French aircraft-brake maker Messier-Bugatti has signed orders with seven airlines for its Sepcarb III carbon brakes.
China Northwest, Constellation, Croatia Airlines, Iberia, Star Europe, Transasia and Zhejiang Airlines have all, within a month, ordered Sepcarb brakes for Airbus A319s and A320s, on a total of 58 aircraft.
The deals, together worth around $140 million, follow another recent order from Philippine Airlines for A320 brakes, and come after what the company describes as an "extremely good year" for carbon-brake sales.
Some 19 airlines have signed for Sepcarb III brakes, with prospects for the coming year also good, says the company. The carbon brakes, sales of which are now higher than for the traditional steel type, are installed either as original equipment or retrofitted.
Sepcarb III carbon brakes were certificated in December 1995.
Messier-Bugatti increased its earnings in 1996, with its income increasing from Fr38.4 million ($6.98 million) to Fr57.8 million, on sales of Fr1.44 billion.
Source: Flight International
