On the Record with
RICHARD GAONA, PRESIDENT, AIRBUS CORPORATE JET
Airbus vs. BBJ: "We Got It Right First Time"

ACJ President Richard Gaona

"It is not too big, it is not too small, it is extremely reliable."

That's the word from Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) president Richard Gaona on the eve of EBACE, a natural sales venue for the airliner-cum-business jet

The ACJ is a slightly modified (additional fuel tanks) version of the A319 passenger twinjet. Its commonality with the airliner is said to increase residual value and to afford Airbus more production flexibility.

Airbus has sold 26 ACJs and delivered eight, two at the end of 1999 and six last year. It is forecasting six more this year and six in 2002. Recent sales include two to the French air force and one to Aero Services Executive, the first French civil buyer, which will base its 29-seat airplane at Paris Le Bourget when it takes delivery this summer.

Recent milestones include selection of EADS Aeronautique, the former Sogerma in Toulouse, as the sixth authorized ACJ completions center (it will outfit the Aero Services Executive ACJ); the choice of United Airlines affiliate United Services as a "one-call-handles-all" ACJ support provider; the selection of IAE's V2527M-A5 as the "reference" engines; and the first airline sale, to Qatar Airways.

Airbus offers a vast amount of interior designs from execuive suite to shuttle.

This brings the ACJ into a fifth market segment (airlines), the others being government, VIP/head-of-state, shuttle and, of course, corporate.

One ACJs is flown by Airbus affiliate DaimlerChrysler as a corporate shuttle between Stuttgart and Detroit and to Vittoria, Spain. The automaker's 44-seat "Transatlantic Star" often averages 10 hours a day as compared to eight hours for a typical airline A320. On days when it makes the U.S.-Europe round-trip, it's in the air 17 out of 24 hours.

Also playing a dual role is the ACJ owned by Kuwait's Al Karafi Group, which spends much of its time in charter operation by Twinjet Aircraft out of London's Luton Airport. Twinjet recently secured 120-minute ETOPS certification.

Gaona acknowledges that the first two ACJs were delivered late but says that 2000's half-dozen were all on time. One reason is the recent plethora of finishing centers, with two in the U.S.

"We are trying to manage demand," Gaona says, noting that business jet buyers "don't like to wait two years."
"Somebody can take delivery of an aircraft within 12 months, but I cannot do this for 10 aircraft, only for one or two," he told Show News.

Airbus promotes the ACJ as bigger than the 737-based Boeing Business Jet, with about 12% more cabin room. The advantage, he suggests, is what prompted Boeing to offer the bigger BBJ II, which is based on the production 737-800. In contrast, the BBJ is a hybrid, with wings and fuselage mated from two different 737 models.

"We got it right the first time," Gaona said.

By Rich Piellisch