South African Suppliers boosted by Airbus' record 2011 results
Airlines
Tuesday, 17 January 2012 14:36
Airbus has marked 2011 with record order and delivery numbers as there A320neo outperformed other aircraft as “fastest selling airliner ever”.
Airbus delivered 534 commercial aircraft to 88 customers (10 new) and booked 1,419 net orders in 2011, making it the most successful year in the company’s history, and the 10th in a row with a production increase. The production increase boosted South Africa Suppliers such as Centurion-based Aerosud (wing, fuselage and cabin components), Westlake (Cape Town)-based Cobham South Africa (satellite communications antennae), AAT Composites in Somerset-West (aircraft seat frames, cabin furnishing components) and Boksburg-located Denel-Saab Aerostructures (fuselage components for the A400M military transport aircraft).
The 534 deliveries beat the previous record set in 2010 by 24 aircraft. Deliveries include a new record for 421 single aisle aircraft (401 in 2010), 87 A330 Family (87 in 2010) and 26 A380s (18 in 2010). December was a record month for the A380, with four deliveries in a single month. Airbus Military also delivered a record number of 29 aircraft (20 light and medium military and transport aircraft - C212, CN235 and C295, three P-3 conversion aircraft and 6 A330 MRTTs).
Net commercial orders include 19 for the A380, 52 A330/A350 XWB Family aircraft, and 1,348 A320 Family aircraft. Of these, the A320neo won 1,226 firm sales confirming its title as the “the fastest selling airliner ever”. Overall, the backlog is 4,437 aircraft valued at over US$588 billion at list prices, or equalling 7-8 years production. The military backlog stands at 222 aircraft, including 174 A400M, 22 A330 MRTT, 18 light and medium and eight P-3 conversions.
Airbus had a record order intake of 1,608 (1,419 net) commercial aircraft, worth US$169 billion gross (US$140 billion net) at list prices. The previous record was in 2007 (1,458 gross and 1,341 net orders). In value terms, Airbus’ share of total aircraft sales (above 100 seats) in 2011, is 56 per cent gross (54 per cent net). Despite challenging markets, Airbus Military won five new orders for its light and medium aircraft (CN235 and C295).
Airbus continues to recruit for aircraft development programmes, as well as the ramp up of all aircraft families. In 2011, 4,500 new employees were hired, increasing the active workforce to 55,000, and we target more than 4,000 in 2012.
"Airbus' record order intake is the result of our strategic decision for A320neo. With this innovation we established a new industry standard, appreciated by our customers and followed by the competition,” said Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO. "With a solid backlog and an excellent cash position we are well prepared for the future. However, the continuous ramp-up to unprecedented production rates in all programmes will demand a strong focus on the supply chain and our own delivery capabilities. The hiring of more than 4,000 skilled people in 2012 will further support achieving this goal."
Europen ETS drawing protests from Airlines worldwide
Environmental Sustainability
Thursday, 22 December 2011 13:42
The ETS, or European Union emissions trading scheme has had its plans upheld by the Court of Justice of the European Union to include international aviation in the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS) from 2012 As it is currently proposed by the EU, its ETS will apply to flights to and from the EU, regardless of the points of departure and arrival, regardless of the nationality of the airline. What this means for a traveller is regardless if you are staying in Europe, or transitting through a gateway such as Frankfurt in Germany you will have to pay this cost which will flow into the European Union pockets.
In October 2011, the South Africa Minister of Environmental Affairs signed a declaration in Delhi, joining China, the US and other nations protesting the EU acting extra-territorially through the ETS on the basis that it infringed and breached the sovereign rights of individual nations.
“Today’s decision is a disappointment but not a surprise. It does not bring us any closer to a much-needed global approach to economic measures to account for aviation’s international emissions. Unilateral, extra-territorial and market distorting initiatives such as the EU ETS are not the way forward. What is needed is a global approach agreed through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
The CJEU decision was in response to a legal challenge presented by the Air Transport Association of America (now Airlines for America), a number of US airlines, IATA and the National Airlines Council for Canada. Together they argued that the EU ETS contravened the Chicago Convention which prohibits such taxation of international aviation. The CJEU ruled that the Chicago Convention does not bind the EU which is not a signatory and that the ETS does not violate any other aspect of international law.
“The CJEU decision may reflect European confidence in European plans. But that confidence is by no means shared by the outside world where opposition is growing. A formal resolution of the ICAO Council supported by 26 countries urged Europe to take a different approach. India is reported to have instructed its airlines not to comply. Similar legislation is moving through the US Congress. Other legal challenges are expected. And on16 December the US Secretaries of State and Transportation warned that the US would be compelled to take appropriate action if Europe does not re-think its plans,” said Tyler. The US letter noted that at least 43 countries have publicly objected to Europe’s plans.
The air transport industry has made global commitments to improve fuel efficiency by 1.5% annually to 2020, to cap net emissions from 2020 and to cut net emissions in half by 2050 (compared to 2005 levels). “A global framework for economic measures is a critical component of our strategy to achieve these challenging targets. But we won’t get agreement on a global approach if states are throwing rocks at each other because Europe wants to act extra-territorially. Europe should take credit for raising the issue of aviation and climate change on the global agenda. But what is needed now is for Europe to work with the rest of the world through ICAO to achieve a global solution. Today’s decision has not changed that reality,” said Tyler.
At its 37th Assembly in 2010, 15 principles were agreed through ICAO for a global framework on economic measures. A commitment to develop a framework based on these measures for agreement at the 38th ICAO Assembly in 2013 was also achieved.
Airbus to refund South Africa's for A400M cancellation - commits to partnership
Military Aviation
Monday, 19 December 2011 16:14
Airbus Military has refunded South Africa’s pre-delivery payments for the A400M military transport aircraft while, at the same time, opening the door to further close cooperation with South Africa after the finalisation of negotiations..
“The agreement we signed with Armscor on 29 November 2011, draws a line under the cancelled A400M acquisition, but crucially, it lets us all move forward together to explore further opportunities, including upcoming acquisition projects led by Armscor, “explained Airbus Military CEO, Mr Domingo Urena.
South Africa was given full industrial partner status in the A400M programme in 2005 by Airbus Military. In return, South Africa committed to acquire 8 A400M aircraft in a fixed price contract worth EUR 837 million.Despite South Africa cancelling its A400M acquisition in November 2009, local companies, Denel Aerostructures and Aerosud, have remained responsible for the design engineering, manufacturing and supply of several major parts, including:
- aircraft top shells (roof),
- wing-fuselage fairing (the largest single aircraft component ever manufactured in South Africa),
- aerodynamically complex wing-tips (which directly influence fuel efficiency and carbon emissions)
- cabin and cockpit insulation & linings and
- galleys
In addition, Cape Town-based Cobham South Africa, supplies the satellite communications antennae and related systems.
Airbus has also launched and committed to ZAR4 billion worth of industrial and research activities with South African partners through to 2020.
Festive season message from Aviation Central
General Aviation
Sunday, 18 December 2011 18:57
Aviation Central would like to wish all our fans well over the festive season and prosperous 2012 with plenty flying to thrill you through the year! While we are all looking to events such as the AAD which promised to be huge, here are the articles (with links) that you thought were the most interesting in 2011...
- Velvet Sky to fly? with 966 views.
- The curious case of Julian Swift with 745 views.
- 13 killed in Albatross crash - an avoidable tragedy? with 707 views.
- South African University Student begins internship at Airbus with 470 views.
- 1time BEE share deal finalised with 466 views.
- EU bans African airlines from flying in European airspace with 394 views.
- SAA takes delivery of first A330-200's with 386 views.
- TAM orders A320 Neo's with 366 views.
- IATA concerned about South African aviation regulation with 359 views.
- Airline aircraft manufactures eye Asia-Pacific market with 352 views.
As always, Aviation Central will gladly look into any ideas you have on how we can improve our service to you so please contact us if you would like share your feedback...
Happy holidays and safe flying!
The Not-So-Gentle Lady
Opinions
Sunday, 18 December 2011 18:50
A Harvard is by no means a gentle aeroplane. Everything is robust; forged from steel that is made to withstand any breaking force. In the cockpit, the rudder bar is thick and solid, and the control column is a meaty rod that you feel you need to grip with two hands to have control over.
Most aircraft have girls’ names, but I don’t think there is any one that would suit a Harvard. The aeroplane is just too, well, rugged. That is not to say that there is a real sense of beauty about the lines that the wings make as they join the fuselage or the flange of that round radial engine. It’s just that a Harvard is anything but fragile. If I tried to translate it into female form, I think it would be a woman that looks like this:
She lives on her own farm and is tanned by hours of ploughing fields. She drives her own tractor in the early morning, wearing nothing but a G-string with 9mm pistol tucked in the elastic. She would scrub up really nicely, but that shadow of a moustache just above her upper lip would definitely have to go. It’s the sort of lady who would mother the likes of Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield. She is tough, no nonsense and tells it just like it is.
The picture of this lady of quite vivid in my mind, but I seem to be grappling at straws when it comes down to putting a name to that face. My father-in-law gave me some help with this and came up with a bit more of a classical interpretation...Boadicea. She led a rebellion against the Romans in about 60 BC. Boadicea had red hair. It was described as a mass of "the tawniest hair" hanging to her waist. She was very tall, "in appearance almost terrifying" and had a fierce expression. Her voice was described as harsh, a voice destined to demand attention, to be heard above the din of battle.
It isn’t much of a stretch to apply this description to a Harvard. If you just squint in your mind’s eye a bit, both of these anecdotes seem to fit the aeroplane quite neatly. A Harvard is not like a Spitfire or Mosquito, whose delicate lines are definitely synonymous with a gentle, nurturing figure and gather names that are all prefaced with ‘Lady’. Names like Lady Rosaline, Lady Josine or Evelyn cannot be emblazoned in the front of a Harvard. But I think Boadicea is quite good.
The reason I can make all of these sweeping claims is because in the middle of October, I went for my first ride in a Harvard, thanks to Ivan who flew her in to the first Old Birds at Baragwanath Day. Like many of you, I have always rushed outdoors to catch a glimpse of that distinct throaty radial as a Harvard flew overhead, and I’ve run my fingers along their wingtips when they have been parked at Airshows, wondering what it would be like to fly such an inspiring aeroplane.
So going for a twenty minute flip in a Harvard was really like a dream come true for me. The grin on my face before and after the flight is enough to tell the story of how I felt. I fly a Tiger Moth and a small Cessna 140, so when the Harvard started up, the sense of power in front was vastly different to what I was used to. Even on the ground the Harvard felt like it wanted to take off. There is a lot of space in the cockpit, which is incidentally, devoid of anything that is without purpose. It is military, precise and rugged.
When we moved along the taxiway, the width of the tar seemed much smaller to what I was used to and it is interesting how your perspective can change in just an instant. The run-up was another change where the grunt from the Pratt and Whitney surged against the brakes...this aeroplane was really keen to climb into the skies.
I’m not going to bore you with the intricacies of the flight, because trying to put this experience into words might just ruin it. What I will do is write about the aerobatics that we did. I have always had an interest in flying at unusual attitudes, and with the help of the likes of Bob Hay, my Dad and others, I have had a bit of aerobatic dual in the Tiger Moth.
The Harvard, however, is a completely different kettle of fish. With the speed at which we entered the first loop, G force takes on a slightly different meaning, as I found my cheeks trying to touch my chin and my hands heavy to lift. The world turned upside down and looking backwards I saw the horizon reappear above me as we reached the top of the manoeuvre. Then the speed built up again and I tightened my stomach as the G’s resurfaced once again. The sound of the engine was a throb coming from the front of the aircraft, but from where I was sitting, I didn’t hear the characteristic clap of the propeller that you hear from the ground. I thought for an instant of how the sound is created by tips of the props nearing the speed of sound as they turned in front of the pistons, and as that thought disappeared, we edged up into a stall turn.
I watched the horizon turn perpendicular to the orange wingtip and gently we floated over the top. The aircraft arched sideways and gathered speed before levelling out. I couldn’t stop grinning and the smile on my face speaks louder than the words on this page. Our final pattern in the sky was a barrel roll that turned the world upside down once again.
I remember wondering how pilots remain so responsible when flying these aircraft. If it were me, I would struggle to fight the urge to imagine that I was a World War Two Ace, and go about pretending to strafe lonely farm buildings and doing low fly pasts over railway stations. I think I would be a menace, my overactive imagination taking over the responsibilities that I hold as a pilot. I think that a conversion onto a Harvard must come with either a certificate of responsible flying or the talent of not getting caught doing fun, frowned upon aeronautics.
I felt like a hero even though I was just a passenger, and in those twenty minutes, I found myself fall in love with that brutish, no-nonsense Boadicea (but don’t tell my wife). The images of the Harvard legacy all came together and I understood the romance that Air Force pilots have for this mark. She is truly a special aircraft.
Sharklet-fitted A320 completes first flight-test
Manufacturer
Thursday, 01 December 2011 10:05
Airbus has succesfully completed the first flight of the ‘Sharklet’ wing-tip devices fitted on the company’s A320 development aircraft (MSN 001). This milestone marks the start of the early flight-test campaign to capture data for fine-tuning the flight laws, as well as for certification and performance validation.
“The hunt is underway for Airbus to take another bite out of airlines’ fuel bills and CO2 emissions,” says Airbus’ Chief Operating Officer Customers, John Leahy. “With this start of Sharklet flight-testing today, actions speak louder than words as we take another definitive step towards greener aviation.”
The Sharklets, which are around 2.5 metres tall will replace the aircraft’s current wingtip fence. Offered as an option on new-build aircraft, Sharklets have been specially designed for the Airbus A320 Family to reduce fuel burn by up to an additional 3.5 percent, corresponding to an annual CO2 reduction of around 700 tonnes per aircraft. This reduction is equivalent to the CO2 produced by around 200 cars annually. The wingtip devices will also enhance the aircraft’s performance.
A standard fit on the A320neo Family, which on its first anniversary after launch has attracted almost 1,500 orders and commitments from 26 customers, the Sharklets will contribute together with the new engines to 15 percent in fuel savings.
Airbus forecasts the world’s single-aisle airliner fleet to double to more than 23,000 aircraft by 2030, with an average annual fleet growth of 3.4 percent. This expansion will require around 19,200 new single-aisle aircraft deliveries for replacement and growth. Thanks to Airbus’ continuous product improvement investments of around 250 million euros annually in its single-aisle aircraft portfolio alone, the A320 Family is well positioned to capture a leading portion of this market.
Eurocopter opens new base in Grand Central Airport
Manufacturer
Thursday, 24 November 2011 17:35
Eurocopter Southern Africa has moved to a new and bigger base at Grand Central Airport, close to Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Eurocpoter South Africa (ESAL), which supports more than 230 helicopters operated throughout the sub-continent was previous based at Lanseria Airport - spread across four buildings, north-west of Johannesburg. CEO, Fabrice Cagnat explains that: “ESAL outgrew its Lanseria premises. Our new facilities at Grand Central enable us to double our capacity. It also lets us bring everything together under one roof at a base which is conveniently located for our operators and customers”.
The new facilities represent a ZAR10 million investment for Eurocopter and the 4300m2 Grand Central site incorporates 16 helicopter bays and a state-of-the-art parts store. “It’s (The investment) one that we’re prepared to make. While we have a well-established presence and market share in the region, it is clear to us that there are positive growth prospects in sub-Sahara Africa. We want to ensure we’re suitably positioned and equipped to take on additional work and to support our continually expanding client base,” said Mr Cagnat.
The new base also incorporates a training centre with class rooms, several meeting rooms, a rest and hospitality area with satellite television and internet access.
“Our new hi-tech facility incorporates a much bigger maintenance area, allowing us to accommodate more helicopters for inspections and maintenance,” added Mr Cagnat. “With expanded and dedicated workshops for rotor blades, dynamic components and electrical components and systems, we are able to increase our service, repair and overhaul capabilities,” he explained.
Unlike Lanseria, which is located in the country side about 40min drive from the central business district, Grand Central is adjacent to the main artery motorway linking Johannesburg and Pretoria and is also on the brand new high-speed “Gautrain” railway line linking Johannesburg, Pretoria and O.R. Tambo International Airport with Sandton, which is Southern Africa’s main commercial and hotel district. ESAL also has service center's in Cape Town and Durban.
Safety key for African aviation success
Aviation Management and Administration
Monday, 21 November 2011 21:03
IATA has called for a renewed focus on aviation safety in Africa to reap the rewards of aviation connectivity offers during a speech by Tony Tyler to the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) at their Annual General Assembly in Marrakech. The organization also called for a strong partnership to drive innovative solutions to the other challenges facing aviation in the region including security, environmental sustainability and infrastructure.
“Aviation’s connectivity has turned our planet into a global community. With two or three kilometers of runway, even the most remote outpost has access to the world through air transport. This is particularly important in Africa where there are often no land transport alternatives,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
“We must work together to ensure that every government in the continent understands aviation as an engine for sustainable development and a key pillar of economic strategy. Africa will benefit greatly by harnessing the power of a successful aviation industry. To ensure that aviation delivers on its potential, we must work together—industry and government—to ensure that aviation is safe secure, environmentally sustainable and well supported with efficient infrastructure,” said Tyler.
AAD 2012 Expo Updates
Airshow
Tuesday, 15 November 2011 21:44
The organisers of Africa Aerospace and Defencehave anounced that the planning for the AAD 2012 is well underway and everything is falling into place.
The Commercial Aviation Association of South Africa (CAASA) has been given the honour to be the lead partner of the 2012 edition, in partnership with South Africa’s Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industry Association (AMD) and the Armaments Corporation of South Africa (ARMSCOR), with full support from the Department of Defence (DOD) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the South African government.
Despite the trade and flying there will be a number of other activities including the IASSA 2012 conference, fantastic new ventures on the in South African Aviation aincluding the youth development programmes.
African airlines demand growth increase
Airlines
Monday, 31 October 2011 14:30
African carriers have experienced a 5% increase in demand over based on IATA figures for September. The demand increase was closely tied into a 5.2% increase in capacity offered by African airlines.
However, while global passenger demand was up, air freight demand declined during the month.
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