Airbus Corporate Jets vice president Francois Chazelle said yesterday that the company had not decided if it would offer neo (new engine option) engines for the ACJ318 but would for the company’s other single-aisle offerings, beginning in 2018. ACJ customers will be able to choose between the CFM Leap-X and the Pratt & Whitney Pure Power 1100G engines. The first single-aisle Airbus commercial jet is scheduled to begin flying with neo in 2015 and Airbus has committed to investing $350 million annually in renewing its single aisle aircraft. Beginning this year, all Airbus single-aisle aircraft are available with sharklets. The first ACJ318 equipped with sharklets will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Chazelle also confirmed that the company had stopped production of the A340 quad-engine jet and would no longer be offering it as part of new aircraft available for the ACJ program. However, Chazelle said there was great opportunity to convert retiring commercial A340s to corporate use. “The ACJ340 has been very popular as a corporate aircraft, particularly the ACJ340-500. It offers comfort and safety customers appreciate as well as a quiet cabin.”

The A330 twinjet and A340 share a common airframe and combined the aircraft are the best-selling widebody aircraft in history, according to Airbus. There is no word on when the first ACJ380 VVIP super jumbo, four-engine aircraft will be delivered.

Airbus’s ACJs are supported by 170 field teams and support centers. “Our aircraft benefit for continual investment and improvements,” Chazelle said. “They deliver reliability thanks to our worldwide support network.”