Izindiza zeTaiwan Startup STARLUX zihamba ne-Airbus

Inkampani entsha yezindiza e Taiwan, I-STARLUX Airlines, isayine isivumelwano semvumelwano (MOU) ne-Airbus namuhla eFarnborough International Airshow 2018 ukuthenga ama-A17XWB ayi-350. Lo myalelo ufaka phakathi ama-A12-350s ayi-1000 nama-A350-900s amahlanu, okulindeleke ukuthi alethwe ku-STARLUX ukuqala ngasekupheleni kuka-2021. Isivumelwano simenyezelwe nguKW Chang, umsunguli noSihlalo we-STARLUX Airlines, UGlenn Chai, UMongameli we-STARLUX kanye U-Eric Schulz, OyiChief Commercial Officer we-Airbus.

“Njengomshayeli wendiza nami, ngazibonela mathupha ukuhlolwa kwendiza kwe-A350-1000. Ukusebenza kwayo okuvelele kwangimangaza ngempela. I-A350XWB impela ingenye yezinhlobo ezimakethe zamanje, futhi iyifanele ngokuphelele indawo enjalo njenge Taiwan, ”Kusho uChang. Ngokuhambisana ne-10 A321neos STARLUX isiqinisekisile ukuqashisa, i-STARLUX izosebenza ngemikhumbi yonke ye-Airbus ekwethulweni kwayo kokuqala. Ngasikhathi sinye, kuzoba futhi yinkampani yezindiza yokuqala ku Taiwan endiza i-A350-1000.

Phakathi kwezingu-17 A350XWBs ze-STARLUX ezifakwe kulolu hlelo lwakamuva, ama-A350-900s amahlanu afakwe izinjini zeRoll-Royce Trent XWB84 azohanjiswa kusukela ngasekupheleni kuka-2021. Inikwa amandla yizinjini zeRoll-Royce Trent XWB97, ama-12 A350-1000s azoqala ukujoyina Imikhumbi ye-STARLUX kwikota yesithathu ka-2022. Ama-A17XWBs azosetshenziswa emizileni ye-Translific yesikhathi esizayo ye-STARLUX.

I-STARLUX iyazisa ukwakheka kwe-fuselage okusika nokusebenza kahle kwe-A350XWB. Yakhiwe ngezinto zokuthuthuka ezingaphezu kuka-70%, kuhlanganiswa ama-carbon composites angama-53%, ama-titanium nama-alloys anamuhla e-aluminium ukwakha indiza elula futhi engabizi kakhulu. Ngezici eziningi ezintsha, inezindleko zokusebenza eziphansi ezingama-25%, ukusha kukaphethiloli kanye nokukhishwa kwe-C02.

Ngaphezu kokufaka i-oda layo lama-A350XWB, i-STARLUX imemezele ukuthi isayine isivumelwano neCFM International esiphothula ukuthengwa kwezinjini zokulondoloza ze-LEAP-1A ukuxhasa imikhumbi yezindiza eziyi-10 A321neo eziqashiwe. Inkampani yezindiza iphinde yasayina isivumelwano seminyaka eyi-12 se-Rate per Flight Hour (RPFH) neCFM Services esihlanganisa zonke izinjini ze-LEAP-1A ezinika amandla ama-A10neos ayi-321.

I-STARLUX izinikele ekubeni ngenye yezindiza ezihamba phambili emhlabeni, okwenza kuphoqeleke ukuthi indize izindiza nemishini esezingeni eliphezulu embonini. “Sijabule kakhulu ukuthi i-STARLUX ithole ukwesekwa okungaka ezinkampanini ezihola phambili embonini njenge-Airbus neCFM ukusisiza ukuthi siqhubeke siphokophele enjongweni yethu. Ngokubambisana nalaba engibambisene nabo kakhulu, ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi i-STARLUX izokwazi ukusuka ekuqaleni kuka-2020 njengoba behlelile futhi izokhanya kakhulu embonini yezindiza, ”kusho uChang.

I-STARLUX manje isiqinisekise ngokusemthethweni ukwakhiwa kwemikhumbi yayo yokuqala. Inkampani yezindiza izoqala ukwamukela ukulethwa kwezindiza eziyi-10 ze-Airbus A321ne ku October 2019, ngama-17 A350XWB afika ngasekupheleni kuka-2021. Imikhumbi ka-STARLUX kulindeleke ukuthi ifake izindiza ezifika ku-27 ngasekupheleni kuka-2024 ukukhonza izindawo ezingaphezu kwezingu-20 Asia futhi i-America esenyakatho. Ukuhambisana nohlelo lokulethwa kwezindiza, i-STARLUX njengamanje iqasha abashayeli bezindiza be-cadet futhi ihlela ukuqala ngokuqashwa okukhulu kwabasebenzi basezikhumulweni zezindiza kanye nabasebenzi bamakhabethe ekuqaleni konyaka ozayo.