Germany pays 2nd tranche of loan for A350 development.

Germany has agreed to pay Airbus €623 million ($690 million) in loans for the A350, a spokeswoman for the economics ministry said last week.

Source: Sebastian Sowa

The move was expected after Airbus-Group CEO Tom Enders said a deal was pending during company´s full-year results presentation in Munich.

An Airbus spokesman said that the company welcomes the agreement.

Source: JV

The loan runs until 2031 and up to 1,500 deliveries, the ministry said.

Talks between Airbus and Berlin on the 2nd loan broke down ahead of federal elections in Germany in 2013 amid acrimony between the company and the government over guaranteed work and jobs.

According to the ministry spokeswoman, the 2 parties came to agreement late last year, and Germany’s parliamentary budget committee approved the payment last week.

Airbus has received billions of euros in preferential loans from European governments to support the development of new jetliner models over the past 4 decades.

That included an initial €500 million loan from Germany for the A350.

The process on agreeing a 2nd loan, for €623 million, proved protracted because Airbus Group balked at the terms demanded by the German government.

Source: RyanFlyer

The issue of loans for new planes has been controversial as the U.S. and Europe battle at the World Trade Organization over subsidies given to their respective plane makers.

The WTO has said both Boeing Co. and Airbus have received subsidies not compliant with international trade agreements.

Based on the article “Germany to Pay Airbus €623 Million in Loans for New Jet” published in The Wall Street Journal.

Rolls-Royce production over-capacity for A350-900 ramp-up.

British engineer Rolls-Royce has warned profits this year could fall by as much as 13% on top of an 8% drop last year, saying the low oil price had increased uncertainty for many of its markets and customers.

Rolls-Royce had already cut its 2015 forecasts in October/2014, when it shocked the market by warning there would be no growth in 2015.

Rolls-Royce said the market for its main aircraft engine business would strengthen but customers in the oil and gas, mining, construction, industrial and agricultural sectors were cancelling or delaying orders.

In widening the range for its profit forecast for this year the company reiterated it was also seeing lower demand for propulsion systems and related services in its marine business which supplies the offshore oil and gas industry, as well as cutbacks from customers who use its equipment in power generation, construction and mining projects.

Additionally the company said that past delays in some aircraft development projects, the 2 biggest being Boeing's 787 and Airbus's A350 widebody jets, has meant new engine production capacity which Rolls-Royce has already put in place is being underutilized.

"We're clear about how to address the short-term challenges and we're taking decisive action that will make us a stronger company and return us to profitable growth," said Chief Executive John Rishton.

The company is already in the throes of a rationalization program to improve profitability in its aerospace division, which accounted for almost half of 2014 revenues and has benefited from soaring demand for more fuel-efficient engines for passenger jets but has lagged market leader General Electric on profit margins.

Based on the article “Rolls-Royce warns profits could fall further this year” published in Reuters.

Aer Lingus to receive three A350/year from 2018 to 2020.

Aer Lingus has agreed a revised delivery schedule with Airbus for the delivery of nine A350s, with the first aircraft now set to arrive in 2018.

Source: One Mile at a Time

The Irish flag carrier will now receive its nine A350s in batches of 3 per year between 2018 and 2020.

Source: Lee Haltford

Dublin-based Aer Lingus had initially expected the deliveries to take place between 2015 and 2018.

Source: Alexander Hassenstein

Any possibility the carrier ordering A330neos is now “off the table”, it says.

Based on the article “Aer Lingus revises A350 delivery dates” published in FlightGlobal.

Vietnam Airlines A350 roll-out. Video

Airbus has released this video with the A350 MSN14 roll-out where the livery can be watched.

Click on the picture to watch the video.

It will probably be delivered during next Paris-Air Show in mid-June.

The registration would be VN-A886 as shown in the main landing gear door.


All pictures are video-captures from Airbus video.

Finnair, as Qatar, finances first A350-900 with GECAS.

Finnair group Vice President Treasurer Mika Stirkkinen confirmed the carrier has financed its first two A350-900s with GECAS with both open for “good proposals.”

Source: Camile Deschamp

Mr Stirkkinen, which is Interim Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Executive Board, noted: “We issued an RFP for widebodies less than one year ago and I can say it was crowded, as far as I know we were the first to offer A350s to the market.”

Source: Camile Deschamp

Finnair has 19 A350-900s on orderbook.

Source: Jujug Spotting

Based on the article “Finnair has financed first two A350-900s with GECAS” published in CAPA

Finally 2nd A350 delivered to Qatar Airways

After several delays, the 2nd A350 has been delivered to Qatar Airways.

MSN7 will join in coming days Doha-Frankfurt service with the 1st A350.

FAA starts A350 ETOPS certification from 180 min.

The Maximum diversion time extended operations or ETOPS rules determine the maximum amount of flying time planes can stray from the nearest airport. 

Although EASA's certification calls for 370 minutes ETOPS from the outset, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will take a few months longer to consider the same level of clearance.

FAA has started A350 ETOPS certification from 180 minutes. US Airways and Delta Airlines are both A350 customers but deliveries will not come until 2017.

Check here the FAA certification approval update.

Source: Airbus

Literally, the statement is:

The type-design reliability and performance of the A350-941 has been evaluated in accordance with 14 CFR 25.1535 and found suitable for 180-minute maximum diversion time extended operations (ETOPS) when the configuration, maintenance, and procedures standard contained in Airbus document reference, “XWB/FAA: 14 CFR 25.1535/CMP” are met. This finding does not constitute approval to conduct ETOPS.