Boutsen Aviation announces order for two Airbus ACJs

Boutsen Aviation of Monaco has announced firm orders for two Airbus corporate jetliners (ACJs) on behalf of undisclosed customers. The deal takes this year's orders for the Airbus ACJ Family to a record 20, while total sales to date stand at around 80 including one A330 VIP version widebody aircraft.

The Airbus ACJs will feature VIP interiors, based on the Prestige cabin concept, which comprises a large sitting and dining room, private office, bedroom and ensuite bathroom. They will be powered by CFM International CFM56-5B7/P engines.

"To win in Formula 1 you need to have the best car and be the best driver, and to win in business aviation you need to have the best aircraft and the best team to manage it. This is why we chose the Airbus ACJ," says Thierry Boutsen, three times Formula 1 Grand Prix winner and President of Boutsen Aviation. "In our increasingly global world, companies need to send their executives farther afield, often in larger teams, which the Airbus ACJ does extremely well," he adds.

The Airbus ACJ Family comprises the A318 Elite, ACJ and A320 Prestige, and customers can always opt for VIP versions of the widebody A330, A340 and A380.

"Corporate jet travellers already recognise the benefits of having their own aircraft, and are increasingly aware of the extra advantages of more space on board - such as the greater comfort and productivity that the Airbus ACJ Family delivers," says Airbus President & CEO and EADS Co-CEO Louis Gallois. "Boutsen Aviation recognises this trend, and is well placed to capitalise on it," he adds.

Airbus corporate jets are preferred by companies, governments and individuals, for their spacious cabins, modern design, robust reliability and solid support.

Airbus' corporate jet sales success echoes that of the A320 Family, from which they are derived, which won an amazing 913 sales in 2005 - about twice as many as their direct competitor. Airbus delivered seven corporate jets in 2006, with more to come.

The Airbus A318 Elite, ACJ and A320 Prestige all share the same wide cabin, which delivers twice the cabin-width and three-times the volume of traditional top-of-the-line business jets. They also share the same modern design, a common cockpit, fly-by-wire controls, cost-saving centralised maintenance, fuel-saving aerodynamics that includes wingtip devices, and extensive use of weight-saving carbon fibre composites.

Airbus' ACJ Family is also unique in offering features such as category 3B autoland, outward-opening cargo doors, and a choice of engines and auxiliary power units.

Total sales of the Airbus A320 Family stand at almost 4,500, nearly 3,000 of which have been delivered. The family has more than 200 customers and operators.

Airbus is an EADS company.

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