Engine orders from airlines within the Asia-Pacific region are likely to reflect a small slow-down in 2007-08 compared with the previous two years, according to GE’s Chaker Chahrour, the Singapore-based regional general manager of commercial operations and sales for the American engine builder.
Chahrour says there is definitely no downturn in the industry - just not the fantastic 20% year-on-year growth that was experienced in 2005-06.
At Asian Aerospace to take part in a regional seminar with Airbus and Boeing, Chahrour took time out after his presentation to visit the exhibition halls and was impressed with what he saw in terms of organisation. He also talked exclusively to Flight Daily News about things GE, CFM and engines in Asia-Pacific in general.
“Inevitably, there were questions from the floor at the seminar about when a new generation of single-aisle airliners might appear,” he says, “and we all agreed that an entry-into-service (EIS) date of 2018-19 seems most likely, depending on demands from airlines and regulators for more environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient aircraft.”
Chahrour also says that there’s still plenty of room for growth in
He also sees potential for growth in business aviation in both China and India, with aircraft like the HondaJet and the Spectrum Freedom, both powered by the 2,000lb-thrust GE Honda HF120 turbofan, likely to prove popular, especially in the sub-continent. This new engine is the result of a JV between GE and the Japanese auto maker and it’s scheduled for certification and EIS in 2010.
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Source: Flight Daily News