China's C919 passenger jet draws attention at Farnborough Int'l Airshow

C919 Passenger Jet from China

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, or COMAC showcased its C919 aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow 2012 -ongoing in Hampshire, UK. The plane is China’s first homegrown single-aisle passenger jet.

It brings with it a lot less... less weight, less air resistance and lower emissions. According to its designers, it will also produce up to 30 fewer decibels of noise, 50 percent less pollution and use 13 percent less fuel compared with its competitors. But it also brings more... The C919 will be the largest commercial airliner built in China.

Jian Min, Chief Accountant of Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China, said, "It is more user-friendly. The space between the seats is widened. Doors for luggage compartments open downward, which makes it more convenient for passengers to stow their luggage. The windows on the plane are bigger to provide a better view of the scenery outside."

Read more: China.org.cn - China news, weather, business, travel & language courses: China's national online news service

Britain: Virgin Galactic's latest 'space jet' unveiled at Farnborough Airshow

Visitors to the Farnborough International Airshow 2012 were yesterday given a glimpse of Sir Richard Branson’s space travel dream courtesy of Virgin Galactic, the world's first commercial spaceline.

In typical bold Branson style, the multi-millionaire boss of Virgin Atlantic and founder of Virgin Galactic unveiled LauncherOne, a new new air-launched rocket specifically designed to deliver small satellites into orbit.

With substantial funding already raised from Virgin Galactic's partner aabar Investments PJS, commercial flights of this new orbital launch vehicle are expected to begin by 2016.

Read more: Virgin Galactic's latest 'space jet' unveiled at Farnborough Airshow

Farnborough: New Russian Jet Garners Orders Despite Crash

Sukhoi Superjet 100

Sukhoi expects to finalize orders for as many as 40 of its Superjet 100 passenger aircraft from Asian airlines before the end of this year, proof, the head of Sukhoi’s parent company said Monday, that the fatal crash of a demonstration plane two months ago had done little to deter customers or partners.

The forthcoming orders are from three Southeast Asian carriers, which Mr. Pogosyan would not identify. Last month Sukhoi received a firm order for six Superjet 100s, with a list price of more than $212 million, from TransAero, Russia’s second-largest airline after Aeroflot. Sukhoi says it has orders and commitments for more than 200 of the planes. 

A Superjet 100 crashed into a mountainside during a promotional flight in Indonesia on May 9, killing all 45 people on board. The fate of the jetliner — the first new model to be produced in Russia since the end of the Soviet Union — was a crushing blow to a national aerospace industry eager for revival.

The Indonesian authorities are expected to publish their findings later this year. Preliminary analysis of the plane’s flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders have not revealed any major technical fault with the aircraft, Mr. Pogosyan said.

 New Russian Jet Garners Orders Despite Crash - NYTimes.com

Airbus hits back against Boeing with firm orders for A350

Airbus A350-1000

Airbus on Tuesday said that Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific had made a firm order for 10 of its long-haul A350 planes worth $3.2 billion (2.6 billion euros).

Cathay also agreed to convert 16 of its existing orders for the A350-900 to the larger A350-1000, earning Airbus another $1.0 billion before the possibility of discounts which are often the case with large purchases.

The deal was a major boost for Airbus, a day after it revealed only a tame order for four of its future single-aisle neo passenger planes -- a rival to Boeing's MAX series -- to Arkia Israel Airlines for a combined $453 million.

Also on Monday, Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier conceded that there could be new delays to the delivery of its A350 plane which is due to enter service in mid-2014.

Read more: Airbus hits back against Boeing with firm orders for A350 - The Economic Times

Farnborough Air Show: Sir Richard Branson Talks Heathrow's Immigration Issues, Virgin Atlantic

Britain's economy will fall behind the rest of Europe unless London's capacity-constrained Heathrow hub gets a third runway and the government improves immigration services, serial entrepreneur and Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson said.

"There should have been a third runway at Heathrow in the 1940s and only two got built," Branson told Reuters in an interview. "Meanwhile, in France, Germany and Italy about 24 new runways have been built and, as a result, Britain is being held back."

BAA's Heathrow is operating at full capacity after Britain's Conservative-led coalition government blocked development of a third runway when it came to power in 2010 as further expansion of the west London site would mean a huge increase in the number of planes flying directly over the capital. There were 476,197 flights at Heathrow in 2011, representing 99.2 percent of the airport's limit.

Heathrow is falling behind rival European airports in Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam in the battle for lucrative routes to the Far East because of the constraints on growth.

Branson said a lack of space at the London hub was stopping Virgin Atlantic competing with IAG's British Airways domestically and on routes to emerging markets.

Read more: Farnborough Air Show: Sir Richard Branson Talks Heathrow's Immigration Issues, Virgin Atlantic