Toulouse, France | September 3, 2019– Hi Fly, the privately owned Portuguese wet lease specialist operating an exclusive all-Airbus fleet, has taken delivery of a new A330neo on lease from Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL). The aircraft is configured with 371 seats in a two class layout, with 18 high comfort lie flat business class seats and 353 economy seats. All seats are equipped with the latest generation in-flight entertainment system, and mood lighting is available throughout the aircraft

The A330 will be deployed to further expand Hi Fly’s long haul wet lease and charter operations worldwide. Hi Fly operates an all Airbus fleet of 20 aircraft including four A320 Family aircraft, 15 A330 / A340 Family aircraft and one A380.

As a wet lease specialist Hi Fly provides aircraft on lease for short notice airline operations, with crew, maintenance and third-party insurance provided in a service-ready package.

The A330neo Family is the new generation A330, comprising two versions: the A330-800 and A330-900. The A330neo Family aircraft shares 95 percent commonality with the previous A330. It builds on the proven economics, versatility and reliability of the A330 Family, while reducing fuel consumption by 25% per seat versus previous generation competitors and increasing range by up to 1,500nm compared to the majority of A330s in operation.

The A330neo is powered by Rolls-Royce’s latest-generation Trent 7000 engines and features a new wing with increased span and new A350 XWB-inspired Sharklets. The cabin provides the comfort of the new Airspace amenities including state-of-the-art passenger inflight entertainment and Wifi connectivity systems.

Toulouse, France | February 15, 2019– Final assembly of the first A350-900 for Japan Airlines (JAL) has begun and is taking shape at the Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Toulouse, France. The wing-fuselage junction and the installation of the vertical and horizontal tailplane have been completed.

After this station, the first JAL A350 XWB will be in the next assembly station for final structural completion – such as the installation of winglets – and ground testing of mechanical, electrical and avionics systems.

JAL placed an order for 31 A350 XWBs (18 A350-900s and 13 A350-1000s) in 2013. It was JAL’s first ever order for Airbus aircraft.

The carrier’s first A350-900 is scheduled for delivery in the middle of the year. JAL’s A350 fleet will enter service on major domestic routes starting with its Haneda-Fukuoka route from September and later fly on international routes, replacing older-generation widebody types.

The A350 XWB is an all-new family of mid-size widebody long-haul airliners shaping the future of air travel. It is the world’s most modern widebody family and the long-range leader, ideally positioned in the 300-400 seat category. The A350-900 and the A350-1000, and derivatives, are the longest range airliners in operation, with a range capability of up to 9,700nm. The A350 XWB features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25% reduction in fuel burn and emissions.

The A350 XWB’s Airspace by Airbus cabin is the quietest of any twin-aisle and offers passengers and crews the most modern in-flight product for the most comfortable flying experience.

At the end of January 2019, Airbus has recorded a total of 894 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 48 customers worldwide, making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever.

Over the past year, there have been numerous IFEC personnel changes that have the potential to impact and influence the direction our industry is charting. Thales and Gogo have many new entrants to the industry on their employment roster, as well as, new leaders at the helm; while the vast majority of Panasonic’s upper management has been rolled over in the past 18 months. As new folks enter the market we strongly expect both product and product direction changes in the inflight & avaition arena. With these new teams in place, we also anticipate new market opportunities to open up with the cross pollination from other technology industries where many of these new entrants stem from. Debt will also become a driver that will focus modifications of current business products and create new product directions. One area we see with a strong growth is data. Data from passengers, from the airlines, and data from (and to) hardware. Specifically, we see the potential of new data products/analytics about the aircraft and it’s hardware. With the growth of data, we expect malware increases as well – something is bound to happen. While we will watch and report what we see coming, keep your eye on the future of AI and it’s ability to help determine product condition and passenger needs!

Now, lets get down to this week’s news highlights:

THALES

Sichuan Airlines is celebrating the entry into service of their new A350 XWB. Thales is delighted to join their partner in celebrating this important milestone. This is the first Airbus A350 in China to be equipped with Thales AVANT IFE system. They have relied on Thales to help deliver their promise to exceed passenger expectations by equipping their new A350 XWB with AVANT. With its sleek and lightweight design, Thales’s high performing IFE solution provides the passengers of Sichuan Airlines an exceptional inflight experience and a vast selection of entertainment during their flight. The onboard entertainment services include a variety of television series, the most recent feature films, music, and games. This further strengthens the relationship between Sichuan Airlines and Thales who is already the airline’s preferred business partner in avionics – including Flight Management System for their A320/A330 fleet, customer support and innovative services. Thales is proud of this partnership and the extended collaboration with Sichuan Airlines to provide the best inflight experience. “Thales is honored to equip Sichuan Airlines new A350 XWB aircraft with our state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system, AVANT. We support Sichuan Airlines ambitions to drive the highest level of passenger satisfaction as we work together to shape new opportunities to provide a truly unique experience to all travelers.” – Philippe Carette, CEO, Thales InFlyt Experience

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SATCOM DIRECT

Satcom Direct, the business aviation connectivity, software and hardware provider, has confirmed its first Jet ConneX installation for Deer Jet subsidiary, Hongkong Jet. The ultra-high-speed Ka-band service, powered by Inmarsat’s Global Xpress satellite constellation, is being supplied to a privately-owned Gulfstream G650ER, managed and maintained by Hongkong Jet. Installed at Gulfstream’s Long Beach, CA. facility and activated by SD in early summer, the system delivers unrivaled cabin access to the highest data speeds available to business aircraft in the sky. “The principal runs a large, international Chinese conglomerate so the ability to use voice and text services, download and email documents, and surf the web, are fundamental to his business. His family often travels with him and they want to stream video, watch favorite TV series, and big sporting events. The need to deliver constant, reliable, secure connectivity is essential. With Jet ConneX installed the cabin is truly a home from home, as well as an office in the air,” says Mike Walsh, chief commercial officer, Hongkong Jet.

The Satcom Direct Router, SDR, seamlessly delivers the high-speed connectivity throughout the G650ER cabin to all passenger devices. In addition, data integrity is maintained by the SD suite of cyber security software solutions which while managed by the SDR, are supplemented by certified SD experts, to proactively mitigate potential threats and block intrusion attempts in real-time.“The data security offering, the standard of SD global customer service, and the ability to respond 24/7 to resolve potential issues, played a significant part in our decision to appoint them as the Ka-band provider. Our clients expect us to maintain the aircraft to the highest standards and we rely on SD to meet and exceed those expectations in terms of connectivity,” said Denzil White, chief executive officer, Hongkong Jet.

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SITAONAIR

SITAONAIR’s EFB Weather Awareness Solution (eWAS) is the latest application certified by Inmarsat for use across its next-generation SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S) communications platform for the flight deck, allowing airlines to now receive the latest weather view in real-time during flights. Following its certification under Inmarsat’s Aviation Certified Application Provider (CAP) program, eWAS users will now be able to seamlessly utilize SITAONAIR’s best-in-class technology for pilots using real-time SB-S datalink connectivity. The popular pilot weather solution offers up to-date views of severe weather, which can then enable a smoother, more efficient inflight experience for passengers and crew – and avoid related cost implications that were once deemed unavoidable. Severe turbulence, lightning, ice crystallization and other volatile weather phenomena can significantly impact an airline’s bottom line, with a single weather event sometimes costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, in addition to negatively impacting on-time performance targets. Such weather phenomena can rapidly appear, shift location, and grow in intensity, posing an increasing problem for airlines that traditional weather briefing packages cannot deal with.

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BOEING/AvionX

Boeing named Brendan Curran president of Boeing AvionX, an organization formed last year to pursue the development and production of avionics and electronics systems. Curran, who has more than 20 years of aerospace industry leadership, joins Boeing from Crane Co., where he served as president of the Aerospace & Electronics Group. In this newly-created position, Curran will work across Boeing’s commercial, defense and services businesses to further mature the company’s aftermarket strategy. He will help advance overall capabilities of the Boeing AvionX organization to provide greater value to customers while driving long-term services growth. Curran will report to Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Global Services. “The success of Boeing AvionX depends on aftermarket technologies and innovations that exceed our customers’ needs, as well as developing avionics products that add value to our commercial and government platforms,” said Deal. “Brendan’s extensive expertise, especially as it relates to aftermarket strategies, will enable us to harness incredible opportunities so we can provide our customers more value throughout the life-cycle of their investments.”Prior to Crane Co., Curran was vice president of Business Development, Strategy and Partnerships for commercial engines at Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Company. Before that, Curran was vice president and general manager of Repair and Supply Chain for Hamilton Sundstrand, a United Technologies Company.

Curran will be based in Plano, Texas, home to Boeing Global Services headquarters.

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PANASONIC

Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) has appointed Catherine L. Razzano as Chief Compliance Officer. Catherine will be responsible for overseeing Panasonic’s compliance with laws, regulatory requirements, policies and procedures, and will report directly to the General Counsel of Panasonic Corporation of North America (PNA) with a dotted line reporting structure to Panasonic’s Chief Executive Officer, Hideo Nakano.

She joins Panasonic from General Dynamics Corporation where she held the position of Assistant General Counsel and Director from 2010. Her responsibilities included counsel on business and legal strategies, budget management for the legal department and serving as lead counsel to the company’s Government Relations Department. At General Dynamics, she also focused on the company’s compliance with anti-bribery laws, export controls, economic sanctions and other trade embargoes, anti-boycott regulations, anti-money laundering laws, and third-party intermediary agreements and due diligence requirements.

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Gogo

Gogo, the leading global provider of broadband connectivity products and services for aviation, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2018.

“Our BA segment achieved its highest ever quarterly revenue and EBITDA and we believe this segment is well positioned for continued growth,” said Oakleigh Thorne, Gogo’s President and CEO. “Our CA-NA segment showed solid service revenue growth over Q2 2017, excluding American Airlines. Our 2Ku operating metrics continue to improve and are helping to drive increased customer satisfaction.”

“Our second quarter results were elevated by the strong BA performance, a reduction and the timing of operating costs, and higher CA Net Service Revenue, among other items, and we maintain our 2018 Adjusted EBITDA guidance range of $35-$45 million,” said Barry Rowan, Gogo’s Executive Vice President and CFO. “We are beginning to realize the benefits of our ‘Gogo 2020’ plan and we believe these operational improvements will drive strong EBITDA growth going forward.”

Check out the financial report here.

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• Endorsement pushes Airbus’ A350 XWB firm order book above 800

France | April 29, 2016– China Eastern Airlines has signed a purchase agreement with Airbus for 20 A350-900 aircraft, making the airline the latest customer for the aircraft.

“The introduction of the latest generation A350 XWB aircraft demonstrates that the partnership between China Eastern Airlines and Airbus has embarked on a new phase. The introduction of A350 XWB will play a very important role in promoting our operational capability, profitability and service brand on our international long haul routes and opening a new chapter in the international development of China Eastern Airlines,” said Liu Shaoyong, Chairman of China Eastern Airlines.

“We are proud to welcome China Eastern Airlines, a long time and loyal Airbus partner, to become the latest airline to select the A350 XWB,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer – Customers. “The outstanding A350’s long haul performance, fuel efficiency and passenger comfort with its extra wide cabin and wider-seats, will allow China Eastern Airlines to achieve its ambitions to develop and efficiently expand its international route network.”

China Eastern Airlines operates one of the largest Airbus fleet in the world with nearly 300 Airbus aircraft in service, comprising A320 Family and A330 Family.

The A350 XWB is the world’s latest generation airliner and the newest member of Airbus’ modern, comfortable & efficient wide-body product family. It features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fiber fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs. For passengers the extra-wide cabin offers more personal space in all classes, including 18-inch wide seats as standard in economy class.

With this latest order, Airbus has recorded 803 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 43 customers worldwide, making it one of the most successful wide-body aircraft ever. So far 20 A350 XWBs have been delivered to five customers worldwide.

• Eight A350 XWBs, three A330s, 20 A320neos for the group

France | August 6, 2015– International Airlines Group (IAG) has signed a firm order for 31 Airbus aircraft, which includes 11 wide-body aircraft (eight A350-900s, three A330-200s) and 20 A320neos. The A350s and A330s are slated for Iberia’s fleet modernisation and to open new long-haul routes, and the A320neos will be allocated to the group’s airlines for fleet replacement.

With this latest order for 31 aircraft IAG and its airlines have ordered a total of nearly 450 aircraft from Airbus. IAG’s airlines British Airways, Iberia and Vueling, between them operate nearly every aircraft in Airbus’ product range from the smallest single aisle A318 to the world’s largest wide-body A380.

“IAG’s additional order for A350s and A330s is very significant for us and highlights the appeal of our leading wide-body Family. It always fills us with great pride when one of our biggest and most influential customers recognises the superior operating economics and passenger experience of our aircraft”, said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer – Customers. “The repeat selection of the A320neo is also a great endorsement of the world’s preferred single aisle Family among the world’s most prestigious carriers.”

The A350 XWB is the world’s most modern and efficient aircraft family. Over 780 aircraft have been ordered and five delivered. Since entering into service in January 2015, the fleet of five A350 XWBs have demonstrated high operational reliability and passenger appeal. The A330 is one of the most popular and versatile widebody aircraft ever and has to date won over 1,500 orders, with over 1,200 delivered to some 110 operators worldwide.

The A330, the A350 XWB and A380 make up the Airbus widebody aircraft Family, which uniquely spans the 250 to over-500 seats segment.

The A320neo Family aircraft offers the lowest operating costs of any single aisle aircraft delivering 15% fuel burn reduction at entry into service, and 20% by 2020, achieved through cabin innovations, latest engine technologies, and overall efficiency improvements. To date, the A320 Family has won more than 11,800 orders and over 6,600 aircraft delivered to more than 300 operators worldwide.

• Showcasing cabin comfort and innovation
• Demonstrating A350XWB and widebody leadership

Singapore | February 4, 2014– Airbus will have a major presence at the Singapore Airshow 2014, Asia’s largest aeronautical and defence airshow, taking place from 11^th-16^th February. Airshow visitors will be able to enjoy the all-new A350 XWB flight-test aircraft (MSN 3) performing its first ever airshow flying display on both, the 11^th and 12^th February.

A full scale A350 XWB cockpit as well as an interactive A350 XWB model will be on expo at the Airbus stand (J23) together with models of Airbus’ market-leading widebody product line and the successful A320neo. Guests can also discover Airbus’ benchmark cabin comfort standards in a dedicated Comfort Zone at the Airbus tent, located on the static display area.

Airbus will broadcast the A350 XWB flying display live, and provide daily airshow coverage and news via a special Singapore Airshow website on airbus.com and on youtube.com/airbus. In addition. Airbus will also broadcast a daily 30 minute live show, featuring Airbus experts and special guests. More details will be made available on www.airbus.com from February 11th.

Members of the media are invited to the Airbus press conference on Tuesday 11^th  February starting at 2:30 pm at the Singapore Airshow main exhibition Hall, Room 5. Airbus recommends media to follow alerts for upcoming events and announcements which will be posted in the airshow press centre, at the Airbus Group Chalet and Airbus Group stand.

The Airbus media relations team welcomes journalists to visit us at the Airbus Group business Chalet, CD19-CD29.

The Asia-Pacific region is a core market for Airbus with airlines from the region accounting for a third of the company’s total orders worldwide. Today there are more than 2,400 Airbus aircraft in service with nearly 100 airlines across the region and over 1,700 aircraft on order with Asia-Pacific carriers for future delivery. This represents over a third of the company’s total backlog, reflecting the importance of the region as the fastest growing market for new civil aircraft.