Austria-based Stumpf Group, internationally renowned for its industrial and real-estate investments, is to acquire an Airbus ACJ, becoming a new customer.

Stumpf Group's activities encompass major shareholdings in a number of corporations, including global leaders that are enabling products such as micro-chips, DVDs, the latest diesel engines - as well as precision tools, solar-cells and satellites. While being involved in a number of large-scale real-estate projects in Europe and America, the group's real-estate development arm has developed Europe's third-tallest office building, the 50-storey Millennium Tower in Vienna.

The Airbus ACJ will be powered by CFM International CFM56-5 engines. A choice of cabin-outfitter has yet to be announced.

"As our business grows increasingly global, the Airbus ACJ will give us unparalleled space in which to fly, while maximising productivity and comfort," says Stumpf Group owner Georg Stumpf.

Airbus' ACJ Family comprises the A318 Elite, ACJ and A320 Prestige, and has won some 70 sales to date. It is the preferred choice of companies, governments and individuals, which love its comfortable cabin, robust reliability and solid support.

"Airbus already has a strong presence in Austria through Austrian Airlines and Fly Niki, and we are delighted to see the ACJ Family doing well there too, with entrepreneurial organisations such as Stumpf Group," says Airbus President and CEO Gustav Humbert.

Airbus' ACJ Family offers twice the cabin-width and three times the volume of traditional top-of-the-line business jets, delivering unmatched value for money.

The Airbus ACJ Family delivers extra value in features such as fuel-saving wingtip-fences, cost-saving centralised maintenance and weight-saving composites. It also features many other benefits that have become the hallmark of Airbus aircraft - such as a pilot-friendly common cockpit, fly-by-wire controls and category 3B autoland.

Airbus' A320 Family is also unique in providing practical advantages such as large, outward-opening cargo-doors, a choice of engines and auxiliary power units, and certification to carry more than 20 fare-paying passengers. Its reliability is also legendary, with the last 250 aircraft achieving a 99.6 per cent operational reliability.

Total sales of the Airbus A320 Family stand at more than 4,300, more than 2,700 of which have been delivered. The family has more than 200 customers and operators.

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.

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