The A350F is officially launched with an order from lessor ALC. The order also includes hundreds of other Airbus aircraft and the creation of a sustainability fund. We also toured the Irkut MC-21 flight test aircraft with a partial cabin.
ALC orders the Airbus A350F
Lessor ALC ordered 111 Airbus aircraft, including seven A350Fs. The order, which is a letter of intent scheduled to be finalized “in the coming months,” also includes 25 A220-300s, 55 A321neos, 20 A321XLRs, and four A330neos.
Airbus and ALC are also establishing a multi-million dollar fund that will finance “sustainable aviation development projects,” though details on the fund are still light.
Inside the MC-21
We climbed aboard the Irkut MC-21 to see the development of the Russian single-aisle aircraft up close. The cabin is very wide, which is especially apparent in the area with seats installed. Lacking in our conversation with representatives on board was any detail on what market the aircraft would serve with airlines outside of Russia.
Emirates Premium Economy
We also toured Emirates’ Premium Economy offering. The airline held out for quite a while before launching a premium economy offering in 2020. We came away impressed, especially with the seat, which feels like you could actually sleep in it.
Greenlining
Etihad’s 787 “Greenliner” is at the show and the captain on board was eager to talk about how Etihad is using operational adjustments to reduce their impact on the environment, including an intriguing project to use atmospheric data to avoid producing contrails, which contribute to trapping heat. Stay tuned for more on that in the near future.
Dubai Airshow Day 2 photos
See all our photos from Day 2 of the show.
