The 2004 Paris Air Show, which started yesterday, could be best described as an interim show.
There are essentially no really new transport aircraft and whatever announcements are made, they would have been sewn up probably months ago. Perhaps the most interesting order, but made prior to Le Bourget, is that noted below, a commitment for the quality budget airline JetBlue for no less than 100 of the yet to fly Embraer 190. Up until this time the so-called ”no frills” airline have concentrated either on either pre-used ex-main line carrier aircraft in the 100-150 seat range, or increasingly on brand new 150-180 capacity machines sold or leased on very attractive terms by manufacturers, keen, for all sorts of reasons, to secure orders. With the JetBlue order it remains to be seen if this avenue is followed in Europe. The regional jets are not known for their exacting economics, essentially due to their size. If a family of, say, four cancels a trip on a 150 seater it represents less than 3% of total revenue. For a 100 seater it is 4%. Both aircraft require two pilots. Whatever the manufacturers say the seat/mile costs of operating the two aircraft are not the same.
The major reason for the lack of anything new, or even innovative, is the fact that we are now down to just four major aircraft constructors. Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer, with the Russians still producing and China hovering in the wings. There is nothing like competition for innovation and originality. Sadly this is all something from the past. Enjoy the A380 when it eventually arrives. The next new big transport aircraft is still very much on the drawing board Boeings” 7E7, or Dreamliner. With no disrespects to Boeing it is a dream, an aircraft in virtual reality. Still another vision in the past did make it, the Boeing Strato Cruiser, or B377 (Stratocruiser)
Next time around, in 2005, you can be certain that the French, for purely nationalistic reasons, will have the Airbus 380 ready to make its first public appearance. At least the aircraft will have Rolls-Royce engines. The scene stealer this time around is the first Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range) which arrived from Seattle after a non-stop 4,475 nautical miles flight of 9 hours 25 minutes at an average speed of 564 mph. Not bad for twin-engined aircraft weighing in at just under three quarters of a million pounds all up weight.
One great virtue of Le Bourget is its role as a gathering place of the industry (and the same goes to Farnborough too) and this is perhaps the real value of the exhibition. At Paris there are over 1,800 exhibitors offering everything from flight planning to aircraft disposal. 120,000 trade visitors will pass through the doors this week. This is really what it is all about. The show may turn out to be a bit flat this year, but roll on Farnborough 2004.
http://www.paris-air-show.com