Large corporate jets are aircraft with seating 15 or more passengers with private customers and governments currently operating around 200 of them. "We already have a strong presence in the Middle East, where more than 80 Airbus corporate jets are already on order and in service, and our young and growing aircraft family means that we are well placed to grow further," he said quoting Johan Leahy, Airbus COO, customers.
He attributed the rising demand for both corporate and commercial aircraft to a steady five percent rise in airline traffic annually despite the world economic slowdown last year. "At this rate, the airline traffic is set to double every 15 years," he said, adding that the next two decades will need 1,500 aircraft of all types and sizes, both commercial and corporate.
Chazelle, who was accompanied by David Velupillai, marketing director, executive and private aviation, Airbus, said last year Airbus sold 14 corporate jets while its competitors accounted for half the number. "Our corporate jet prices have remained competitive," he said. Airbus forecasts a market for five to 10 large corporate jets a year in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East, to replace existing aircraft and provide for growth. "Airbus is well placed to win at least half this market, because it has Airbus' Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) Family, the world's most modern corporate jet family, which comprises the A318 Elite, Airbus ACJ and A320 Prestige, leading at the upper end of the top-of-the-line corporate jet market, where it has consistently won the most sales in recent years and where it has won more than 100 orders. Customers and operators include airlines, government agencies, and aviation and leasing companies.
"Evolved from the modern and successful Airbus A320 Family - which has more than 6,500 firm orders and over 300 customers and operators to its credit - the ACJ Family is unique in delivering benefits such as a common Airbus cockpit with fly-by-wire controls that reduces training, fuel-saving aerodynamic design, weight-saving carbonfiber structure, cost-saving centralized maintenance and Category 3B autoland that allows landings in poor visibility," Chazelle said.
Airbus ACJ Family, described as the new top-of-the-line corporate jets, features include a reinforced structure to carry extra fuel tanks in the cargo hold for intercontinental range, a higher and more efficient cruise-altitude of 41,000 ft, airstairs for autonomy, high-thrust engines for excellent take-off performance and a richer specification. These features make Airbus' ACJ Family a powerfully productive business tool. In addition to the A318 Elite, ACJ and A320 Prestige, Airbus also offers VIP versions of its wide body aircraft, including the A330/A340, A350 and A380. More than 160 Airbus corporate jets have been sold to date worldwide - over 100 of the ACJ Family plus some 50 wide bodies.
Airbus has six approved and experienced outfitters for the ACJ Family - Associated Air Center of Dallas, Texas, the Airbus Corporate Jet Centre of Toulouse, France, Fokker Services of Woensdrecht, the Netherlands, Gore Design Completions of San Antonio, Texas, Jet Aviation of Basle, Switzerland and Lufthansa Technik of Hamburg, Germany. Airbus ACJ Family customers are backed by Airbus' worldwide support and training network.
