DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Airbus A318 Elite & ACJ To Lead The Field At MEBA

DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Airbus A318 Elite & ACJ To Lead The Field At MEBA

**Middle East is key market for top-of-the-line corporate jets

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources

(NSI News Source Info) BLAGNAC, France- December 6, 2010: Two top-of-the-line Airbus corporate jets will be exhibited at the Middle East and Business Aviation (MEBA) show in Dubai in December, highlighting their success in the region.

They comprise an A318 Elite operated by Al Jaber Aviation (AJA) of Abu Dhabi and an Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) based in Bahrain and operated by Comlux. Both aircraft are available for VVIP charter.

AJA began offering its Airbus A318 Elite for VVIP charter flights earlier this year, and is the first Airbus customer from the region to offer this service. It is also the largest Airbus customer for charter aircraft in the Middle East, having ordered four A318 Elites and two Airbus ACJs.

Comlux is one of Airbus’ largest corporate jet customers, and currently has an A318 Elite and an Airbus ACJ based in Bahrain.

More than ten operators are now offering over 15 Airbus corporate jets for private charter.

Both aircraft are similar in size on the outside to traditional corporate jets, but are around twice as big inside, leading the field at MEBA as well as setting the new standard in space and comfort in top-of-the-line business aircraft – whether existing or planned.

“Airshows such as MEBA are a great way for us to showcase our wider, taller cabins and their unequalled freedom of movement, because they allow potential customers to see for themselves how we compare with traditional business jets,” remarks Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers John Leahy. “It can literally be a case of see, buy and fly in the Middle East market, which is the world’s most important for top-of-the-line and widebody corporate jets,” he adds.

Business jet customers can choose from a whole spectrum of aircraft, ranging from small one-pilot jets all the way up to widebodies that can fly large delegations nonstop to the world, but only Airbus offers a complete family of modern top-end products to suit every need.

Airbus has made a habit of bringing new and innovative technology to the airliner field, leading the way with fuel, weight and cost-saving initiatives, and these benefits – together with the classy comfort and superb space that their corporate jet versions deliver – make them the natural choice for those that want the best in private transport.

Airbus has sold more than 170 corporate jets to date, comprising over 110 of its A318 Elite, Airbus ACJ and A320 Prestige family and over 60 VIP and government widebodies. Airbus corporate jets are the only ones flying on every continent, including Antarctica.

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

© Copyright (c) DTN News Defense-Technology News

DTN NEWS ON TWITTER (30 SUBJECTS)

DTN News: Airbus Delivers First A318 To British Airways With 'Steep Approach' Capability

DTN News: Airbus Delivers First A318 To British Airways With 'Steep Approach' Capability *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) LONDON, UK - September 2, 2009: Airbus has delivered the first of two A318 aircraft equipped with 'steep approach' capability to British Airways. The A318 is the largest commercial aircraft certified to land at steeper than usual gradients and has the potential to transform long haul travel between city centres, saving time and cost to the business traveller.

British Airways (London) will launch a new business class-only Airbus A318 route next year from London’s downtown City Airport (Docklands) to New York! City Airport was recently certified for the A318 to operate on the short runway. The New York airport was not specified (BA currently serves JFK and Newark). BA will order two A318s for this niche route, a new type for the carrier. The A318s will be configured with only 32 seats. The new service will feature a 15-minute check-in at both airports. On the financial side, BA reported its net income for the past nine months through December 31 rose 22 percent to $1.2 billion. Copyright Photo: The A318 will be the last type in the A320 family to showcase BA markings. A319-131 G-EUPN (msn 1261) prepares fro departure from Heathrow Airport.

The delivery makes the carrier a new operator of all four members of the A320 Family, allowing British Airways to benefit from the fullest possible advantages of Airbus' unique operational and maintenance commonalities.

The A318's 'steep approach' capability makes it ideal for operations out of mountainous or otherwise constrained locations such as urban area airports where the aircraft also satisfies strict low noise regulations. British Airways A318s will each be equipped with two CFM 56-5B9/3 engines. Willie Walsh, British Airways' chief executive said: "The A318s were specially ordered for the twice-daily London City - JFK service because of their size, flexibility and 'steep approach' capability and will reinforce our unrivalled schedule between two of the world's greatest financial centres.

The A318 may be our smallest aircraft but it has a big role to play in bringing a new dimension of style and convenience to the London - New York route and shows our determination to invest in the future." "The A318 has the best capability and range of any commercial aircraft serving city centre airports. It enables operators to open new premium routes with enhanced cabin comfort standards thanks to the widest fuselage of any single-aisle aircraft," said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

In British Airways' layout, the A318s' Club World cabin will feature a spacious layout with 32 seats that convert into full lie-flat beds, equipped with OnAir connectivity, allowing passengers to work during the flight with email, web surfing and mobile phone text messaging. The two A318s ordered will join a fleet of 11 A321s, 37 A320s and 33 A319s already in service. British Airways has a further nine A320s and 12 A380s on firm order from Airbus.

The A320 Family, which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, is recognised as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. Each aircraft features fly-by-wire controls and all share a unique cockpit and operational commonality across the range. Around 6,350 Airbus A320 Family aircraft have been sold and 4,000 delivered to some 300 customers and operators worldwide. The A318 is also very popular in the Corporate Jet market as is the ACJ and the A320 Prestige, which have altogether sold well over 100 between them.