China orders two more Boeing 737s
CHINA Aviation Suppliers Corp has placed a US$35 million order for two more Boeing aircraft on behalf of Air China.
The Boeing 737-300 passenger planes, which seat 128, will be the 24th and 25th planes China has bought from Boeing this year, the report said.
The new planes will help Air China keep pace with the mainland's rapidly growing aviation sector, said to be growing faster than any other market in the world.
Passenger traffic jumped by 33 per cent last year, and is expected to grow by 20 per cent this year.
Meanwhile, Boeing has released its 1993 world air cargo forecast which predicts international air freight traffic will grow at an average annual rate of 6.8 per cent between this year and 2010.
This compares with a 3.7 per cent growth in worldwide air cargo shipments last year.
Its forecast projects that air cargo traffic will increase from 80 billion revenue tonne kilometres in 1992 to about 250 billion revenue tonne km in 2010.
Boeing forecast the highest growth rates in the Asian markets, including Europe-Asia, North America-Asia and intra-Asia routes.
Intra-Asia air cargo traffic will grow on average by nine per cent a year up to the year 2010, according to the Boeing forecasters.
Boeing also forecast large freighter planes, those with capabilities greater than 50 tonnes, will play increasingly dominant role in the worldwide industry.
It believes new Boeing 767 Freighter will be ideal for the world's fastest growing air freight markets.
It can carry 50.8 tonnes of maximum revenue payload 5,500 km, or 40.8 tonnes as far as 7,300 km.
The first B767 Freighter is scheduled for certification and delivery to United Parcel Services, which has placed 30 orders, in October 1995.
