Page 26 - AAA SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 Online Magazine

AIRBUS DELIVERS FIRST OF layout to comfortably welcome 148
60 A220S TO AIR FRANCE passengers. Offering superior sin-
gle-aisle comfort, with the widest
leather seats, largest windows and
Air France has received its first A220- up to 20% more overhead stowage
300 from an order for 60 aircraft of space per passenger, the Air France
the type, the largest A220 order from A220 also features full WiFi con-
a European carrier. The aircraft was nectivity throughout the cabin and
delivered from Airbus’ final assembly two USB sockets at each passenger
line in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada and seat. The A220 is the only aircraft
officially unveiled to the public during purpose-built for the 100-150 seat
a ceremony held at Paris Charles-De- market and brings together state-
Gaulle Airport. The first Air France of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced
A220-300 will be operated on its materials and Pratt & Whitney’s
medium-haul network from the 2021 long-haul fleet, and has already taken latest-generation geared turbofan
winter season. Currently, Air France delivery of 11 A350s out of an order engines. With a range of up to 3,450
operates a fleet of 136 Airbus air- of 38. The Air France A220-300 nm (6,390 km), the A220 gives air-
craft. Air France is also renewing its cabin is configured in a single-class lines added operational flexibility.

VALLAIR DELIVERS
ITS THIRD AIRBUS
A321 FREIGHTER

Mature aircraft asset specialist
Vallair, the launch customer of the
A321 freighter conversion (A321F),
AIRBUS REVEALS THE NEXT has delivered its third Airbus A321
freighter, bearing serial number
GENERATION OF CITYAIRBUS 1017. The aircraft follows two Airbus
A321Fs already delivered by Vallair
that are presently in operation:
With the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) INTEGRATES URBAN AIR MSN835 delivered in October last
market beginning to firm up, Airbus MOBILITY INTO THE CITIES year and MSN 891 delivered in June
this year. As the first ever Airbus
on Tuesday announced plans for WHILE ADDRESSING A321 cargo conversion aircraft to
a new CityAirbus at the inaugu- ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL have been inducted in China, MSN
ral “AirbusSummit on “Pioneering CONCERNS,” said Bruno Even, 1017 is now registered in Europe and
Sustainable Aerospace.” CityAirbus Airbus Helicopters CEO. has been delivered to SmartLynx
NextGen is currently in a detailed Malta who will operate the aircraft on
design phase. The prototype’s first “Airbus is convinced that the real behalf of DHL. Following conversion,
flight is planned for 2023. The next challenges are as much about urban maintenance and painting activities
generation of CityAirbus is fully elec- integration, public acceptance, and have been carried out at Vallair’s
tric and equipped with fixed wings, automated air traffic management, as specialist MRO facility located in
a V-shaped tail, and eight electri- about vehicle technology and busi- Montpellier, France. Vallair’s dedi-
cally powered propellers as part of ness models. We build on all of the cated paint facility is adjacent to its
its uniquely designed distributed capabilities to deliver a safe, sustain- Montpellier MRO facility and can be
propulsion system. It is designed to able, and fully integrated service to used in conjunction with any narrow-
carry up to four passengers in a zero society,” Airbus’ expertise in noise- body maintenance or modification
emissions flight in multiple applica- friendly designs is driving CityAirbus’ input. “As the first cargo conversion
tions. CityAirbus is being developed sound levels below 65 dB(A) during to take place in China, the delivery
to fly with a 80 km range and to reach fly-over and below 70 dB(A) during of MSN1017 to a European operator
a cruise speed of 120 km/h, making landing. The aircraft is optimized for is another significant milestone for
it perfectly suited for operations in hover and cruise efficiency, while Vallair,” said Patrick Leopold, Head of
major cities for a variety of missions. not requiring moving surfaces or Trading & Leasing at Vallair. “Fuel effi-
tilting parts during transition. The ciency, reduction of CO2 emissions,
“WE ARE ON A QUEST TO CityAirbus NextGen meets the high- availability of feedstock and an air-
CO-CREATE AN ENTIRELY NEW est certification standards (EASA craft type that is still in production
MARKET THAT SUSTAINABLY SC-VTOL Enhanced Category). are all key drivers of this programme.

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