Airbus Corporate Jetliner Outsells Boeing Business Jet

by ANN Associate Editor James Aronovsky

Airbus Vice President of Executive and Private Aviation Sales, Richard Goana, is perhaps the one executive at Airbus who is quite optimistic about his prospects.

The Airbus Commercial Jetliner (ACJ) is outselling its Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) counterpart two to one in the highly rarified world of business jets that are as big as an airliner. Boeing has sold ten this year but Airbus confirms selling twice that number. Goana hinted that he was hoping to bring that total up to 22 before the end of the NBAA convention.

Goana, along with several other Airbus officials, spoke Monday at the press day preceeding the start of the NBAA Conference in Orlando... and said that Airbus commercial sales are skyrocketing due to what he says is the widest and most spacious cabin available to customers and the greatest amount of customization available.

The ACJ family consists of three variations of the Airbus A320. The A318 Elite, the standard ACJ, and the A320 Prestige all share the same cabin, which is seven inches wider than the Boeing 737- based BBJ. All are certified in the European 3B autoland category. 

To illustrate Airbus's commitment to the American market, the French-German plane builder has named Gore Design Completion of San Antonio, TX to be an approved completion center for Airbus corporate jetliners and is the second US-based outfitter among several world wide. Because of the highly personalized needs of customers, the aircraft are flown "green" (without interiors) usually to a completion center nearest the buyer, who can then visit the aircraft and specify all the details as the interior comes together.

In what may be the most amazing revelation of all, Goana confirmed that he is in serious talks for an Airbus Corporate Jetliner that is just a little bigger than the A320 family. The often-delayed, giant superjumbo A380 is being considered as bizjet for what he would only say is a head of state. Further questioning only brought a sly smile.

Goana says that his research shows there is a market for approximately 12 to 15 executive airliners a year, though he admitted that this year was uncommonly good.

When pressed on exactly how many ACJ's he really wanted to sell, Goana said, in his thick French accent, "I would be happy with any number that is more than 50% of the market."

In the intense on-going Boeing/Airbus rivalry, that means Goana is one very happy airplane salesman.

FMI:  www.airbus.com/en/aircraftfamilies/executive_aviation/index.html