AIRBUS A330 Civil (Passagers & Fret)

Spawn2 a écrit:Rolls Royce annonce la sélection du Trent 700 pour la motorisation de 16 A 330 commandés par China Eastern Airlines. Avec accord TotalCare :

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November 9 2010 ROLLS-ROYCE WINS $1.2 BILLION ORDER FROM CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES AND AGREES ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP


Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has won an order worth $1.2bn, at list prices, from China Eastern Airlines for Trent 700 engines to power 16 Airbus A330 aircraft.

The order includes a TotalCare long-term service agreement.
Rolls-Royce and China Eastern Airlines have also formed a Carbon Partnership, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 190,000 tonnes in its first year.

The partnership will see Rolls-Royce provide a fuel management service for the airline's fleet of more than 300 aircraft.

It will also supply enhanced performance kits to upgrade the Trent 700 engines on China Eastern Airlines' 20 existing A330s.

China Eastern, which will bring its new A330s into service from 2011, was the first airline in mainland China to use Trent technology when it received Trent 500 engines for its Airbus A340 aircraft in 2003.
Steve Miller, Rolls-Royce, Civil Aerospace Vice President - China, said: "We are delighted that China Eastern continues to put its trust in our leading-edge Trent technology underpinned by a TotalCare support package that offers operational and performance benefits. We also look forward to assisting China Eastern in its efforts to reduce its environmental impact."
Liu Shaoyong, Chairman, China Eastern, said: "We have found the Trent 700 to be extremely effective in service and are pleased to select it for our latest aircraft.
We also look forward to working with Rolls-Royce through our Carbon Partnership which we anticipate will reduce fuel consumption by at least two per cent in its first year alone, the equivalent of a 190,000-tonne reduction in CO2, which equates to the amount of CO2 produced by 80,000 cars over the same period."

Air China has emerged as the Chinese customer behind an agreement to acquire 10 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] aircraft, as well as 10 A330's.
The airline is to take delivery of the A350s in stages from 2018 to 2020.

Air China adds that it expects to introduce the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] twin-jets between 2013 and 2015. It has detailed its plans following the Chinese Government's signing of an agreement, earlier this month, covering acquisition of 102 Airbuses.
That agreement included 10 A350s but did not identify the carrier for which they were bound.

Air China has not stated the variant of A350 it plans to take, nor has it identified whether the A330s will be -200s or -300s.

It has given a value of just under $4.5 billion for the aircraft purchase, based on earlier list prices, but states that it has been granted "significant price concessions".
A350s are only available with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB powerplants. Air China has not given an engine selection for the A330s but its current A330 fleet is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700s.

• GE (CF-6 ; quel désordre, pour ne pas dire 'désastre' !) : à peine 8% (à quoi bon ? ) ;
  
• P&W (PW4100) : 20% à 21%, ...au maximum (crédible; raisonnable) ;
  
• RR (70% à 71%) : no comment.
  

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has won an order from Air China for engines to power a total of 20 new Air China Ltd aircraft, comprising ten Airbus A350 XWBs and ten A330s. The contract, worth $1.8bn at list prices, includes a TotalCare long-term service agreement.

Rolls-Royce will provide Trent XWB engines for the A350 XWBs and Trent 700 engines for the A330s.

L'absence de GE sur l'aile de l'A350-XWB n'a pas empêcheé Air China de choisir RR !

La commande des RR Trent 700, est ecore une fois, du "Repeat Business" !

Steve Miller, Rolls-Royce, Civil Aerospace Vice President – China, said: “Our world class technology and service support enables our customers to achieve unrivalled performance benefits. We are very proud that Air China has again put their trust in us with this new order for the Trent XWB engine and a follow-on order for the Trent 700.”

Since the start of July, Rolls-Royce has won more than $4.5bn in orders from customers around the world for the Trent 700, confirming its position as market leader on the A330, capturing 75 per cent of orders over the last three years.

The Trent 700 is the only engine specifically designed for the A330 and over 1,000 are now in service or on firm order. It offers outstanding levels of performance and delivers the best payload capacity, particularly in hot and high altitude locations, such as the Lhasa airport and others in the region.
The Trent XWB, specifically designed for the Airbus A350 XWB, is the fastest selling Trent engine ever with more than 1000 sales since 2007. It will offer 28 per cent better fuel efficiency than pre-Trent generation engines.

Airbus is set to reveal plans for a maximum gross weight increase of its Airbus A330-300 widebody.
The 2t increase, to 235t, will allow the aircraft to operate an additional 120nm (220km) or carry an extra 1.2t payload.

In 2008, Airbus announced a weight increase on its A330-200. At the time, the manufacturer raised the maximum gross weight by an additional 5t to 238t.
Flight International understands that Airbus management will by the end of the year sign off the commercial authorisation to launch the variant.
As of 31 October, Airbus had clocked up 66 net orders for A330s, including 38 -300s and 28 -200s.

• le B787 allait être le "nec plus ultra" à tous point de vue (cela est vrai sous les angles du parfait en matière de communication autherntique au sujet de la mise en ligne d'un avion civile :roll: ) ;
  
• AirAsia (et surtout AirAsiaX) allait être 'la prochaine Compagnie' LCC de la planète à se casser la figure (nous avons vu ses résultats ...., et nous voyons ci-après son lancement des lignes Asie-Europe à tarif bas...., dans le cas Kula Lumpur-Paris )
  

Le PDG de la compagnie aérienne malaisienne à bas coûts AirAsia X a annoncé mercredi que les billets pour la nouvelle route Kuala Lumpur/Paris s'étaient arrachés et que les avions étaient déjà presque pleins avant même l'ouverture de cette ligne en février 2011.

2010 AFP

Jeannot a écrit: Les problèmes du 787 s'accumulent

La FAA pourrait reduser la certification ETOPS
La production des appateils en cours serait un véritable cauchemar
Explosion des coûts
Etc..

• les A330-200 / -300 (y compris la version HGW) auront de beaux jours encore devant eux ;
  
• que cela vaudra sans doute la peine pour Airbus de lancer l'A330-300 HGW, aussi ;
  
• Boeing, avec un peu de modestie, pourrait relancer le B777-200ER, en "stop-gap", même si l'on sait que pas mal de clients voudraient la version à moteur RR Trent 895.
  

• perspectives de graves problèmes, durables, sur le programme B787, qui conduisent Tim CLARK à ouvrir son clapet, mégaphone en main !
  

veloppment à ce sujet ! Tout le monde a tous les éléments d'appréciation à portée de main !

Mais ce n'est pas avec le B777-300ER, et la motorisation peu fiable du GE90-115, que Boring va trouver les solutions ! Le B77-200ER est un bien meilleur compromis, pour les premières années dures à venir !

Car Boeing va avoir à gérer avec assiduité et finesse (et cela excclut les saloperies) et les court, moyen et long terme.

Bien sûr, on ne peut pas exclure les risques d'annulations et la migration de nombreux clients chez Airbus, pour les A330 et A350-XWB !

On se demande comment va se comporter la bande de Qantas (surtout le Leader fort en gueule, Alan JOYCE) ! Que pense-t-il de ses commandes B787 (malgré les annulations déjà faites) ?

Ce n'est pas pour rien que nous avons dit que les ££££££ et BBF sous d'autres cieux devraient davantage se soucier du programme B787 (et ses très graves difficultés, ... préoccupantes), au lieu de casser le sucre sur RR dans leurs écrits puériles et stériles !

Encore une fois, ils n'ont fait que montrer leur ignorance des affaires aéronautiques, des moteurs d'avions, et d'aviation civile !

Mais souhaitons que Boeing arrive à finir par réussir convenablement ce programme, parce que le marché attend ses avions, dont il a besoin !

Je coupe là pour le moment, pour revenir sur l'article de presse citée en lien.

Even as Boeing continues to struggle with the 787-8 program, future planning calls for resurrecting plans for the 787-10 that have been on indefinite hold while working through technical issues and delays of the current model.

• Envisager de sortir l'avion du futur, avec un fuselage tout composite théoriquement le 'nec plus ultra',
  
• et une aile (à prendre initialement sur les bases identiques à celles prévue d'abord pour le B787-9, censée être 'l'optimisation des optimisations', ... 'la meilleure aile de tous les temps' (absurde ; Boeing n'avait même pas bouclé la définition finale du B787-9, dont le B787 -10 était prévué comme une version dérivée ! ) ;
  
• pour contrer un fuselage 'tout métal' des années 1970, et un avion dont la technologie réfléchit, globalement, celle de son EIS, en 1995
  

Airbus has sold more A330s since the 787 program was announced than in the period leading up to the 787's launch. The A330-200 has been improved to now have an advertised 7,200nm range-nearly matching the low-end of the 787-8, according to Airbus estimates-and the A330-300 now has a 5,850nm range with more improvements planned to provide a few hundred miles more range.

Nicole Piasecki, vice president of Business Development & Strategic Integration, told employees last month that the delays in the 787 program prompted "a lot of orders [for the A330] from airlines who were expecting the 787.It competes against our 767 and our 787 and as the 787 starts coming online with full capability, and I can tell you if we develop a 787-10, which I would put in the likelier category, I would expect the A330's days would be numbered or that our market share position would certainly be a strong one."

Piasecki also told employees that Boeing is "looking at further investment in the 787 family [as] the best way to compete against the A350-800 and -900".

Boeing believes the A350-1000, currently with a promised EIS of 2015, will not have an adequate engine in the current iteration of the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB and that EIS will be delayed to the second half of this decade, relieving pressure to do anything immediately with the 777-300ER.

Voila la source de la rumeur, que nous avons mise en pièces dans divers écrits récents !

La somme des commandes prises en A330 & A350-XWB, depuis le lencement du B787, dépasse de loin les volumes bradés sur le B787, ..... dont la rentabilité ne pourra pas être assurée avec les fruits de la première fournée de cet avion !

• minimiser l'impact que Boeing aura à payer aux clients sur le programme B787 ;
  
• éviter des annulations, .... qui, autrement, se retrouveraient en commande che Airbus ;
  
• déstabiliser les programmes A350-XWB-1000 et RR Trent XWB ;
  
• trouver le plus vite possible du PUC pour les clients frustrés du programme B787 !
  

L'affaire RR Trent 900 sera bientôt oubliée ! L'affaire B787 ne sera jamais oubliée !

EASA warns A330 crews: Check speeds if autopilot disengages

Airbus A330 and A340 pilots are being issued with a new procedure for dealing with unreliable airspeed indications, which instructs them to resist immediately re-engaging the autopilot if it disconnects.
Unreliable airspeed data, sourced through pitot tubes mounted on the aircraft, is still a consideration in the investigation of the loss of Air France flight AF447, an A330-200, over the South Atlantic last year.
In an airworthiness directive the European Aviation Safety Agency states that a significant difference between airspeed sources causes the aircraft's autopilot and autothrust to disconnect, and the flight controls revert to 'alternate' law. The flight-director bars also vanish.
But if two airspeed sources nevertheless show similar, incorrect, results the aircraft will restore the flight-director bars and allow the autopilot and autothrust to be re-engaged.
EASA says that this can result in the aircraft giving misleading instructions to the autopilot.
"In some cases the autopilot orders may be inappropriate, such as possible abrupt pitch command," it says.
This, in turn, could result in unsafe aircraft behaviour. EASA is directing operators to amend their aircraft flight manuals to instruct pilots, in similar circumstances, not to engage the autopilot and autothrust immediately, and not to follow the flight-director orders.
EASA says crews should instead perform a cross-check of all speed indications to assess whether the airspeed information is reliable, and to apply relevant 'unreliable airspeed' checks if necessary.
At least two air data references must provide reliable speed indications for at least 30s, it adds, with the aircraft stable on its intended course, before pilots attempt to re-engage the autopilot and autothrust.
EASA has ordered that the changes be made within 15 days from 5 January 2011.

Transaero Airlines is planning to purchase four more Boeing 777s from Singapore Airlines in 2011 and is increasing its commitment from nine to 12 747-400s, a spokesperson confirmed to ATW.

The SIA 777-300ERs, which will become the first of the type to join UN's fleet, will accommodate up to 373 passengers in a four-class configuration. They will be used on domestic and international routes.
In April, the Russian airline signed contracts for the acquisition of five 777-200ERs previously operated by SIA and nine ex-Japan Airlines 747-400s as part of its ongoing fleet development and modernization program ([Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]). All five 777-200s have been delivered and the first ex-JAL 747-400 arrived this week. It is configured in two classes, with 12 seats in business and 509 in economy. The aircraft will be operated on high-capacity routes to leisure destinations.
UN will add 11 747-400s configured with 521 seats in 2011 and 2012. They will be integrated into its fleet on financial leasing contracts. “As we are phasing out our [four] -200s and we notice increasing demand on leisure destinations, we see the need for more 747-400s [compared to April] in this configuration,” the spokesperson said. Its other 747-400s offer a three-class configuration—first, business and economy—with a much lower seat density of 352 seats.
Transaero’s fleet now comprises 59 aircraft, including 14 747s, eight 777s, 12 767s, 22 737s and three Tupolev 214s. It is the only carrier in Russia and the CIS that operates 777 and 747 passenger aircraft.
The carrier is rapidly growing. Traffic for the first three quarters of 2010 increased 40.2% year-over-year to 21.54 billion RPKs while the number of passengers carried rose 32.2% to 5.6 million. It currently serves more than 100 routes in Russia, Europe, Asia, Africa and North and South America and added 18 new routes so far this winter schedule. It will launch a weekly Moscow Domodedovo-Rio de Janeiro flights in January......

• cela se sait depuis longtemps que SIA ne serait tout simplement pas content de cet appareil B777-300ER ; "Cost of Ownership" et DOC trop élevés ;
  
• manque de fiablité des moteurs GE90-115B ; trop d'IFSD "coûteux' et agaçants;
  
• en terme de rentabilité, les B777-200ER de SIA sont plus intéressants pour la Cie. que les B777-300ER ; mais SIA est en train de les vendre, pour renouveler sa flotte, selon le critère qu'est l'âge moyen des appareils de la flotte ;
  
• l'aspect "A330-300 : concurrent du B777-300ER là ou on ne l'attendait pas" ; et ceci a sa pertinence chez SIA, qui a pris 19 X Airbus A330-300, à moteurs RR Trent 772B-EP (très performants et fiables), en compensation des retards dans les livraisons des Airbus A380-800, ...... opération qui permet à SIA de bien connaître l'A330-300, et de pouvoir faire des comparaisons de rentabilité, entre certaines familles d'avions au sein de sa flotte ; SIA s'est rendu compte que, pour 95% à 97% des itlnéraires assurés par les B777-300ER, l'A330-300 suffirait, et offrirait l'avantage d'être plus rentables ;
  
• la valeur résiduelle de l'A330-300 par rapport à celle du B777-300ER ;
  
• aussi, il semblerait qu'une enquête parmi les "passagers / clients à haute contribution" de SIA ait indiqué une nette préférence pour cet avion, par rapport à leur appréciation subjective de l'avion B777-300ER.
  

Mais, pensez, donc, à ces aspects, et à d'autres, le jour ou l'A350-XWB fera son EIS !

• dans le but de garder un âge moyen faible / jeune de ses appareils, accélération des cessions des B777 (principalement les B777-200 / -200ER, et -300), et leur remplacement par des A330-300, notamment la version dite "HGW / IGW" ("Heavy Gross Weight" / "Increased Gross Weight") ou 'à masse accrue' ;
  
• organisation de la cession progressive, mais moins hâtive, de la flotte de B777-300ER, qui, bien que jeune, ne donne pas vraiment satisfaction, en raison de ses DOC et "Costs of Ownership" plutôt 'trop élevés', et le niveau élevé des coûts 'cachés" (dû au manque relatif de fiabilité des moteurs GE90-115B), et des "knock-on costs" des IFSD et déroutements, engendrés par ces derniers ; ici, l'A330-300, et même l'A330-200HGW (pour les itinéraires dites "long & thin"), pourraient, ensemble, dans un panachage bien dosé entre les deux, même remplacer la plupart des B777-300ER (aspect, déjà analysé par ailleurs de "A330-300 comme concurrent du B777-300ER, là où on ne l'attendait pas");
  
• annulation des commandes B787-9, et le remplacement de cet appareil par une acquisition progressive d'une combinaison d'avions d'Airbus (étalée sur une certaine durée) d'A330-300 et d'A330-200HGW, accompagné d'un mélange d'Airbus A350-XWB-800 et -900, qui viendraient compléter la flotte fes A350-XWB-900 déjà commandés;
  
• SIA jouit d'une position lui permettant d'exiger ce genre de combinaison d'opérations, dans un cadre d'opérations de compensations pour les annulations envisageables (ou, comme l'avait fait Qantas : avec des Airbus A330 comme "medium" de compensation, .... avec la différence que SIA prendrait ces avions avec des moteurs RR Trent 772B -EP et RR Trent XWB-900, ... et non pas des GE CF-6 pour toute la parte A330) :
  
• les coûts de formation des équipages (Pilotes et "Flight Attendants") pourraient être substantiellement et durablement rationnalisés & optimisés, bien au-delà de ce qui est possible quand il s'agit d'une flotte mixte !
  

Mais, quelles seraient vos réactions devant le contenu de ce post ?

The push to regain pricing power on the baseline 787-8, which aims to cut its fuel burn by 20% compared with today's 767, is evident in the aircraft's changing list price, which debuted in August 2005 on Boeing's website for $125-135 million. Boeing says that price was in reference to catalogue pricing messaged in the early launch days of the programme in comparison with the 767-300ER.

The price today, again boosted on 14 December, places the 787-8 average catalogue price tag at $185.2 million, more than 40% higher than first envisaged. That increase is compared to an average 19-22% jump in the price of the 777 and 767 over the same period, respectively.

Additionally, the price of the larger 787-9 first appeared in May 2006 when Boeing displayed a $178.5-188 million and has risen today to average of $219.1 million.

"The difference in price increase is to adjust the pricing relationship between the 787-8 and 787-9 to better reflect their relative size and capability. The increase is also a reflection of value the 787-8 will provide to customers," says Boeing.

The sales success Boeing enjoyed on the 787 may be a doubled-edged sword said Albaugh: "The fact that we're virtually sold out to the end of the decade - we can't supply this airplane to some of our premium customers, and quite frankly I'd like to sell these airplanes for what they're worth."

The schedule for the 787-9 remains in great doubt, and programme sources suggest the new plan will have a bigger impact on the -9 than it does on the -8.

Additionally, Boeing confirms that it is looking again "at the possibility" of the 787-10, a further stretch of the 787-9, to comfortably accommodate around 315 seats in three classes.

The 787-8 and -9 product development planners aim for those aircraft to be dominant on long and thin Pacific routes, while the 787-10 would be intended for the thicker routes. The aircraft, as conceived today, would be a simple fuselage stretch of the -9 while offering a 6,500nm (12,000km) range, nullifying the performance of the Airbus A330-300.*******

The goal, says those same sources, is to offer a higher priced 787, while adding a comparatively low-cost investment that grows the backlog with prices based on the revised -9 industrial cost assumptions.

With enormous costs sunk into the programme to rehabilitate its supply chain, as well as to rework, repair, reinforce and mature parts of the aircraft's design, Boeing hopes to use the 787-9 as a "do-over", says a company source, first getting manufacturing oversight of the design and global supply chain, incorporating the lessons accumulated with the early manufacturing tranche of 787-8s.

The stretched 787-9 is an opportunity to apply the hard-earned technical lessons learned on the 787-8. The aircraft reflects Boeing's ambition to incorporate widespread design changes to lighten and optimise the airframe and further refine the aircraft's systems.

Réactions ?

Ydel a écrit:Xiamen Airlines aurait l'intention de prendre 6 Boeing 787, selon ATW

La Cie chinoise avait annulé sa commande pour 3 B 787-8,
Boeing ayant précisé immédiatement que les 3 Dreamliners restaient chez CASCG

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Xiamen Airlines is negotiating with Boeing on an order for six 787 aircraft as part of its international expansion plan, according to Xiamen GM Che Shanglun.

The Xiamen-based carrier operates a fleet of 68 Boeing aircraft on more than 15 domestic and international routes. It plans to expand its fleet to more than 130 by 2015.

Che revealed the carrier had net income of CNY1.8 billion ($272.6 million) in 2010 and reduced its debt ratio to less than 70%, which he said provides a solid financial base for the carrier's fleet expansion.

In addition, Xiamen received a CNY810 million capital injection from majority owner China Southern Airlines to fund a rapid fleet expansion last month.

China's big three have also accelerated their fleet expansion pace owing to the robust growth of market demand.

Recently announced orders have come from China Eastern for 50 A320s ([Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]); CZ for 30 A320s and six A330s ([Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]); and Air China for 10 A330s and 10 A350s ([Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]).

On dit que la motorisation de préférence est le RR Trent 1000, qui va finir par être confirmé comme un fabuleux moteur !

Eider2 a écrit:IFSD d'un CF-6 ( 80E1A ) sur A 330 d'Air Europa

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An Air Europa Airbus A330-200, registration EC-JQQ performing flight UX-42 from Buenos Aires Ezeiza, BA (Argentina) to Madrid,SP (Spain), diverted to Rio de Janeiro Galeao,RJ (Brazil) after the crew needed to shut the right hand engine (CF6) down.
The airplane landed safely on Galeao's runway 10.

Ugant a écrit:RTO d'un A 330 d'Air Canada. "compressor stall" sur un de deux Trent 700

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An Air Canada Airbus A330-300, registration C-GHKW performing flight AC-850 from Calgary,AB (Canada) to London Heathrow,EN (UK) with 243 people on board, was cleared for takeoff from Calgary's runway 16.

The crew accelerated the engines for takeoff, engine #1 (Trent 772, left hand) however experienced a compressor stall prompting the crew to reject takeoff at low speed and shut the engine down.

The airplane subsequently taxied back to the apron.

L'avion était assez lent pour ne pas décoller

The Canadian TSB reported that a borescopic inspection revealed 30 stage 5 high pressure compressor blades showed tip curl though within allowed limits. The aircraft was ground run with no fault found.

A similiar event had already occurred on Jan 3rd while the airplane was taxiing for departure in Calgary (flight AC-850)ra
Following the Jan 3rd occurrence the IP check valve and the electronic engine control were replaced, the fault codes persisted however.

The intermediate and high pressure bleed valves were replaced, a borescopic inspection revealed no defects and the airplane was returned to service.

Jeannot a écrit:La Chine va commander 200 Boeing.

China to Buy 200 Boeing Aircraft, Administration Official Says


China will purchase 200 Boeing aircraft for $19 billion, according to an administration official. The announcement comes as Chinese President Hu Jintao visits the White House for an official state visit.

The purchase is likely is part of a larger commitment from Beijing to buy some $45 billion in increased exports from the U.S. which Obama officials estimate will support 235,000 American jobs.

As part of the $45 billion, the Chinese have agreed to expand their purchases of everything from auto parts to chemicals to agriculture. The increased purchases gives the White House something substantive to show for the Hu visit and, perhaps, takes some pressure off of China on its trade surplus and accusations of currency manipulation to make Chinese goods cheaper.

Dossier à suivre, ... avec intérêt !

Boeing has received Chinese government approval for orders placed by Chinese airlines for 200 aircraft, worth $19 billion.
The aircraft comprise narrowbody 737s and widebody 777s and will be delivered between 2011 and 2013, says the US manufacturer.
Boeing was not immediately available to confirm whether the aircraft are included in previously announced commitments, or whether they are already included in the airframer's firm order backlog.

GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) has signed a firm order for 12 additional [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] aircraft.
The order increases to 32 the number of A330s ordered by GECAS.
[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] could not immediately be reached for comment on delivery dates or engine choice.

Bodigard a écrit:Merci, bonjour

Deux avions récupérés de Finnair, annulés.

Deux, trois ou quatre, peut-être, pour KLM

Le reste...? As you say " à suivre"

Continuing market success for Airbus’ efficient long-range A330 Family
24 January 2011 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]

GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of General Electric [NYSE: GE], has signed a firm order for 12 additional long-range A330-300 aircraft. This new order brings the total number of A330s ordered by GECAS to 32.

“This order adds to our existing portfolio of A330 aircraft,” said Norman C. T. Liu, GECAS President and CEO. “A key part of our strategy is to expand our wide-body product offerings to satisfy customer demand.”

"This repeat order from GECAS underscores the ongoing popularity of the A330, and highlights the strong market demand for the A330-300 in particular" said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. "The unbeatable economic efficiency and proven passenger appeal of this aircraft make it the perfect choice in today's market for medium capacity routes."

Airbus aircraft share a unique cockpit and operational commonality, allowing airlines to use the same pool of pilots, cabin crews and maintenance engineers, bringing operational flexibility and resulting in significant cost savings.

With a true wide-body fuselage allowing very high comfort standards, the A330-300 is able to accommodate seat and class configurations to suit diverse customer requirements. It has a range of up to 5,600 nm / 10,400 km with a typical 300 passenger load. Highly efficient and optimised for the medium – to long range market,......

.......the A330-300 offers the best balance between range and cost. The A330-300 remains the most economic means of flying 300 or so passengers on medium range routes in true long haul comfort. Orders for the aircraft stand at more than 480.

The A330 Family, which spans 200 to 400 seats for the passenger variants, also includes Freighter, VIP, and Military Transport/Tanker variants, has now attracted more than 1,100 orders.

Après tout, ... il est temps de mettre un terme au masochisme, n'est-ce pas ?