Day two of the Paris Air Show was dominated by a fresh round of impressive aircraft orders and a focus on industry plans for a fast-paced future with updates from Boom Supersonic and hydrogen-powered rival start-up Destinus.

Day two

Air India finalised orders for a total of 470 airframes with Boeing and Airbus at the show.

Boeing and Air India announced an order for up to 290 new Boeing jets and expanded services. The order, which includes 190 737 MAXs, 20 787 Dreamliners and 10 777X jets with options for 50 737 MAXs and 20 787 Dreamliners, is Boeing’s largest order in South Asia and highlights its 90-year partnership with the airline.

Air India also firmed up its order for 250 Airbus aircraft and selected an Airbus maintenance and digital package to power the airline’s transformation and growth strategy. The aircraft order includes 140 A320neo and 70 A321neo single-aisle aircraft as well as 34 A350-1000 and six A350-900 wide-body jets.

It was also a busy order day for Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. International aircraft leasing company Avolon joined the company’s E2 programme with the sale and leaseback of 10 E195-E2s for Porter Airlines and Azorra placed an order for the E195-E2 type. Other confirmed orders from Embraer include American Airlines signing for seven new E175s.

Need for speed

Elsewhere, Boom Supersonic, the company building the world’s fastest airliner, announced advances on Overture, its sustainable supersonic aircraft, including milestones for its Symphony engine.

Boom signed structural supplier agreements with Aernnova for Overture’s wings, Leonardo for the fuselage and wing box, and Aciturri for the empennage. The three aerospace leaders join Boom’s growing network of global suppliers which includes Safran Landing Systems, Eaton, Collins Aerospace, Flight Safety International, FTT, GE Additive, and StandardAero. Boom also revealed, for the first time, Overture’s full systems configuration as the aircraft programme advances toward production.

And European startup Destinus showed off its third demonstrator plane, Destinus 3. The company is seeking to build commercial hypersonic passenger aircraft powered only by hydrogen.
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