{"id":4998,"date":"2015-07-20T12:00:57","date_gmt":"2015-07-20T11:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/?p=4998"},"modified":"2015-07-22T00:43:00","modified_gmt":"2015-07-21T23:43:00","slug":"airliner-manufacturers-fight-a-four-day-war-at-paris-air-show-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/airliner-manufacturers-fight-a-four-day-war-at-paris-air-show-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Airliner manufacturers fight the 2015 Paris Air Show<\/b> “4-day war”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"A
A classic aerial of the show’s static display highlights most airliners on display (aircam photo: Airbus\/R. Gnecco). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"ATR's
ATR’s exhibit, an Air New Zealand Dash 600, was surrounded by a flashy red fence (photo: ATR\/Pierre Barthe). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Airbus
Airbus President and CEO, Fabrice Br\u00e9gier (left), and French President, Fran\u00e7ois Hollande (right), mark their visit inside the A350 XWB\u2019s cockpit (photo: Airbus\/H. Gouss\u00e9). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Vietnam
Vietnam Airlines first Boeing 787 performed a thrilling flying display smartly viralized by the manufacturer through social media (photo: Pascal Maillot). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Airbus\u2019
Airbus\u2019 new-generation A350 XWB \u2013 which entered commercial service in January 2015 \u2013 performing a Paris Air Show flight presentation on Wednesday 17 June (photo: Airbus\/P. Pigeyre). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The head to head battle for commercial aviation orders between Boeing and Airbus continued at the 2015 Paris Air Show<\/strong>, held at its\u00a0historical Le Bourget venue 14 through 19 June. Airbus spent the previous month boasting and teasing about what they will be revealing at the airshow while Boeing kept it a bit more low key in the weeks leading up to the show.<\/p>\n

Day one showed\u00a0a few surprises but on the whole was a typical first day at the bi-annual air show. Airbus, which usually saves up order announcements for the big summer air shows (Farnborough or Paris), went out to a quick lead by announcing 115 firm orders plus a 30-aircraft letter of intent (LoI).<\/p>\n

The surprise was Garuda Indonesia<\/strong> signing LoIs for 30 x 787-9s along with the 737Max and A350. \u00a0No one saw that one coming and it’s nice to see the 787 picking up another major customer when this order is finalized. \u00a0Despite the A350 order from Garuda, the airline’s widebody fleet is mostly equipped with the A330 with a few 777-300ERs.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Sharing <\/a>
Sharing its passion for aviation: Airbus featured its market-leading product line and continuous technological innovations at the Paris Air Show (photo: Airbus\/R. Gnecco). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Vietnamese <\/a>
Vietnamese carrier VietJetAir\u2019s firm order for six additional A321s \u2013 which was signed at the Paris Air Show \u2013 was marked by top management from VietJetAir and Airbus (photo: Airbus\/P. Pigeyre). <\/div> <\/div>
\"Synergy <\/a>
Synergy Aerospace Corporation, Avianca\u2019s largest shareholder and owner of Avianca Brasil, signed a MoU with Airbus for 62 A320neo Family aircraft. The agreement paves the way for Avianca Brasil to base its fleet renewal and network growth strategy on the A320neo Family (rendering: Airbus\/Fixion-MMS). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Airbus' <\/a>
Airbus’ behemoth, the A380, was on the flying display during the weekend (photo: Aitor Elordi). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"The <\/a>
The A350 XWB was a major element of Airbus\u2019 presence at the 2015 Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport, performing high-profile flying displays throughout the biennial event (photo: Airbus\/H. Gouss\u00e9). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"According <\/a>
According to Airbus, the new-generation A350 XWB jetliner \u2013 which took to the skies on the Paris Air Show\u2019s first public day \u2013 is shaping the future of medium-to-long-haul airline operations (photo: Airbus\/H. Gouss\u00e9). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Another surprise\u00a0was\u00a0Qatar’s<\/strong> firm order for ten\u00a0777X. \u00a0Saj Ahmad of Strategic Aero Research<\/a>\u00a0says that this is not the 777X order that Boeing had booked the\u00a0week before along with the fifteen\u00a0787 cancellations.\u00a0In fact he confirmed my suspicion that Etihad<\/strong> is the source of the 777X order as well as the 15 x 787 cancellations (though the order is attributable to an unknown customer, it is Etihad’s). \u00a0By the end of the show there wasn\u2019t any announcements from Etihad and,\u00a0when Boeing released it\u2019s month end order and delivery report for June, the fifteen\u00a0787 order attributed to an unidentified customer was not listed any longer.<\/p>\n

Boeing’s<\/strong> order book exploded with a number of 737 orders that were announced on the second day of the show. \u00a0Airbus posted three orders, the largest coming from Korean Air for 30 x A321neo. \u00a0With only\u00a0two full days left for all the commercial manufacturers to make a splash,\u00a0the only major manufacturer remaining\u00a0quiet was Bombardier<\/strong> with the C-Series. \u00a0Coming on the heels of news that their aircraft was beating weight and performance specs, the company wasn’t yet posting\u00a0a sale for the CS100 or CS300.<\/p>\n

On the 787 front there were no new orders but there was an apparent cancellation by Aeroflot<\/strong> for the 22 x 787s that they ordered a few years back. \u00a0Apparently things have “changed” and they no longer needed the aircraft. \u00a0Given the political climate between the US and USS… er… Russia this is hardly a surprise. \u00a0No word on their orders for the A350 and if they’re going to be cancelled. \u00a0I do believe that the slots that Aeroflot has given up can be quickly filled given the demand for near term delivery slots for the 787.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Boeing
Boeing 787’s shiny livery reflects its surrounding environment while taxiing into the flight line (photo: Pascal Maillot). <\/div> <\/div>
\"Public
Public stares at Boeing’s most advanced product and Vietnam Airlines elegant livery (photo: International Paris Air Show\/Adrien Daste). <\/div> <\/div>
\"A
A clean view of the Boeing 787’s air display routine (photo: International Paris Air Show\/Adrien Daste). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Although
Although it was not part of the static display, Boeing 747 F-BPVJ was ostensibly visible from show premises (photo: Eitor Elordi). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Boeing
Boeing representatives demonstrating a 777 cockpit (photo: International Paris Air Show\/Adrien Daste). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"In
In spite of its 70 years of service, Douglas classic commercial transport cotinues to garner admiration while on its flying display (photo: International Paris Air Show\/Adrien Daste). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

One bit of positive news is that ALC will be leasing 10 x 787-10 to Vietnam Airlines<\/strong> thus complementing their 787-9s.<\/p>\n

Day three brought more widebody orders for Boeing, especially a nice shot in the arm for the 747-8. \u00a0Volga-Dnepr<\/strong> signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for 20 x 747-8F that will be partly purchased direct or acquired via lease. \u00a0Another shot in the arm came in the form of Ethiopian<\/strong> taking up 6 early build 787-8 airframes which I reported earlier but just confirmed by the airline and Boeing on this date. \u00a0This leaves Boeing with only 4 early build 787-8 left to sell: \u00a0line numbers\u00a04, 5, 17\u00a0and\u00a019 (the last 3 are GE-powered airplanes).<\/p>\n

Airbus booked a couple of major MoU for the A320neo but that was about it.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Canadian
Canadian manufacturer Bombardier was displaying the CS300 and several other samplers in their commercial air transport line (photo: Maxime “Maxou” Thibert). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Japan
Japan Air Commuter crews sorround JAC’s Arata Yasushima (left) and ATR’s Patrick de Castelbajac (right) as they shake hands after the Far East carrier signed-up for 8 firm and 15 ATR42-600 options (photo: ATR). <\/div> <\/div>
\"Airbus'
Airbus’ behemoth, the A380, was on the flying display during the weekend (photo: Aitor Elordi). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"In
In a high-visibility stunt, Qatar Airways became the largest commercial aircraft exhibitor by displaying aircraft built by the two largest manufacturers: An A319, an A350XWB and an A380 from Airbus as well as as a Dreamliner from Boeing (photo: International Paris Air Show\/Adrien Daste). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Air
Air New Zealand’s ATR72-600 was exhibited on the static display (photo: ATR\/Pierre Barthe). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Viking
Viking Air was displaying an ubiquitous DHC-6-400 Twin Otter in Logainair’s smart livery (photo: Wim Callaert). <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Talking about pulling your nuts out of a fire at the last minute, \u00a0Airbus was on the verge of being embarrassed on their home soil until a last minute deal with Wizz Air<\/strong> for 110 x A321neos saved their chestnuts on the fourth and final day of the show.<\/p>\n

There were two bright spots for Boeing. First,\u00a0they were able to hold their own with Airbus in terms of Air Show orders this year and apparently the Wizz Air order could have easily gone in Boeing’s favor. Secondly,\u00a0Boeing did beat Airbus on widebody orders.<\/p>\n

However, everyone knows that this is just four\u00a0days out of 365 and we have a whole other six\u00a0months plus\u00a0coming up that will\u00a0see some major fleet contests being decided including the Emirates<\/strong> decision widely expected in November.<\/p>\n

\n

Paris 2015 Order Book<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Boeing<\/strong><\/p>\n