The number of VIP-configured Airbus aircraft operating in the Commonwealth of Independent States has increased to 29, Airbus Corporate Jets announced last week at the Russian Business Aviation Exposition (RUBAE 2018) in Moscow. The most recent example is an ACJ320, first flown on August 14 and handed over shortly to Moscow-based business jet company Meridian.

While stating that the Russian business aviation market spent several years in stagnation, Airbus sees it reviving. “There is a huge wealth in CIS countries, mainly in Russia…Therefore, demand for business jets is there,” said Airbus Corporate Jets commercial vice president Chadi Saade. In fact, Airbus’s research shows that Russia added 29 billionaires (in U.S. dollars) since 2016 and now totals more than 100. Saade predicted that the ACJ fleet in CIS “will grow significantly” in the years to come, in line with Jetcraft's 2017 forecast for 300 business jet sales in the region over the next 10 years.

"Russian buyers are always focused on comfort,” Saade noted, "and quite a big fan of the bigger jets.” While most of the ACJs operated in the CIS are narrowbodies, several customers opted for ACJ330 or ACJ350 widebodies.

In addition to the spaciousness of its widebody platforms, Airbus gives ACJ330neo and ACJ350 allows customers to opt for the Harmony concept cabin. The company unveiled the Harmony cabin at EBACE in May and revealed additional information last week at RUBAE 2018. Developed specifically for the A330neo by ACJ head of creative design Sylvain Mariat, the Harmony employs concentric circles, like “ripples on a pond," Airbus said.