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Lufthansa lands deep in the heart of Texas

LUfthansa flies to Austin
Lufthansa is the latest airline to fly to Austin, Texas. Photo: Lufthansa.

Like an irresistible magnet deep in the heart of Texas, Austin- Bergstrom International Airport just keeps attracting intercontinental nonstops.

The latest example is Lufthansa, the vaunted German flag carrier.

Lufthansa is set to start service May 3, 2019 when it deploys an Airbus A330-300 five days a week from Austin to the carriers’ megahub at Frankfurt (FRA).

From FRA, flyers can connect to a significant slice of Lufthansa’s far-flung route structure including Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent.

The five-times-per-week departures push back from the gate at Austin-Bergstrom at 4 pm and arrive Frankfurt at 9:05 the following morning. The FRA-AUS trip leaves the gate at 10 am and arrives Austin-Bergstrom at 2:05 pm. The aircraft is fitted out for 42 business class, 28 premium economy and 185 economy seats.

There’s going to be a lot of “O&D” (origin and destination) traffic on the trip—at least compared to Lufthansa’s Houston operations.

Lufthansa and United are Star Alliance partners. Bush Houston Intercontinental is a huge hub for United, the connecting traffic flow a natural. Dallas/Fort Worth is dominated by American Airlines, a oneworld carrier.

That means the ultimate success of Lufthansa’s Austin adventure is largely dependent on local central Texas demand.

READ No rabbit-warren corridors in JFK makeover

That demand for airline seats to Germany and beyond is fueled by the fact that Austin is a sort of “third coast” for high-tech companies. The University of Texas is another traffic generator for the United States’ 34th busiest airport in terms of passengers.

Austin is also the state capital and considered something of a cultural mecca in Texas.

Lufthansa joins a slew of recent airlines in flocking to Austin-Bergstrom.

Norwegian now flies AUS-London Gatwick, meaning London-bound passengers now have a choice of carries. British Airways has flown Boeing 787 Dreamliners from Austin to Heathrow for over a year.

Volaris just inaugurated Austin-Guadalajara, Mexico flights. Mexico City via AeroMexico is a significant addition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regional airports struggle to cope with rising costs

regional lifeline aid
Photo: Rex

Many of Australia’s regional airports are struggling to cope with increased infrastructure costs and heightened regulatory requirements.

There are about 2000 landing strips across Australia, about 400 of them aerodromes with civilian aviation operations. About 250 provide regular public transport services that catered in 2016-17 for more than 360,000 flights and 15 million passengers.

Most are owned and operated by local government bodies and are seen as essential by their communities.

Across Australia, they house more than 500 aircraft available for fire-fighting duties and cater for over 6,000 emergency evacuations a year.

READ: Dramatic Aussie propeller loss prompts industry changes.

They also contribute $A260m directly to regional Australia annually, employing 1700 full-time workers and supporting an additional 2750 jobs.

But a report by the Australian Airports Association released last year confirmed that most regional airports faced an increasing struggle to maintain critical assets.

The report found more than 60 percent of regional airports operate at a loss and four out of 10 expected to remain in the red for the next 10 years.

Operating costs were expected to increase by 38 percent over the next decade, producing an infrastructure shortfall of more than $A170m.

Aging aeronautical infrastructure, much of it more than 70 years old, and the need for costly upgrades to meet modern aviation standards make up part of the problem.

Airports are becoming more expensive to operate as safety and security requirements increase.

While the Australian government has agreed to fund new equipment required to meet increased security levels, it is not underwriting the costs of staffing, operating and maintaining that equipment.

“The local governments that own and operate most of our regional airports do not have in-house expertise to maintain and upgrade aviation infrastructure,’’ AAA chief executive Caroline Wilkie said in a recent blog.

“So when updates are required, expertise and equipment needs to be sourced from other locations.

“At the same time, the relatively small size of regional airports mean effective economies of scale for maintenance and upgrades simply cannot be achieved.

“This means airport works – from basic maintenance projects to major upgrades – are more expensive for regional airports than their capital city counterparts.”

Also a problem is the limited income regional airports get from aeronautical charges. Even those with airline services have far lower passenger numbers than their profitable big-city counterparts and often lack the market power to insist on fees that adequately cover costs.

An AAA survey found many regional airports had been pressured by airlines to reduce charges and that 75 percent had either maintained or reduced charges in real terms over the past five years.

In a bid to address the funding problem, the AAA was successful in lobbying for an extension of the Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program (RAUP)  in the 2018-19 federal budget.

However, here was no additional funding for those not qualifying under the RAUP but still struggle with the cost of maintaining their airports.

Wilkie at the time described the budget allocation as welcome recognition of the important role airports play in their communities.

“This funding will help ensure remote airports can keep their infrastructure safe and fit-for-purpose, connecting their community to essential emergency services, loved ones and services only available in larger regional and metropolitan centres,’’ she said.

“Unfortunately, regional airports not eligible for RAUP funding have been left out of this year’s budget and we will continue our campaign to support them in the year ahead.”

A senate committee is also looking at the operation, regulation and funding of air services to rural, regional and remote communities and is expected to report in December.

Steve Creedy contributes to the AAA’s The Airport Professional blog.

 

KLM, Qantas deal connects Amsterdam and Australia

KLM and Qantas codeshare Amsterdam Australia
Qantas and KLM will codeshare between Amsterdam and Australia. Photo: Michiel Verbeek/Wikicommons.

Qantas and Dutch carrier KLM are joining forces to give passengers new options between Holland and Australia.

A new codeshare agreement announced Wednesday will see the Australian carrier add its code on KLM’s daily flights between Singapore and Amsterdam.

In return, KLM will codeshare on Qantas International flights between Singapore and Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

Tickets go on sale from November 1 for travel from November 8.

The deal is the latest in a string of recent codeshares by Qantas as it builds options for passengers. Others include agreements with Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand and Air France.

Although Qantas is a member of the giant oneworld alliance and KLM belongs to the rival Skyteam, it is not unusual these days for airlines to codeshare across alliances when it is mutually beneficial.

READ: Australia’s newest airport wins Qantas pilot academy

Tickets go on sale from November 1 for travel from November 8.

The deal means Qantas Frequent Flyer members will be able to earn points and status credits on the codeshare flights to Amsterdam and eligible customers will be able to use KLM lounge facilities in the Dutch city.

Qantas also codeshares on flights to Amsterdam with alliance partner Emirates but those services go through Dubai.

Qantas International chief executive Alison Webster said the new codeshare was part of Qantas’ strategy of building strong partnerships with other airlines to improve travel options for its customers.

“This codeshare provides customers with more choice of how they travel between Australia and Europe,’’ she said.

“It offers our customers another option to get to Amsterdam via our Singapore hub with more opportunities to earn status credits and Qantas Points.’’

Australia is an attractive offline market for KLM and chief executive Peter Eibers said the Qantas deal would benefit its customers.

“Australia is an important destination for business and leisure travelers, which is why Qantas is such an important partner,’’ he said.  “This also allows us to grow our presence in this beautiful part of the world.”

New hurricane drama for US passengers

Hurricane Michael florida airlines cancllations
Hurricane Michael from space. Photo: NASA.

Just when US flyers thought it was safe to go back into the air, another major storm is threatening the US East Coast after Hurricane Michael reached  Category 3 on Tuesday with 120mph (193kmh) winds.

US experts are saying the hurricane may strengthen to near Category 4 when it makes landfall in the Florida panhandle Wednesday local time.

It is then expected to veer northeast through Georgia and the Carolinas before heading out to sea.

The new storm comes less after a month after the US East Coast was battered by Hurricane Florence, wrecking the plans of thousands of passengers due to flight cancellations.

Read: The numbers game behind Hurricane Florence

Governors in three states have declared an emergency and airlines are waiving change and other fees as the National Hurricane Center warned of life-threatening storm surges, hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall.

American Airlines’ list of affected airports includes: Augusta, Georgia; Destin / Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Florence, South Carolina; Hilton Head, South Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Panama City, Florida; Pensacola, Florida; Savannah, Georgia; and Tallahassee, Florida.

Delta has a number of the same destinations as well as Albany, Georgia; Dothan, Alabama; and Valdosta, Georgia.

“For a limited time, Delta is waiving all baggage and pet-in-cabin (PETC) fees for travel to and from the cities below likely to be impacted by Hurricane Michael,” Delta said.” This includes piece fees, overweight, and oversize fees”.

The US Federal Aviation Administration ssued an alert Tuesday warning airlines were likely to “cancel many flights in the direct path of the storm and the surrounding areas”.

“Flights that are not canceled may be delayed,” it said.

“Once Hurricane Michael makes ground fall, airports may be listed as “open” but flooding on local roadways may limit access to airports for passengers, as well as the employees who work for the airlines or at the airport.

“As a result, every aspect of your trip to the airport, including parking, checking in, getting through security and boarding may take longer than usual.”

Here are websites for major US airlines:

Dramatic Aussie propeller loss prompts industry changes

Rex ATSB propeller loss
The Rex Saab after it had landed safely.

The dramatic loss of propeller from a Regional Express (Rex)  commuter plane near Sydney in 2017 prompted manufacturer General Electric to change its inspection procedures and the US regulator to issue an airworthiness directive.

The Rex Saab A340 was about 55nm (102km) southwest of the airport on a routine flight from the regional New South Wales center of Albury on March 17 when the crew noticed engine vibrations in the right engine.

As the crew started to shut down the right engine, the vibrations worsened and the propeller flew off the aircraft.

READ:  Pilot in fiery shopping center crash failed to check controls.

The crew declared a PAN PAN, a step below declaring an emergency, calmly completed the engine shutdown and landed safely at Sydney Airport.

The propeller was recovered a few days later in the bush about 8nm south-west of the airport.

Investigators determined that the propeller separated after the propeller shaft connected to the propeller gearbox (PGB) fractured a result of a fatigue crack. The crack had started in a dowel hole in the propeller shaft flange.

A schematic showing the part that failed in red. Image: ATSB.

This was the first known critical failure of this type in this part of the GE Aviation CT7-9B engine.

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report issued Wednesday found that the manufacturer’s maintenance documentation did not include specific inspection procedures to detect fatigue cracking of the propeller shaft.

“In addition, the operator’s inspection worksheets did not provide for the recording of inspection findings as defined within documented procedures,’’ the report said. “Consequently, this may not have provided for the best opportunity to ensure potential defects were identified, recorded and monitored.”

Engine manufacturer General Electric responded to the incident with a number of service bulletins requiring immediate inspections of the PGB propeller shaft.

Changes were also made to the engine mantiannance manuals to include more ongoing detailed inspections of the area.

The US Federal Aviation Administration added to this in February, 2018, by issuing an airworthiness directive requiring initial and repetitive visual inspection and fluorescent-penetrant inspection  of the main propeller shaft for affected engines

“This occurrence highlighted how non-life-limited components such as a propeller shaft may still develop defects and fail in-flight,’’ the ATSB said.

“Appropriate training, the use of checklists and effective crew interaction, provide the best opportunity for a positive outcome in the event of such a failure affecting flight safety.

“Additionally, operators are reminded of the importance of having worksheets that accurately reflect the requirements and intentions of associated maintenance documentation.”

Fatigue cracking is often difficult to detect and can be due to corrosion or defects in the part. The only other instance of a propeller flying off a Saab aircraft occurred in 1991 on a plane operated by US carrier Comair.

In that case, the aircraft also landed safely after experiencing similar problems to the Australian crew. The failure was eventually traced to a sub-surface flaw introduced when an ingot was melted to make the part.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Emirates’ Sir Tim Clark on the A380, Etihad and his successor

Emirates

The clock is ticking on the latest order for the Airbus A380 but the man at the center of the crucial deal, Emirates president Tim Clark, sees the superjumbo remaining an important part of the airline’s fleet into the 2030s.

The Dubai- based carrier’s decision in January to buy a further 20 A380s and take 16 options saved the program from being axed and gave it breathing space.

But media reports this week speculated about an impasse or stall of the deal, even a possibility of failure of the whole A380 program survival.

Negotiations between Emirates and Rolls-Royce have reportedly stalled on the manufacturer’s inability to meet fuel-improvement guarantees previously given, according to Bloomberg

The additional aircraft are due to be delivered from 2020, bringing the total A380 orders of the Dubai-based carrier to 178 — it currently flies 106 — and timing is tight.

“Propulsion remains an issue, we still haven’t resolved propulsion on the new order yet and haven’t chosen a supplier so far. We are still looking at all of this,” Sir Tim tells  AirlineRatings in an exclusive interview in Dubai. “We have to decide by the end of October.”

Sir Tim is having none of the media speculation and is looking further ahead.

“I can never say never about ordering more A380s in the next decade. Much will depend on propulsion and on Airbus itself. With the orders we have we can see these aircraft fly to the late 2030s,” he says.

The first A380s, delivered in 2008, will leave the Emirates fleet by late 2020 or early 2021, according to Clark.

“The A380 is probably the biggest USP we have,” says Clark, with product upgrades coming in the pipeline: “We are trying to get our new First Class suites onto the A380 by 2021, while Premium Economy is coming already in 2020.”

RUNWAY RENOVATION TO CUT FLIGHTS

Before that, he will have to ground almost half of his fleet during a 45-day renovation of the southern runway 12R-30L at Dubai International Airport which is due to take place from late April to early June 2019.

Normally the airport handles over 1,100 movements a day, the runway closure cuts that down by 43 percent.

READ: Emirates deal allows Dubai arrivals to get Uber and out.

“I have to put 50 aircraft on the ground during runway renovation, all over the place,’’ he notes.

“We might operate one or two A380s out of Dubai World Central in point-to-point traffic to deal with Easter demand, but otherwise it’s not ready, we can’t do that.”

He expects a full move of Emirates’ operations to the yet-to-be fully built up new airport “by the late years of the next decade, in ten years plus from now.”

In the meantime, the focus is on increasing efficiencies of the current terminals at Dubai International, which can’t be further extended.

“That is where FlyDubai comes in,’’ he says. “When we start to integrate with them we will put some flights of FlyDubai in the southern terminals from November.”

READ our ratings for Emirates

Emirates Uber deal discounted rides
Dubai airport. Photo: Emirates.

Emirates also has 250 people currently at using artificial intelligence to re-invent  IT processes and standards that Clark refers to as “Jurassic”.

“AI allows us for example to become a lot better in aircraft stand planning for more efficiency and to bring unit costs down,” enthuses Clark.

His “change agent” is his chief digital & innovation officer enterprise transformation Christoph Müller, the former CEO of Aer Lingus and Malaysia Airlines.

Müller tells AirlineRatings that with his new tools it is possible to predict the exact minute an aircraft will appear at a gate twelve hours in advance, enabling better utilization.

“This is about knocking everything down and rebuild it again, AI is going to make everything a better place,” Clark adds.

ETIHAD SPECULATION

The Emirates president, the last executive who has worked at Emirates since its foundation in 1985 besides chairman Sheikh Ahmed, vigorously denies on-going speculation about an imminent merger between his company with Abu Dhabi-based rival Etihad.

“I don’t know where it came from,’’ he says. “I talk to Etihad CEO Tony Douglas a lot more than to his predecessor James Hogan about things that we could do together, which align and work together to deliver value together.

“He is much more open and recognized they are in a bit of a hole and they have to do the things he is doing. And also (he) works with us, and not against us, in areas that we could.

“We have been talking about sharing bits and pieces, but that’s as far as it got.

“But then headlines like ‘Emirates is buying Etihad’ came out. I asked the Sheikh: ‘Is there something I should know?’. He said ‘No, I don’t know.’ This isn’t gonna happen, there is just nothing like that.”

One of the reasons for that is regional politics.

“You have to understand the politics of the region, the interactions, all the forces at play,’’ he says, noting a merger could be something that happened on paper but would not come about in practice.

“Both Emirates respect competition and value brands. If you consolidate as one there is no competition.”

He says the issue is ultimately one for the governments of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

“I’m just handling the business of the airline,’’ he says. “But I have no knowledge of this.”

SUCCESSION

Another issue seldom discussed by Sir Tim, a highly respected and powerful industry leader who turns 70 at the end of 2019, is his succession and when he might retire.

In talking to AirlineRatings, he is fairly firm.

“You’ve got to be able to mentally and physically lead a business,’’ he says. “Time will knock on the door and this is a younger man’s business.

“And I say that even more now as change in the business is moving at such a pace. People say ‘that’s nuts that you are so involved’ and I say but that’s what I do.

“My succession will be determined by the shareholder. When I choose to go that will be it.”

He adds:  “It is very big shoes for anyone in this seat. It may be better that people are more transitory than I have been.”

Sheikh Ahmed, the chairman, has stated publicly that he would like to see an Emirati take over the President’s job, rather than another expat.

 

 

More airlines opt for ultra-long-haul flights

Ultra-long-haul routes airlines Singapore
Qatar is about to lose the world's longest route to Singapore Airlines: photo: Qatar.

The title of the world’s longest flight, soon to be reclaimed by Singapore Airlines, has been a moveable feast in recent years as more airlines have introduced ultra-long-haul routes.

The trophy is currently held by Qatar Airways on its Auckland-Doha service with a nominal flight time of just over 18 hours and a distance of  14,535kms (9.032 miles) using a Boeing 777-200LR.

But that mantle will pass to Singapore Airlines when it this week launches its A350-900ULR flight of 15,341km (9532m) between Singapore and New York.

READ: Anatomy of a Singapore Airlines superjet.

Until then, Qantas comes in in a close second after it connected Perth and London in a  non-stop flight for the first time using a Boeing 787-9.  Perth-London comes in at 14,500km (9010m) with a flight time of 17 hours and 20 minutes.

In fourth position is United Airlines’  B787-9 flight between Los-Angeles and Singapore logging 14113km (8,770m) and flight time of 17 hours 50 minutes. That’s followed by the US carrier’s Houtson—Sydney flight of 13,834 km (8596nm) and 17 hours 50 minutes.

Other flights of more than 17 hours include Dallas-Fort Worth (Qantas) and Singapore-San Francisco (United and Singapore).

Other ultra-long-haul flights in the pipeline include:

  • Manilla-New York (Philippine Airlines: 13,687skm, 8505m),
  • Mumbai-New York (Air India: 12,566kim, 7808m)
  • Singapore-Los Angeles (Singapore Airlines: 14,106km, 8765m)
  • Chicago-Auckland (Air New Zealand: 13,187km, 8194m) and
  • Singapore-Los Angeles (Singapore Airlines:14,106km, 8765m).

More are in long-term planning and passengers can expect the number to increase with the arrival of the Boeing 777X.

Although the distance between the destinations remains constant, the distance flown and the flight times can vary due to factors such as headwinds, tailwinds and the need to divert around weather.

Qantas has managed to slash almost an hour off the Perth-London flight with a record 16 hours 20minutes thanks to favorable winds.

Anatomy of a Singapore Airlines A350 superjet

Singapore Airlines
Photo: Singapore Airlines.

SIA’s (Singapore Airlines) new Airbus A350-900ULR (ultra-long-range) aircraft from Airbus, which will operate the airline’s Singapore to New York’s (Newark Liberty International Airport) non-stop on October 11 is a superjet and a big part of the future of flying.

It is the first of seven A350-900ULRs on order.

SIA is the launch customer for the A350-900ULR, which is capable of flying up to 9,700 nautical miles, or over 20 hours non-stop.

SEE our coverage of the future of flying

Anatomy of an A350 

Distance

The flight to New York will cover a distance of approximately 9,000nm (16,700km), with traveling time of up to 18 hours 45 minutes.

Configuration

The aircraft is configured in a two-class layout, with 67 Business Class seats and 94 Premium Economy Class seats.

Crew

For the long flight there are two sets of pilots and after the arrival in the US, they have three days off before the return flight. And before the A350 sets off from Singapore they must have had 48 hours off. Looking after the passengers will be 13 cabin crew and these crews get four hours off during the flight.

Singapore Airlines Australian services

Entertainment 

Singapore Airlines has added 200 hours of movies and TV content to its over 1000 hours of content.

Meals

In premium economy, passengers will get three meals during the flight, while business class will get two larger meals and a non-stop refreshment menu throughout the flight.

SIA
Airbus A350-900ULR info graphic

New Routes

The first two A350-900ULRs will be used for the launch of Singapore-New York services while subsequent aircraft will be used for Singapore-Los Angeles services commencing on 2 November 2018, as well as to increase frequency on the existing Singapore-San Francisco route. By the end of 2018, SIA will link Singapore and the United States with 27 weekly non-stop flights.

Singapore Airlines business class A350
A350-900ULR Business Class

Key Facts for the A350 Superjet

• The A350 offers a 25 percent step change in fuel efficiency and a 25 percent lower seat-mile cost compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. It also generates 25 percent lower CO2 emissions.
• In a typical three-class configuration, the A350 cabin offers as standard a comfortable 18” seat width at 9-abreast in economy with Premium Economy (8-abreast, wider seats, and large armrests) and Business (4-abreast).
• It requires 40 percent less maintenance. And 70 percent of the airframe is made out of advanced materials combining composites (53 percent ), titanium and modern aluminum alloys. It is corrosion and fatigue-free.
• The A350 XWB is powered by new Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, the world most
efficient large aero engine flying today.
• Airbus claims that the A350 XWB offers a quieter cabin compared to the Boeing 787.
• The A350 XWB is the quietest of all twin-aisle airplanes. The exterior noise level of the A350-900 is certified at 21 EPNdB (Effective Perceived Noise Decibel) below ICAO Chapter 4 requirements.
• The A350 has been awarded Common Type Rating with the A330 (over 1,000 in
service). Both Airbus widebody product lines are complementary. The A350 XWB also enjoys
Cross Crew Qualification with the A320 Family (more in-service aircraft than any
other jetliner).
• Orders: 890 total A350 orders from 46 customers.
• Deliveries: a total of 188 A350s have been delivered to 19 operators.

Singappre Airlines A350 long-haul

A350-900-ULR Technical Data

  • Seats (2-class conf.) – 161
  • Engine Trent XWB-84 – 84,000lbs  (374 kN)
  • MTOW (tonnes) 280
  • Fuel Capacity – 165,000 liters
  • Range (nm) 9,700nm (18,000km)
  • Length (m) 66.80
  • Wingspan (m) 64.75
  • Fuselage width (m) 5.96
  • Height (m) 17.05
  • Max Fuel Capacity (l) 141,000 156,000

A350 Production and Assembly

• The first flight took place on 14th June 2013, with MSN001. The A350-900 received type
certification by European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on 30th September 2014,
followed by FAA Type Certification on 12th November 2014.
• The first A350-900 was delivered to Qatar Airways on 22nd December 2014.
• The A350-900 commercial service started with Qatar Airways on 15th January 2015
operating the carrier’s daily Doha to Frankfurt route.

 

Spectacular landings as pilots battle Ali to land

landings

There were some spectacular landings and take-offs during the recent storm Ali which battered the British Isles.

This video taken by flugsnug was shot at Birmingham Airport.

Typically, aircraft land and take-off into the wind to decrease the landing or take-off distance.

In some cases, aircraft land or take-off with a slight down-wind component – typically associated with noise sensitive airports where one runway is preferred over another.

Where a pilot faces a crosswind landing or take-off they need to point the aircraft in the direction of the wind while maintaining a straight course toward the runway or on the runway.

This is called crabbing or yawing.

In strong crosswinds, the pilot may also dip the wing – sideslip – into the direction of the wind for the landing.

Just before touch down pilots apply rudder to bring the plane – and its undercarriage – back so it is aligned straight down the centerline of the runway.

This takes great skill and the results –if not done properly – are often quite spectacular as shown in the video.

Tropical storm Ali, which started life in the mid-Atlantic and veered north-east toward Europe and not the USA wreaked havoc in the UK and Ireland early this month.

Several people were killed and a number required hospital treatment as Ali battered the British Isles.

Tens of thousands lost power, roads were blocked and there was travel chaos with train services were canceled.

And burning rubber! As if 44 mph gusts weren’t enough, the wind direction kept changing. Just watch the windsocks on the right side of the airfield in this video and the other two

 

Airbus confirms Faury as new CEO

Airbus CEo announcment Faury
New Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. Photo: Airbus

European aerospace giant Airbus has confirmed that insider Guillaume Faury will be its new chief executive when incumbent Tom Enders leaves next year in what is being portrayed as a generational change.

Faury, 50, is currently president of Airbus Commercial Aircraft and there has been speculation for some weeks that he would succeed German-born Enders.

His appointment comes after a series of management departures, including the surprise resignation of Airbus sales chief Eric Schulz in August, amid reports of tensions within the company.

He faces a number of issues including regulatory investigations, industrial problems due to engine issues on its best-selling A320neo and the fallout from Brexit.

Bloomberg also reported Monday that talks had stalled over a deal with Emirates to ensure the continued production of the A380 superjumbo through a $US16 billion order for new planes.

Enders, 59, remains chief executive until a hand-over at the company’s annual meeting on April 10, 2019, and said he would facilitate a smooth transition.

READ:  A330-900 certified by EASA

“Guillaume is an excellent choice,’’  he said in the company’s official announcement.

“He has gained broad industrial and aeronautic experience over many years and in many roles both inside and outside Airbus.

“With his strong values and international mindset, Guillaume stands for the new generation of leaders that Airbus needs for the coming decade.”

Chairman Denis Ranque, who will leave the board in 2020, said the company had diligently prepared for the succession.

He said it had reached a unanimous conclusion after a thorough examination of all potential internal and external candidates.

“We are delighted to be appointing someone of Guillaume’s caliber to take the helm,’’ he said.

“His global outlook, extensive operational experience, strong personal values and straightforward leadership style make him the ideal candidate to rally Airbus teams in the delivery of value to customers, partners and shareholders going forward.”

Faury served in various senior management roles at Eurocopter between 1998 and 2008, eventually becoming executive vice president for commercial programs and then executive vice president for research and development.

He left the aerospace company to run research and development at Peugeot before returning to Airbus in 2013 as chief executive of Airbus Helicopters.

He took the top job in at Airbus Commercial Aircraft in early 2018 after the departure of Fabrice Bergier.

Ranque also paid tribute to Enders, saying he had served Airbus with passion for almost two decades.

“The company’s strategic, structural and governance transformations brought about under Tom’s leadership, stand Airbus in good stead to pursue its performance trajectory and continue to deliver on commitments to our shareholders and the wider financial community in future years,”  he said.

The European manufacturer in 2017 generated revenues of €59 billion and employed a workforce of about 129,000.

 

 

 

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