FARNBOROUGH, England, 21 July 2010.Passenger aircraft sales remained brisk Tuesday on the second day of the Farnborough International Airshow, as firm sales and options through early Wednesday had reached about 600 commercial jets in a confirmation of the returning health of the commercial aviation industry.
Sales on Tuesday and into the beginning of Wednesday tallied about 392 passenger aircraft, which added to Monday's sales of 212 passenger airliners, bringing the total sales at Farnborough through early Wednesday to more than 600 -- including three Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets, and 15 future Airbus A350 aircraft, which is the Airbus response to the Boeing 787.
Tuesday and early Wednesday's aircraft sales at Farnborough involved 28 widebody passenger jets, which combined with Monday's sales of 41 of these large multi-aisle passenger jets to nearly 70 thus far. Other passenger aircraft sales Tuesday into Wednesday morning involved about 72 narrow-body passenger jets, 140 regional jets, and 57 twin-engine turboprop passenger aircraft.
Early Wednesday morning began with a bang as RBS Aviation Capital in Dublin ordered 52 Airbus A320-family narrow-body passenger jets, as well as 43 Boeing 737 narrow-bodies, which experts say have a combined value of more than $7.6 billion at list prices. Additional aircraft sales are expected as today progresses.
Tuesday's highlights involved the sale of three Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets to Royal Jordanian airways, as well as 15 Airbus A350 future widebody jets and 10 Airbus A330 widebody passenger jets to Hong Kong Airlines.
Also on Tuesday Air Lease Corp. in Los Angeles signed a letter of intent to buy 10 Embraer 190 narrow-body passenger jets, while Chilean carrier LAN Airlines signed a tentative agreement for 50 Airbus A320-family narrow-body aircraft. Tuesday's sales also saw 12 Boeing 737-800 narrow-body aircraft go to the Ireland-based Avolon aircraft leasing company.
In sales of smaller passenger aircraft Tuesday, Flybe, a regional carrier in the United Kingdom, ordered 140 Embraer Regional Jet aircraft -- 35 of which are firm sales. Air Lease Corp. made another aircraft purchase Tuesday when its leaders ordered 10 French-Italian-built ATR 72-600 twin-engine turboprops. Danish regional aircraft lessor Nordic Aviation Capital bought seven ATR 42 twin-engine turboprops while Brazilian carrier Azul agreed to buy 20 ATR-72-600 twin-engine turboprops, with options for 20 more.
