Well, I know of an airline that will be hiring 737NG rated pilots in the near future:
(07-14) 07:09 PDT FARNBOROUGH, England (AP) --
The world's largest air show opened Monday with several new orders for Boeing Co. and aerospace executives upbeat about the future of the industry despite high fuel prices and the credit crisis.
The Farnborough International Airshow on the outskirts of London is traditionally — along with its sister show in Le Bourget in France on alternate years — the scene of a flurry of high profile orders for U.S-based Boeing Co. and its European rival Airbus.
In an early, anticipated announcement, the recently launched low-cost airline FlyDubai announced an order for 50 next-generation 737-800s, worth around $3.74 billion in total at current list prices. FlyDubai has substitution rights to convert its 737-800 orders to 737-900ERs in the future.
Meanwhile, Etihad Airways said it placed an order for 45 Boeing aircraft worth $9 billion at list prices, comprising 35 Boeing 787 aircraft and 10 Boeing 777-300ER. Etihad, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is also placing options for another 25 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777s. Aircraft deliveries will begin 2011 and are set to be completed by 2020.
In a smaller deal, Saudi Arabian Airlines signed a contract with Airbus for eight of the European plane maker's A330-300 wide body aircraft. No price was immediately given on the contract. Other possible buyers include fellow Middle Eastern carrier Qatar Airways, All Nippon Airways Co., British Airways and Los Angeles-based International Lease Finance Corp., the world's biggest aircraft lessor.
But deals at this year's event, to be attended by more than 300,000 people, are expected to be thin compared with the Paris show last year, where 506 orders were taken between Airbus and Boeing. Credit Suisse said it expects around 200-300 orders to be announced at Farnborough.
Potential cancellations and delays have so far generated as much talk around the air show as possible orders to purchase. Plane makers have been quick to strike a reassuring stance, suggesting the difficult economic outlook could in fact prompt more efficiency in the industry and with the introduction of cleaner planes. "Is it over? No, I don't think so," said Scott Carson, president and CEO of Boeing's Seattle-based commercial airplanes unit. "I think the opportunities that are presented by the crisis we find ourselves in will drive manufacturers to produce products that allow our customers to be more efficient and be profitable," he added in a briefing at the opening of the weeklong show.
Carson said that Boeing had not received any cancellations. "We have experienced a handful of delays from customers, but each of the delays has been more than offset by increased demand from customers for one product earlier to help them deal with the high fuel price," he said.
Escalating energy costs have eaten into airline profits, and 25 carriers have ceased operations in the past six months. The International Air Transport Association is forecasting industrywide losses of $2.3 billion this year.
TC
. Thanks to all for the positive words of encouragement though.
