Boeing orders soar on day one of Farnborough International Airshow 2024
Day one of Farnborough International Airshow 2024 closed on a high with big speakers and big deals all part of the day’s action.
As the 45th edition of the show officially opened its doors for business, the great and the good from across the global aerospace sector descended on the historic site – the home of aviation’s pioneering spirit.
Setting the scene, Sir Keir Starmer, arrived on site in the morning to open the show, saying he was delighted to be back, this time no longer as the leader of the opposition, but as the UK’s new Prime Minister.
“We live in a dangerous, volatile and increasingly insecure world, and that makes events like this and the role that you play ever more important for the defence and security of our country,” he told delegates.
It didn’t take long for the deals to start rolling in. Boeing got the big deals started with Korean Air committing to up to 50 Boeing widebody aircraft in line with plans to expand its network. The order included 20 777-9s and 20 787-10s.
Japan Airlines followed suit with an agreement for up to 20 additional 787 Dreamliners, while Luxair placed an order for two 737-10 aircraft with options for two more. The US airframe manufacturer also announced an agreement to designate Lufthansa Technik as the first Boeing-licensed Service Center for cabin modifications on 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
With engine maker, CFM International’s RISE programme at the forefront of innovation in the sector, CEO Gael Maehurst told Aerospace Global News it could be a game changer with more than 1000 engineers working on the programme and more than 200 hours of testing complete.
Another highlight of the morning was the Airline Leaders Summit, which saw IAG’s CEO Luis Gallego and Pratt & Whitney’s CSO, Graham Webb, discuss how they are investing in the future to improve operational efficiency.
As all eyes turned to the sky for the first air displays of the week, the iconic Red Arrows wowed spectators as they soared overhead as part of their 60th anniversary season. The US Air Force showcased its tactical fighters including a pair of F15s and the newly EASA certified Airbus A321XLR was also flying high.
Away from the display, much of the attention is on the future of flight with key players Lilium and H2FLY suggesting that aviation is a turning point when it comes to next-generation propulsion.
Turning to defence and underlining the diplomatic importance of the Global Combat Air programme, BAE systems unveiled its multi-billion-pound sixth generation fighter jet concept, Tempest, and telling us it will play a key role in the UK’s future combat air strategy.
As the day drew to a close, Airbus crept in with an MoU from Drukair for three A320neo and two A321XLR aircraft.
With day one complete and Farnborough now in full swing, make sure you join us tomorrow, when we’ll be talking to representatives from Virgin Atlantic and Dubai Airports and expecting more big deals to roll in.
Sign up for our newsletter and get our latest content in your inbox.
