ABACE 2014 Live News: Press Day
Aircraf on display at ABACE 2014 in Shanghai, China.
Welcome to Corporate Jet Investor’s coverage of ABACE 2014 live from Shanghai. Please remember to refresh the page for updates.
It’s press day at Asia’s biggest annual business aviation event, which officially starts tomorrow and runs until Thursday.
Summary
- Airbus launched the ACJ319 Elegance corporate jet.
- Textron said it is seeing high demand for Cessna aircraft in south-east Asia as well as China.
- Boeing Business Jets revealed it has received two Chinese orders since ABACE 2013.
- Gulfstream, Embraer and Deer Jet all held press conferences this afternoon.
If you have any news or comments, you can send an e-mail to Alex Andrews at: [email protected] or Alud Davies at: [email protected].
Live feed
17.00 That’s it for today. Remember to join us again tomorrow when we’ll attend press conferences hosted by Asian Sky Group, Bombardier, Dassault and Minsheng Financial Leasing.
We’ll also sit down with Gulfstream, Korean Air Business Jet and more. Over and out.
16.42 In its press conference this afternoon, Gulfstream revealed that it will deliver the first Chinese G280 to Mandarin Air at the show tomorrow. The manufacturer’s Asia-Pacific fleet has more than tripled in the last five years, with more than 130 Gulfstreams now based in Greater China.
16.25 Have a look at Alud’s ABACE 2014 photo gallery, featuring every business jet on the static display. Here’s a Bombardier Challenger 605 to get you started.
Bombardier Challenger 605
15.58 Here’s how BBJ’s deliveries and orders break down:
Boeing has sold 216 business jets as of ABACE 2014.
RECAP: This morning, Boeing’s fierce rival Airbus revealed that it had delivered “more than 170” corporate jets to date.
15.40 Here’s a photo from the Boeing Business Jets press conference. What it doesn’t show is how hot it is inside here.
Boeing Business Jets briefs the press at ABACE 2014.
15.25 Boeing’s sales total now stands at 216, making it the market leader in the corporate airliner segment.
15.23 Taylor: “One thing that is a little bit unique about the Chinese market is the predominance of charter.”
15.22 “The big news for 2014 is we have sold the first BBJ MAX,” says Captain Steve Taylor, president of Boeing Business Jets.
The aircraft was ordered by an existing BBJ customer and will be delivered by 2018. Taylor is pleased to note that the BBJ MAX 8 has 14.6 per cent more range than the BBJ 2.
Since the last ABACE, Boeing has sold six business jets (including the MAX 8) and has taken eight orders, including two from Chinese customers.
15.15 No one keeps Boeing Business Jets waiting.
Not unless you’re Deer Jet and your press conference overruns by 25 minutes.
14.35 Can you identify the three aircraft in the clip below?
14.10 This morning, we visited Textron Aviation – the new segment of Textron Inc., consisting of Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker – and sat down with Bill Schultz, senior vice president, business development, and Bill Harris, vice president, Asia Pacific sales. Check back soon for a full video.
Schultz said: “China has just come through a period of unprecendeted economic growth.” Outside of China, Schultz noted a high demand in south-east Asia. He said Cessna has a “couple of deliveries” scheduled to Vietnam in the near future, having recently completed Caravan and Citation deliveries to Indonesia and the Phillipines.
Schultz also revealed that he is a big fan of the television series, House of Cards and particularly the original British series.
Outside on the static display, Textron is showing the following models: Bonanza G36, Baron G58, Citation XLS+, Citation Sovereign+ (pictured below), Grand Caravan EX, King Air C90GTx, King Air 350ER and a King Air 350i.
The inside of Cessna’s Sovereign+ at ABACE 2014.
12.42 The press luncheon is barely underway and Alud, our senior features and analysis editor, is already ploughing his way through a plate of food. Corporate Jet Investor’s culinary tip for the day is the tofu and mushroom.
Corporate Jet Investor’s Alud Davies tucks into lunch like a man possessed.
12.35 Watch a short video clip from Airbus’s ACJ319 Elegance launch this morning:
10.55 More on the new ACJ319 Elegance: from order to delivery, the first aircraft will take 20 months.
10.25 Airbus Corporate Jets has unveiled its plans for the ACJ319 Elegance. “It’s a new approach combining today’s ACJ319 with a new approach to the cabin,” said David Vellupillai, marketing and communications director.
9.55 The internet connection at the show is lightning quick and, as you can see from the photo below, the press headquarters are already rocking. Stay tuned for more news and British sarcasm throughout the day.
The press headquarters at ABACE 2014.
9.45 Shanghai Hawker Pacific reports a 20 per cent year-on-year growth across its FBO businesses in Shanghai, with 35 per cent utilising Pudong Airport and the remaining 65 per cent using Hongqiao.
9.40 (Shanghai) Nǐ hǎo! Welcome to Shanghai where we’re expecting a busy day of business aviation news, as ABACE returns to China for its fourth year. Our deputy editor Alex Andrews and our senior features and analysis editor will be providing you with today’s coverage.
