Page 9 - AAA APRIL - MAY 2017 Online Magazine

FeAtUre singLe AisLe

The low-cost arm of
Garuda Indonesia,
Citilink received the
first of 35 A320neos
in February. Citilink’s
A320neos will be
powered by CFM
Leap-1A engines and
the aircraft will be
configured in a 180-seat
single-class layout

Agreement with LCCs have 18 per cent share. Still, fuel burn and reliability are good and that they like the performance of the engine
But by 2014 that number had grown to 156 we see nothing that appears to be more and are confident that early stage problems
with the LCC share at 29 per cent. Clearly than a teething issue.” The real problem is will be resolved. Customers report that
from the Boeing and Airbus numbers there the rate ramp, with fan blade assembly still fuel burn is at or better than expectations
is enormous growth potential for the single- an issue and problem acknowledged by and noise and emissions are good, as is
aisle market. Airbus CEO Tom Enders in a recent interview reliability. Boeing’s sales prospects are
with Barron’s Asia. “We have thousands expected to lift with the certification of
Capturing the Market of suppliers,” Enders told Barrons. “It is the first variant the MAX 8 on March 8 just
The question is which single-aisle will inevitable that some suppliers will face a day after the roll-out of the first MAX 9
dominate. At the moment, Airbus is well challenges. It doesn’t help when you are in a and a firming up of the MAX 10 offering. The
ahead of Boeing in backlog with major critical situation to just beat up on suppliers, certification took just over a year with four
Asian LCCs. According to a Bernstein report or insist on contract. You can only increase aircraft. Boeing’s Product Development
Commercial Aircraft: Positions – Airbus and the ramp-up if your supply chain can follow.” organisation is working on validation tests
Boeing; Asia-Pacific Perspectives published But the supply problem is only a glitch for a re-design of the main undercarriage
in November the aggressive Airbus strategy and does not detract from the A320neo to accommodate the longer length. It had
toward Asian LCCs started roughly ten years which is clearly an outstanding aircraft initially settled on a trailing-link design but
ago, “While it appeared high risk at the time, and the latest model in a design that is is looking at other configuration options. The
it has been high reward, as growth benefits celebrating its 30th year. In the Asian region, MAX 10 will have two fuselage plugs to add
from carriers like AirAsia, IndiGo, and Spring as would be expected Airbus has the lead in 67 inches to its length to 143 feet, enabling
have more than offset the downside of some the NEO vs MAX stakes. Airbus has secured 230 seats in a single class or 189 in two-class
failures,” says Bernstein. It adds that over the over 2,400 orders versus Boeing’s 1,450 capacity. Boeing is currently building the 737
next five years, global single-aisle deliveries orders. This difference says Bernstein “is at 44 a month and that rate is being moved
will be split evenly between Boeing and accounted for by the previous alignment up to 47 in the third quarter of this year. The
Airbus, but Airbus appears to be modestly of Asia-Pacific LCCs toward Airbus and the rate will be stepped up to 52 in 2018 and 57
advantaged longer term. Bernstein says that fact that the NEO entered service roughly in 2019. At Airbus, the A320 rate is at 46
the “A320neo continues to face challenges 18 months ahead of the current plan for and will lift to 50 for 2017 and 2018 before a
with the Geared Turbofan engine (GTF), the MAX.” Bernstein notes that “on the significant jump to 60 in 2019. Despite those
although the engine is meeting or exceeding A320neo, the LEAP has been the leading extraordinary rates, Airbus and Boeing face
performance objectives.” “Initial problems choice in the region with CFM winning 1,054 intense pricing competition with no less than
(cooling time, FADEC messages) have been LEAP-powered orders versus Pratt’s 651 four new regional designs – MC21-300, C919,
resolved, with some additional issues (e.g. GTF-powered orders with 722 airplanes MRJ-90 and E190 - entering service over the
combustor hot spots) that have led to are undecided at this stage. On the GTF next three years and the CS100/300 is now
replacement of engines at GoAir and IndiGo. Bernstein says “customers have said to us being delivered.
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