Kremlin aide said on Monday. May 21, 2007

Russia sees no benefit in holding on to its stake in aerospace firm EADS, Airbus[sup.1] parent company, if it does not strike a deal on the joint production of new-generation aircraft, a Kremlin aide said on Monday. Russia's state-controlled VTB bank holds a 5 percent stake in EADS. Russia's state-run United Aviation Corporation (UAC) is in talks with EADS on joint production. May 21, 2007

Last Airbus A300 Makes it Maiden Flight. The last new build Airbus A300, a freighter for Federal Express, has made its maiden flight and is currently in Hamburg having its cabin and cargo compartments fitted. It will then join the US cargo operator's Airbus fleet of 128 A300/A310 family aircraft in operation. The A300 made history as the first Airbus when it flew way back in 1972, it was the world[sup.1]s first twin engine widebody aircraft. In future years it is as a freighter that the A300 will be best remembered, many passenger aircraft converted. Besides FedEx, United Parcel Services (UPS) is another major operator. May 23, 2007

FedEx has not ruled out completely its interest in an Airbus A380 freighter even though it canceled its $2.3 billion order for 10 last November. "Of course we will look at it again," Chairman, President and CEO Fred Smith said yesterday in Memphis. "It's a great airplane--a marvelous piece of engineering." But he said the delays besetting the program have rendered a freighter version an option for the more distant future. "Airbus had limited resources and it would have difficulty meeting customer needs and developing a freighter," he said. May 24, 2007

FedEx instead placed an order for 15 Boeing 777Fs with options for an additional 15 . Smith said the two aircraft are completely different, with the 777F able to haul 175,000 lb. of cargo compared to the 300,000-lb. capacity of the A380. Already some Airbus customers have expressed an interest in a stretch version of the A380, which would have structural features similar to a freighter version, he said. If that happens, "We would take another look." May 24, 2007

New Kuwaiti Airline Talking To Airbus, Boeing. Planned new airline Kuwait National Airways said it is in talks with aircraft makers Airbus and Boeing about its fleet requirements but is yet to make a decision. The strategy of Kuwait National Airways was still on the drawing board pending the outcome of market studies, he said. Kuwait has two operating airlines -- state-owned Kuwait Airways, which has 17 aircraft, and low-budget carrier Jazeera Airways which has a fleet of five Airbus A320s. May 21, 2007

National carrier Malaysia Airlines revealed plans to order about 110 new aircraft as part of a seven-year plan to overhaul its entire fleet. The state-controlled airline, recovering from a cash crisis 18 months ago, said it wanted about 55 wide-bodied long-range aircraft and 55 narrow-bodied medium-range planes -- a shopping list it said could be worth up to USD$14.3 billion at list prices. Malaysia Airlines was already known to be in the market for narrow-bodied planes, such as the Airbus A320, Bombardier C series and Boeing 737. It chose its first-quarter results briefing on Monday to announce it was also looking for another roughly 55 wide-bodied planes, such as the new Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner. "We plan to issue another request for proposal for wide-bodied aircraft," Chief Financial Officer Tengku Azmil Zahruddin Raja Abdul Aziz told reporters. Malaysia Airlines currently runs a fleet of about 80 planes, mostly Boeings. It plans to replace its current fleet by 2014. May 27, 2007

The Rolls-Royce Trent 700 has been selected by Avion Aircraft Trading to power eight Airbus A330-200 freighters in an order worth around $300 million at list prices. Deliveries to the Reykjavik-based leasing company are scheduled to begin in 2010. May 25, 2007

Thai Airways To Modernize Fleet Over 10 Years. Thai Airways plans to buy at least 46 new aircraft in a 10 year plan to modernize its ageing fleet, airline president Apinan Sumanaseni said on Wednesday. The board of Thailand's flagship carrier would confirm the details in August, but Apinan said the plan was separate from its purchase of eight Airbus A330-300 and six A380 superjumbo planes. Apinan said at the time the airline planned to decommission 24 ageing aircraft over the next five years. May 23, 2007

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May 21, 2007