Farnborough International Airshow 2024

This year’s Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) again proved aerospace markets are thriving, and people want the face-to-face interaction and see-it-in-person benefits an exhibition provides. Even before the show, commercial aircraft sales added to more than a decade’s worth of backlog. New this year was the growing importance of defense markets, with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) featuring military transport aircraft parked close to their commercial planes and in exhibit halls, commercial aircraft pitched as military platforms.

More than 400 U.S. companies exhibited at the show, with 250 in Kallman Worldwide’s USA Partnership Pavilion. Encompassing more than 48,000ft² across three halls, the pavilion showcased 34 states and included 74 first-time FIA exhibitors and 49 suppliers new to the market.

Airbus

After trailing Boeing in aircraft orders the first few days of the show, Airbus finished with 164 jetliner commitments – including those in a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The largest tally came from Saudi Arabia’s low-cost carrier flynas, with an MOU for 75 A320neo single-aisle jets and 15 A330-900 widebodies.

Abra Group, a Latin American airline network, signed an MOU for five A350-900s widebody jets. Virgin Atlantic placed a firm order for seven A330neo aircraft.

Berniq Airways, Libya’s airline, placed a firm order for six A320neo family aircraft. Drukair - Royal Bhutan Airlines signed an MOU for three A320neo and two A321-XLR aircraft to add to its four existing A320 family jets.

Japan Airlines (JAL) placed a firm order for 20 A350-900 widebody aircraft and 11 single-aisle A321neo, finalizing a commitment announced earlier this year. The A321neo contract is JAL’s first order for Airbus single-aisle jets.

The A321XLR, powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines giving it a range up to 4,700nm, received its type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) prior to the show. One of the planes made daily demonstration flights (see cover photo).

In its Global Market Forecast (GMF) for 2024-2043, Airbus projects the world commercial aircraft fleet-in-service will be 48,230 aircraft in 2043 compared to 24,240 at the beginning of 2024.

The GMF anticipates demand for 42,430 new passenger and freighter deliveries from 2024 to 2043. Single-aisle jets will account for 33,510, and 8,920 will be widebodies. Freighter demand will require 2,470 aircraft deliveries, 940 being newly built, the others passenger-to-freighter conversions.

Boeing

Boeing’s presence was more understated compared to past years as the company chose “to focus on safety, quality, and meeting customer commitments,” according to its pre-show press release, reducing its show airplanes to a Qatar Airways 787-9 Dreamliner on static display and two F-15QA fighter jets performing flight demonstrations. Visitors could still explore the company’s technology, sustainability, security, and services solutions via immersive and interactive experiences at its chalets.

Boeing issued its 2024 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) on the eve of the airshow. The plane maker projects carriers will require 43,975 new commercial airplanes by 2043. Single-aisle airplanes will account for 76% of commercial deliveries, in line with previous forecasts. The CMO forecasts single-aisle airplanes will make up 71% of the 2043 fleet after 33,380 new deliveries.

Passenger air traffic will rise an average of 4.7% annually in that timeframe, returning to the long-term trend Boeing analysts predicted in 2004. Further, the global air cargo fleet will increase by two-thirds by 2043, supporting 4.1% annual air cargo traffic growth.

Brad McMullen, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, says, “The return to more typical traffic growth shows how resilient our industry is, even as we all work through ongoing supply chain and production constraints amid other global challenges.”

Finally, Boeing expects demand for $4.4 trillion in commercial services driven by maintenance and modification options and digital solutions to increase efficiency.

The services market continues to expand as a result of fleet growth, increased focus on reducing operating costs, and deploying efficient and sustainable solutions, according to Dan Abraham, senior vice president of Boeing Global Services Commercial Sales and Marketing.

During the show, Boeing received 96 firm orders and 22 options for its jetliners, with the largest commitments for Boeing widebody airplanes coming from Korean Air, for 20 777-9s and 20 787-10s with options for 10 more, plus JAL committing to 10 787-9 jets with options for 10 more.

Embraer

Prominently displayed in Embraer’s lineup was the E190F E-Freighter, making its debut and recently certified by the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil. The E-190F, which first flew earlier this year, is a passenger jet converted to a freighter.

Embraer revealed several upgrades and performance improvements on the E195-E2, E190-E2, and E175 regional jets, including fuel burn and range improvements, avionics, and cabin upgrades.

Embraer Defense & Security was represented by the C-390 Millennium multi-mission military tactical transport and the A-29 Super Tucano multi-role aircraft.

During the show, the Dutch Ministry of Defense placed an order for nine Embraer C-390s. The contract is a joint purchase with Austria: five aircraft for the Royal Netherlands Air Force and four aircraft for the Austrian Air Force.

Embraer is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year with growth across all its businesses. Embraer President and CEO Francisco Gomes Neto notes, “Embraer is experiencing very positive momentum, growing in a profitable way through the execution of our business strategy.” This includes a firm order backlog of $21.1 billion as of Q2 2024, a seven-year high, up more than 20% annually. Revenues for the same quarter were $1.49 billion, an increase of 67% compared to the previous quarter. Commercial aviation revenues grew 176%.

Embraer also released its 20-Year Market Outlook at the show, a forecast for deliveries of commercial aircraft with fewer than 150 seats (regional airliners). The report indicates global demand for 10,500 jets and turboprops in that size through 2043, with new orders valued at $640 billion. North America will lead regional jet deliveries, followed by Asia Pacific and Europe.

Engines

GE Aerospace and Safran joint venture CFM International, GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce obtained more than 1,300 engine orders during the show, directly, or inferred from aircraft purchases or leases. For example, after JAL ordered up to 20 Boeing 787-9s, GE Aerospace received an order from the airline for GEnx-1B engines to power them.

Global aviation finance company Avolon ordered 150 LEAP-1A engines to power 75 new Airbus A320neo family jets. The agreement includes purchase rights for 150 additional LEAP-1A engines.

Macquarie AirFinance finalized its agreement for 20 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft powered by 40 LEAP-1B engines.

JAL’s order for 20 Airbus A350-900 widebody aircraft sealed a commitment from earlier this year for Rolls-Royce Trent XWB aero-engines.

Long-term engine lease and maintenance agreements continued to be a feature of the FIA. The 15 Trent 7000 engines powering flynas’ Airbus A330neo aircraft will be covered by Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare service. Rolls-Royce also finalized a TotalCare service agreement with Vietjet for 40 Trent 7000 engines for 20 Airbus A330neo jets.

Thai Airways International Public Co. Ltd. signed a six-year agreement to extend TrueChoice Service with GE Aerospace that covers the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of the airline’s Boeing 777 GE90 engines.

AAM and more

Advanced air mobility (AAM) retained its place at the show, with Lilium and Saudia Group signing a binding sales agreement for 50 Lilium Jets, with options for the purchase of 50 more. The agreement was reached prior to the show, with the Saudi Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation signing an MOU at Farnborough to develop regulations for electric air mobility operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Eve Air Mobility unveiled its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) full-scale prototype and announced the selection of primary suppliers. Supported by Embraer, Eve has letters of intent for 2,900 eVTOLs.

Wisk Aero, a Boeing subsidiary, exhibited its Generation 6 air taxi, the latest iteration of its autonomous four-seat eVTOL aircraft.

VoltAero and its Cassio electric-hybrid aircraft family had a cabin mockup on the flightline. VoltAero will integrate Kawasaki Motors’ aero piston engine in the Cassio hybrid propulsion module together with an ENGINeUS electric motor from Safran to drive a single pusher propeller.

Singapore-based Global Sky and AAM ecosystem developer Sigma Air Mobility signed MOUs, the former for 15 Cassio aircraft and the latter for exploring network operations and standards for airport recharging infrastructures.

Joby Aviation exhibited its eVTOL aircraft, having recently flown a hydrogen-electric air taxi demonstrator 523 miles, with water as the only by-product.

Farnborough International Airshow (FIA)
https://www.farnboroughairshow.com

About the author: Eric Brothers is editor of Aerospace Manufacturing and Design. He can be reached at ebrothers@gie.net.