While majority of the aviation industry and other businesses are still bearing the brunt of the pandemic, there have been sunshine moments as well for some. Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) is among those who witnessed some positive ray as they took 13 orders and commitments in 2020 across all of its corporate jet types and even delivered fours ACJs to customers. Taking note of this, ACJ President Benoit Defforge remarked in a press conference held during the VBACE 2020 that business aviation has had a good resilience and there are many new customers to the segment who are discovering how convenient business aviation is. He also added that considering the consistency this year, corporate aviation is very important for Airbus.

The company has also delivered the first ACJ350 to the German Air Force, and Airbus plans to deliver a second ACJ350 to Germany in the coming weeks. “It’s interesting to note this because it means that we have been slightly impacted by COVID at the beginning of the year, but now we are delivering these aircraft as planned. Airbus Corporate Jets’ strong order book this year is one of the elements which made us confident in order to launch the ACJ TwoTwenty,” Defforge said.

“It’s interesting to note this because it means that we have been slightly impacted by COVID at the beginning of the year, but now we are delivering these aircraft as planned. Airbus Corporate Jets’ strong order book this year is one of the elements which made us confident in order to launch the ACJ TwoTwenty,” Defforge said.

Apart from the TwoTwenty, the manufacturer has also captured orders for three VIP A330s and four ACJ320neos this year.

The company had recently unveiled the new ACJ TwoTwenty, a corporate version of the A220-100 aircraft, and had simultaneously announced that the six orders that the business jet had already received. In its virtual booth during VBACE, ACJ featured details regarding the TwoTwenty and its initial orders following the launch. “While Comlux has revealed an order for two aircraft, four further jets were ordered by undisclosed customers. Entry into service of the first ACJ TwoTwenty by Comlux Aviation is targeted for early 2023,” the press release had mentioned.

Apart from the TwoTwenty, the manufacturer has also captured orders for three VIP A330s and four ACJ320neos this year.

“We are proud to be the launch customer of the Airbus’ newest family member, the ACJ TwoTwenty and the selected partner to outfit the cabin in our completion center in Indianapolis. We have worked jointly with ACJ and shared our long experience in operating and completing all types of aircraft, to allow the new Bizjet to offer more comfort and the latest cabin innovations available in the industry. Thanks to the unique combination of intercontinental range, comfort, extra space and second-to-none economics, we are convinced the aircraft will be a winner in the business aviation market,” said Richard Gaona, Executive Chairman & CEO, Comlux.

The new ACJ TwoTwenty is said to feature a high end VIP cabin interior, supported by a flexible cabin catalogue, from which Comlux has selected the business and guest lounge as well as a private entertainment space and a private suite, including a bathroom. The cabin, set to “Re-imagine your place in the sky...” will be equipped with large full lie flat seats, a US-king size bed, a standing rain shower, a humidifying system for well-being on board and leading edge connectivity.

“We are honoured to see our longstanding client Comlux becoming the launch customer of our new ACJ TwoTwenty as well as our cabin completion partner on the programme,” Defforge had said in the release. “Our new extra Large Bizjet will seamlessly complement Comlux’s portfolio - and we are convinced the aircraft will become a flagship addition to their fleet.”

During the press conference, the executives especially highlighted the jet’s spacious cabin and its range, which is about 60% farther than the baseline A220’s."With this new platform, and its cabin, we are really opening a new market segment – the extra-large business jet segment,” said Defforge.

While Stan Shparberg, ACJ Vice-President, Commercial added, “We are at least two-and-a-half to three times larger than the largest ultra-long-range business jets,”

The company had recently unveiled the new ACJ TwoTwenty, a corporate version of the A220-100 airline, and had simultaneously announced that the six orders that the business het had already received. In its virtual booth during VBACE, ACJ featured regarding the TwoTwenty and its initial orders following the launch.

The new jet complements a business-jet portfolio that includes the ACJ319neo, ACJ320neo, ACJ330neo and ACJ350. The TwoTwenty is also said to have the ability to fly more than 12h, with 5,650nm (10,500km) range, compared to the airline variant’s 3,450nm range. The TwoTwenty’s cabin also promises more than 74sq m (800sq ft) of space, and comes equipped with a king-size bed, 55in-screen television and full stand-up shower. “The jet provides a spa-like experience. Shparberg says the A220 fits a unique niche, providing unprecedented space, notable range and competitive economics. Other aircraft can meet two, but not all three, of those standards,” informed Shparberg.

The TwoTwenty’s price is anticipated to be just under that of the largest ultra-long-range business jets—the Bombardier Global 7500 retails for $72.8 million—and operating costs are 30 percent less than some smaller business jets, Shparberg added.

ACJs has taken orders and commitments this year for 13 aircraft, and delivered four jets, executives say. The orders include six TwoTwenty jets, four ACJ320neos and three ACJ330s.

Airbus supports more than 500 airline and corporate jet customers with one of the largest support networks in the world, including services tailored to business jet needs. More than 200 Airbus corporate jets are in service on every continent, including Antarctica.