On The Airfield At Farnborough 2018

On display was the Biman Bangladesh Airlines-operated Boeing 787, which has entered its fleet following a commitment for four aircraft. The first 787 will commence flying for the carrier from September 2018. Aviation Week Fleet & MRO Forecast estimates that the 787-8 MRO market will see a 6.1% growth rate over the next decade.

Formerly known as the Bombardier CSeries, before Airbus acquired the program in April 2018, the newly named A220-300 was showcased at the Farnborough Airshow. Aviation Week predicts just short of 600 of the aircraft will be in-service by 2027, however, this could change in next year's forecast with Airbus' acquisition tipped to breathe new life into the program in the form of customer orders.

The troubled Airbus A380 found a much needed new operator earlier this year in the form of Portugese charter airline Hi Fly. By 2027, Aviation Week data predicts 39 of the superjumbos will be flying in the fleets of Western European carriers.

Entering into service with Nordic carrier Widerøe in April of this year, Embraer's mid-range aircraft bet was on display at Farnborough. The E190-E2 is seen as a direct competitor to the new A220, and with JetBlue having opted for the Airbus option last week, the order race between these two aircraft is sure to be interesting.

Florida-based regional carrier Silver Airways has orders in place for 15 of the ATR 42-600 aircraft. Deliveries are set to begin this year through to 2020, as part of the airline's plan to modernize its fleet through retiring its Saab 340B. Aviation Week predicts a 3.6% annual growth rate for the turboprop aircraft over the next 10 years.

A lot of attention was the MRJ this week as its Mitsubishi Aircraft manufacturer displayed the jet at Farnborough. Aviation Week’s Fleet & Forecast data estimates a $690.5 million aftermarket value for the MRJ between now and 2027, with nearly half of its overall value ($333 million) generated by components maintenance.

Qatar Airways operates one of the world's largest 777 fleets, and more are expected to follow with orders for the -8 and -9 variants booked in. The Middle East will increasingly become a hub for the aircraft over the next decade, with Aviation Week predicting a fleet of 816 in the region in 2027.

Air Italy, formed in February 2018, has set about adding aircraft as it gets off the ground. It now has two 737 MAX8 in-service, and is scheduled to add 18 more. Western Europe is expected to generate the most MRO demand for the MAX8 over the next 10 years by Aviation Week, standing at $6.5 billion.