Story ID: 357 Airbus Easystart
New Program Assists Buyers of Pre-owned ACJs
By: AIN Staff
Caption: Easystart, a program for buyers of pre-owned ACJs, walks customers through training, support and upgrades.
Word Count: 555
Airbuss Corporate Jets (Chalet 5) is rolling out a new program to offer tailored support for buyers of pre-owned ACJ or government variants. Dubbed Easystart, the program is designed to provide buyers with an understanding of how Airbus corporate aircraft perform on their missions. It also walks buyers through key services, including training, support and upgrades to help ensure a smooth entry into service.
  
These are services that the customer previously have had to find on their own, Chadi Saade, Airbus vice-president commercial, said Monday on the eve of ABACE. The program is designed to facilitate contact between a potential new customer and with Airbus, easing the process for customers, he added. 
  
This program comes as the ACJ fleet has continued to grow and more second-hand aircraft are making their way onto the market. Airbus has delivered corporate jet versions of the A320 family since the late 1990s, and more than 180 Airbus ACJs are now in service and are based on every continent, including Antarctica.
  
“The trend is really growing,” Saade said, noting eight pre-owned ACJs were placed last year. Facilitating those contracts are key because a number of buyers want the ACJs, but don’t want to wait the time it takes to get a new aircraft.
  
Easystart is part of Airbus Corporate Jets’ approach of providing advice and support throughout an aircraft’s life, said Airbus COO for customers John Leahy. Airbus aircraft are designed to fly several thousand hours a year over a span of 20 years or more. In corporate use, the aircraft might fly only a few hundred hours a year, strengthening the residual value, the company noted, while it added that pre-owned aircraft have “a lot to offer.”
  
Airbus Corporate Jets considers the Asian market a particularly important one for both its used and new jets. Of the 180 ACJs delivered worldwide, more than 30 have been placed in Asia, 20 of which are in China.
  
The manufacturer is expanding its ACJ family with the new ACJneo family. The Neos have attracted eight orders so far, including six ACJ320neos and two ACJ319neos. The Airbus 319neo, the smallest member of the Neo family, took to the skies for the first time 10 days ago. Airbus anticipates first delivery of the ACJ319neo in the second quarter of 2019, a few months after the ACJ320neo is expected to reach the market.
  
The next generation ACJ319/320neos are powered by either CFM International’s LEAP-1A engine or Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower PW1100G-JM, and are equipped with sharklet wingtips. The efficiency improvements provide a 11,112-km (6,000-nm) range for the ACJ320neo or a 12,501-km (6,750-nm) range for the ACJ319neo.
  
As for its widebodies, Saade noted it has “many campaigns” ongoing for the potential sales of the ACJ350, adding that he was confident that the company would soon have a commitment in hand.
  
Airbus Corporate Jets last year introduced ACJ350 XWB with “Easyfit” provisions to smooth the cabin outfitting process. The XWB has 270 sq m (2,910 sq ft) of cabin space in the -900 version, and can fly up to 20,000 km (10,800 nm), equating to 22 hours of endurance. With Easyfit, the carbon-fiber fuselage is pre-fitted with hundreds of attachment points, which will simplify the completions process.