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Aircraft maker secures 30 new sales
For aircraft manufacturers, high fuel prices  do have an upside as airlines are forced to buy aircraft that are more fuel-efficient.
Aviation Industries Corp of China I (Avic I),  a state-owned manufacturer of small to medium-sized aircraft, said it  had secured 30 firm orders this year for the Modern Ark 60 or MA60, a regional commuter airliner designed and developed by subsidiary Xian Aircraft Industry (Group).
It said its order backlog  would increase to 158 units from 128 by the end of the year, in addition to  40 purchase options.
The 30 new orders came from China, the Philippines, Tanzania and other African countries, while the  existing contracts were from countries in Africa, Asia and South America.
'The MA60 is equipped with a turboprop engine that consumes 10 to 20 per cent less fuel per seat-kilometre than other turbojet engines,' said Zhang Guangjian, a vice-president of China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corp at the International Air Transport Association annual meeting in Istanbul.
Catic is a subsidiary of Avic I, which oversees  research and development, production and sales  for all military and civilian aircraft.
The MA60, which  can carry up to 60 passengers, is said to cost about 30 per cent   less than similar aircraft  from  other manufacturers.
Considered the most advanced   turboprop aircraft, the MA60  has been popular with developing countries since it was first exported last year.
Mr Zhang said Avic I  was in talks with three to five European and United States airlines  for MA60 orders. Once  signed,  the  orders  will be the first  from western countries.
Meanwhile, Airbus  revised upwards its sales target for  the year to 780 units, after having increased it in April to 750.
'High fuel prices act as a double-edged sword, which leaves airlines no choice but to accelerate the retirement of old fleets,' said Airbus chief  operating officer John Leahy at the Iata meeting.
Although some airlines   postponed or cancelled Airbus orders in the first and second quarters,  Airbus  has  increased production to meet rising demand.
Its A320 production line has been expanded to produce  40 aircraft per month while production of A330s and A340s has been increased to 11 per month.
'The demand is still very solid even though there will be more and more deferred orders and cancellations coming,' Mr Leahy said.
However,  the overall industry is suffering from  high jet fuel prices, which have surged 75 per cent in the past year. In the past six months, 24 airlines  collapsed  while the survivors  are retiring old   aircraft earlier, reducing unprofitable routes and cutting  jobs to save  costs.
'The industry always gets the financing it doesn't deserve and has a long history of survival,' said Steve Udvar-Hazy, the chairman of ILFC, the largest aircraft-leasing company in the world.
In the next 20 years, about  24,000 aircraft would be delivered by Airbus and Boeing, Airbus estimated.



Avic I orders rise  as airlines seek  to control costs