Airbus super salesman John Leahy has hinted that the airframer could secure more than 130 orders at the show.
Airbus has taken 131 firm orders this year to date. "I have a bet with Louis [Gallois] that we will double that before the end of the week," Leahy said at an EADS media seminar on the eve of the show in London on Saturday.
Leahy also repeated his assertion that the Bombardier CSeries has "absolutely no business case" if Airbus and Boeing launch re-engined versions of their A320 and 737 families. If the big two do not re-engine, the CSeries will "have a small niche" thanks to the economics of its Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engine PW1000G, he said.
He ruled out an all-new Airbus narrowbody until "2025 or beyond". It will only happen, he said, "when we have game-changing technology". That will include "probably a geared open rotor engine with new materials as well as new airframe and systems architecture".
"If we were to design a new single-aisle today, it would look pretty much like an A320," he said. "It would have some composite materials - probably the wing - but the fuselage would be aluminium or aluminium alloy."
He said a rapid rebound in global freight and passenger numbers this year - including the premium segment - pointed to a strong recovery in the market, which would translate into orders.
- All the latest news, video and images from the 2010 Farnborough air show - New this year, live streaming video of each day's flying display
Source: Flight Daily News
