After completing a single A340-313E VIP conversion for a Russian customer, Airbus is promoting further A330/340 conversions at JetExpo’2015. At an Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) press briefing in Moscow on September 8 David Velupillai, director for marketing, presented the company’s ACJ330/340 Summit Concept.

It calls for “cost-effective solutions on the cabin that accommodate elements of a VIP/corporate interior with standard airline seating,” he said. A typical layout would consist of a VIP area in the forward part of the passenger cabin, a conference room in the middle, followed by 40 business- and 30 economy-class seats at the rear section of the cabin.

Airbus believes customers would include high-net-worth individuals, corporations and government entities looking for a means of transportation for larger numbers of travelers than are possible on its narrowbody family of jets based on the A320. Velupillai said, “Not all of the extra people are VIPs. So there would also be some airline seating. Our Summit Concept capitalizes on that.”

The concept is also applicable to the A340, since “it is essentially the same airplane [as the A330], but with four engines for the long haul,” Velupillai said.

Russian business tycoon Alisher Usmanov (whose assets are estimated at US$20 billion) is the founder and owner of USM Holdings. Since 2012, he has operated an Airbus A340-313E named “Bourkhan” (in the memory of his father). Formally owned by Klaret Aviation, this aircraft features a very distinct intensive maroon color scheme. With a maximum gross weight of 275 metric tons, it is the largest VIP-configured jet in Russia, exceeding even the Ilyushin Il-96-300VIP four-engine jets (at 250 metric tons mgw) in the air detachment serving Russian president Vladimir Putin and his ministers.

“Embarking on your ACJ340 in Moscow, you can fly almost everywhere in the world nonstop,” Velupillai said. And from Moscow, the ACJ330 can fly nonstop as far as Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, Johannesburg and Adelaide.

Even though Airbus has discontinued production of the A340, the big quadjet is still in widespread global service, said Velupillai, “So it is always possible to take an aircraft from airline service and retrofit its cabin.” Airbus has sold approximately 1,900 A330/A340s, and the type serves more than 160 customers and operators, mostly commercial airlines. The A330/340 is the best-selling widebody jet ever, according to Airbus. By the number of orders, it has outsold Boeing’s 747, 767, 777 and 787.

Since the production start in the early 1990s, Airbus has been consistently refining the initial design of the A330. Velupillai said, “We have achieved a significant improvement in performance. The next major improvement will come in the form of the A330neo.”

 ACJ Tops BBJ on Both Orders and Deliveries

At its press briefing, the company announced that, for the calendar years 2010 to 2014, Airbus has beaten Boeing in both orders and deliveries (excluding military derivatives). The figures AIN received from the European manufacturer included: Orders: Airbus 30 compared with Boeing’s 25. Deliveries: Airbus 45 compared with Boeing’s 44.

Airbus Corporate Jets also feels some competition from the largest jets in Gulfstream’s and Bombardier’s product range; Velupillai mentioned the G450, GIV/V, G550 and G650, Global 5000, 6000 and the Global 7000/8000 now in development. “There is also some competition from the Embraer Lineage 1000.”

Back to the comparison with Boeing, Velupillai acknowledged that the U.S. OEM “has had slightly higher total for orders and deliveries than us, because it has been in the market longer. Boeing is a strong competitor, but it is a big world and the market is large enough.” Airbus says it has sold “more than 170 ACJs” to date.