Article Posted on : - Sep 10, 2008

NEW YORK (BNS): Airbus will supply 10 aircraft from A320 family to the world's leasing company CIT group of the US. CIT is already one of the biggest clients of Airbus with a fleet of 199 aircraft. The A320 family forms the largest chunk of it with 157 aircraft. The break up for the rest is: 30 A 330s, seven A 350s and five 319 for private and executive use. The Airbus has delivered 100 of these aircraft.

“We are pleased to announce this follow-on order for 10 new A320 family aircraft,” said Tony Diaz, executive vice president of CIT aerospace, Commercial Airlines at CIT. “This new order will help us meet customer demand for younger, more fuel efficient aircraft,” Diaz said.

John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers, said: “We are delighted that an important leasing company such as CIT has again chosen to place repeat orders with Airbus. This order confirms the important role that leasing companies have in the aviation industry, particularly in the current market situation. It is also a re-affirmation of the continued success of our A320 family, allowing CIT to offer the most modern and efficient single aisle aircraft in the market today.”

The A320 family has four variants – A318, A319, A320 and A321. It is the largest selling single-aisle twin engine aircraft giving a tough fight to Boeing's 737-NGs (new generation). Airbus was the first to introduce glass cockpits and fly-by-wire controls making its aircraft better placed in terms of modern technology.
The European aviation giant has already sold 6,300 A320s and more than 3,500 of which have been delivered. Around 280 operators all over the world fly these planes making it the world's best selling commercial airliner ever.
The company claims that it has the lowest operating costs in the single-aisle category aircraft. The aircraft comes with containerised cargo system, which is compatible with the world-wide standard wide body system.

This repeat order underlines the continued anticipated high demand for A320 family aircraft on the leasing market, Airbus officials said.

CIT is one of the world's leading aircraft leasing organisation. It has a mixed fleet of Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and Bombardier aircraft. It has A310, A320 and A330 aircraft. The organisation has much wider range of Boeing aircraft with variants like 737, 747, 757, 767 and 777. It also has Bombardier Dash 8 and Bombardier CRJ-200 apart from Embraer EMB-145.