Boeing opens office in Doha

Boeing has established its first office in Qatar.

Operations at the new Boeing office in Doha will primarily house the Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) business but also provide a base for Boeing Commercial Airplanes activities.

“This new office is an important commitment that Boeing is making to Doha, the Qatari government and our customers in the immediate region,” said Dennis Muilenburg, president of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “It will enable Boeing to maintain the in-person contact necessary to further develop our close working relationship with Qatar, as part of our overall strategy to build partnerships with our customers.”

Paul Kinscherff, president of Boeing in the Middle East, added, “With the opening of our Doha office, we look forward to working even more closely with our Qatari customers and partners to support their success and the development goals of Qatar’s National Vision 2030.”

Boeing delivered two C-17 Globemaster III airlifters to the Qatar Emiri Air Force in August and September 2009. The Air Force has used the C-17s to provide vital humanitarian aid around the world in the aftermath of natural disasters, such as the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile.

Boeing is also working closely with Qatar’s armed forces to determine how the company can best meet its future military requirements. Future potential exists for maritime strike attack aircraft, reconnaissance rotorcraft and tactical aircraft.

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Mike Delong, a Middle East regional vice president with BDS International Business Development, will lead the office.

Airbus to offer new engine options for A320 family

Airbus is to offer its customers of A320 Family aircraft new fuel saving engines as an option.

Airlines will have the choice between CFM International’s LEAP-X engine and Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower PW1100G engine. Known as the A320neo, this new engine option also incorporates fuel-saving large wing tip devices called Sharklets. Airbus will start deliveries of the A320neo Family in spring 2016.

Airbus says the A320neo will not only deliver significant fuel savings of up to 15%, which represents up to 3,600 tonnes of CO2 savings annually per A320neo, but A320neo customers will also benefit from a double-digit reduction in NOx emissions, reduced engine noise, lower operating costs and up to 500nm (950 km) more range or two tonnes more payload. Airbus forecasts a market potential of 4,000 A320neo Family aircraft over the next 15 years.

 “We are confident that the A320neo will be a great success across all markets and with all types of operators, offering them maximum benefit with minimum change. We are leveraging a reliable, mature aircraft and are making it even more efficient and environmentally friendly,” said Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO.

“Finding the necessary resources for the A320neo wasn’t exactly a walk in the park,” Enders added. “The enabler was to devise a stringent phasing of critical engineering assets throughout our various development programmes and to optimise the management and organisation of all our programmes and R&T projects. Our international engineering centres, suppliers and partners play a big role in this.” The new engine option is offered on the A321, A320 and A319 models which will require limited modifications, primarily to the wing and pylon areas.

Bombardier opens Regional Support Office in Dubai

Bombardier Aerospace has opened a new Regional Support Office (RSO) in Dubai, significantly boosting service levels for its growing number of Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft customers in the Middle East and Africa.

The new office, the sixth Bombardier RSO to open outside North America in the past three years, is part of the company’s drive to bring aircraft technical expertise, flight operations support and customer account management functions closer to its customers.

The full-scale RSO is located at Dubai International Airport alongside the company’s existing parts depot, which is operated in conjunction with ExecuJet Aviation, Bombardier’s Authorized Service Facility in the region.

The office is currently staffed by a Customer Support Account Manager and two Field Service Representatives, with an office manager set to join in January 2011. This staff will be complemented by a Customer Liaison Pilot and additional Field Service Representatives later in 2011.

 “It is crucial that our growing customer base in this key part of the world has ready access to a fully integrated regional support system,” said Andy Nureddin, Vice President, Customer Services and Support, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “This new RSO is part of our aggressive plan to move closer to our customers, improve response times and build stronger relationships around the globe.”

The new RSO will bolster Bombardier’s support in the Middle East and Africa in light of existing and anticipated regional growth.

Bombardier’s RSO network for business and commercial aircraft includes locations in Mumbai, India; Tokyo, Japan; Sydney, Australia; Shanghai, China; and Munich, Germany.