Investment in M1 Composites Builds on Quebec’s Aerospace Excellence while sustaining hundreds of Canadian jobs and opening new opportunities to the North American aerospace market.

LAVAL, QC, April 9, 2024 /CNW/ – M1 Composites Technology Inc, a leading Quebec-based aerostructure engineering, manufacturing, and sustainment/repair company has been selected by Satair, an Airbus Services company, as the preferred North American repair station for Airbus A220 aircraft flight controls and structural parts. This contract marks a significant milestone in M1’s history and will allow the M1 Team the opportunity to support all A220 customers across North America, including some of the world’s largest airlines.

Based in Laval, M1 Composites competed against several large and well-established engineering & repair companies for this contract, which is expected to generate new jobs for the 100-person company. Satair, the distributor and interface for Airbus proprietary parts and repairs, and M1 will provide A220 operators with a comprehensive one-stop-shop aerostructure repair solution, ensuring enhanced value and efficiency for both companies.

“Our company has punched above our weight on aerostructure engineering and repairs, and this contract is validation that M1’s employees are best in class,” said Lorenzo Marandola, President & CEO of M1 Composites. “We are ready to rise to the occasion in servicing A220 customers throughout North America and strengthening Quebec’s unmatched aerospace industry in the process. We look forward to collaborating with Satair and Airbus to meet the evolving needs of its A220 customers and ensure their continued success.”

Since its first delivery to a North American operator in October 2018, the A220 aircraft has gained rapid adoption among airlines. As the North American preferred repair station, M1 Composites will ensure these operators have access to reliable and efficient aerostructure maintenance solutions. M1 is strategically situated to service current and future A220 operators in Canada and the United States, as well as continuing to service the Airbus A220 Final Assembly Lines in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada and Mobile, Alabama, U.S. Given the integrated aerospace supply chain that exists between both Canada and the U.S., M1 Composites is well-positioned to aid operators in the region with repair solutions on aero structure.

About M1 Composites:

M1 Composites Technology provides a wide range of comprehensive aerospace services including engineering, manufacturing, and repair of composite and sheet metal aerostructure components. M1 is a Transport Canada Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO), and Design Approval Organization (DAO) with numerous certifications such as ISO9001, AS9100, AS9110, and NADCAP. Our 82,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility houses cutting-edge equipment, including an in-house radome transmissivity test facility and a large autoclave for repairing and curing composite parts. m1composites.com

MONTRÉAL, June 21, 2023 /CNW/ – As part of the International Paris Air Show, the festivities marking the fifth anniversary of Airbus Canada Limited Partnership (Airbus Canada) and the addition of the A220 to the wide Airbus family officially take off. Since its establishment in Quebec on July 1st, 2018, Airbus has built the strongest presence outside Europe, with more than 4,000 employees, generating approximately 23,000 indirect jobs in Canada. In five years, Airbus has contributed to major investments in the country, totalling nearly C$1.8 billion. Airbus is experiencing remarkable growth in its Canadian activities in various sectors, including commercial aircraft, helicopters, defence and space.

“The integration of the A220 programme in 2018 marked a major milestone for Airbus. Over the past years, our A220s have connected more than 90 million people with their loved ones – thanks to our Quebec-designed and assembled aircraft. The A220 now operates on over 1,100 routes to more than 375 destinations. To date, the more than 260 A220s in service have flown more than a billion kilometres, and that’s just the beginning,” says Benoît Schultz, CEO of Airbus Canada. “At Airbus, our vision is to transform the future of the aerospace industry by pushing the boundaries of innovation and sustainability. We are committed to creating leading-edge aerospace solutions that meet our customers’ needs, while reducing our environmental footprint. Together, with our talented team and our Canadian and global partners, we are building a smarter, low-carbon, more connected future.”

A strong contribution to the Canadian economy
Airbus’ economic impact in Canada is also reflected in the value of its sourcing from over 700 local companies. Each A220 is made up of parts sourced from around 60 Canadian suppliers, including 40 in Quebec. This contribution supports the strength of the aerospace industry’s supply chain. In five years, some C$10 billion has been spent with local suppliers.

Airbus Canada has created more than 1,000 direct jobs in Quebec over the past five years. After recruiting more than 700 new people at its facilities in Canada in 2022, Airbus has announced the need to fill 800 positions across the country in 2023.

Since July 1^st, 2018, Airbus has delivered around 185 aircraft from Mirabel, over 80% of which have been exported outside Canada, making a significant contribution to Canadian exports. When full production capacity is reached around the middle of the decade, it is estimated that more than 100 aircraft per year will be exported, increasing Airbus’ already significant contribution to Canada’s balance sheet.

The A220, at the heart of the Airbus aircraft family
The integration of the A220 programme into the Airbus family has enabled the company to offer the most comprehensive range of commercial aircraft on the market. The A220, designed and assembled in Quebec, acclaimed for its exceptional performance and versatility, has become a preferred choice for airlines. The A220 cuts fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per seat by 25% compared with previous-generation aircraft, and NOx emissions by 50% compared with industry standards, making it an ideal replacement for older, more fuel-consuming fleets. To date, the teams have delivered 265 aircraft to more than 16 operators, and have accumulated nearly 800 orders for this program from prestigious customers all over the world.

Concrete commitments for a safer and more united world
Airbus is strongly committed to the technologies needed to decarbonize our industry, and has invested several million Canadian dollars in various initiatives. Airbus supports SAF+ Consortium, an innovative company launched in Montreal bringing together major players in the Canadian aerospace industry. This consortium aims at providing Canadians with a sustainable commercial fuel solution for low-carbon flights. In addition, Airbus Canada is a driving force together with local companies in order to study the feasibility of creating a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production site in Quebec, and to carry out A220 flights with 100% sustainable aviation fuel. Airbus is also a founding member of C-SAF, which seeks to facilitate and accelerate the commercial deployment of sustainable aviation fuels in Canada.

Airbus Canada: still a long way to go
By the middle of the decade, the organization plans to ramp up the A220 production rate to 14 aircraft per month. The addition of a 125,000 sq. ft. pre-assembly area in Mirabel last year, and the inauguration of a new A220 assembly line in Mobile, Alabama, in 2020, support this acceleration of production rates. As we are celebrating our fifth anniversary, we are pleased with our achievements to date and are looking forward to the future. The company will continue to invest in research and development, collaborate with local partners and contribute to the sustainable growth of the Canadian aerospace industry. This includes the preparation of the next generation, where hundreds of thousands of dollars have been donated in scholarships to institutions, and a mentoring programme initiated by the Airbus Foundation.

For more information on Airbus in Canada, visit our website here.

Published on – March 30th, 2023 – Air France – Fleet

Air France is continuing to renew its fleet by inte new generation aircraft, which are more economical and environmentally friendly.

By 2030, these aircraft will account for 70% of the Air France fleet – compared with 7% at present – thanks to an ambitious investment plan of one billion euros per year.

The airline reached a symbolic milestone today by welcoming its 20th Airbus A220-300, the latest flagship of its medium-haul fleet.

The aircraft, registration F-HZUU, rolled off the Airbus assembly line in Mirabel, Quebec, and is on its way to Paris-Charles de Gaulle, where it will operate on the airline’s short- and medium-haul network.

It will make its first commercial flight on 1 April to Geneva (Switzerland).

The aircraft’s front fuselage bears the name “Grasse”, paying tribute to the pretty town in the Alpes-Maritimes region, famous all over the world for its perfume industry.

Since 2019, Air France has revived its tradition of naming its aircraft after French cities. This tradition celebrates the rich cultural and historical heritage of France’s regions, and promotes their reputation throughout the world.

Before Grasse, Air France named its previous Airbus A220s after Le Bourget, Collioure, Belle-Ile en Mer, Senlis and Arcachon.

By the end of 2025, 60 A220-300s will join the Air France medium-haul fleet. With up to 15 deliveries expected each year, this is the fastest fleet entry in the history of Air France.

Unparalleled economic and environmental performance

The most innovative and efficient single-aisle aircraft in its class, the Airbus A220-300 is perfectly suited to Air France’s short and medium-haul network. It provides a cost reduction per seat of up to 10% compared to the Airbus A318 and A319 and stands out for its energy efficiency, consuming 20% less fuel than the aircraft it replaces and its CO2 emissions are also reduced by 20%.  Its noise footprint is also 34% lower.

Fleet renewal is one of the major levers of Air France’s decarbonisation trajectory, known as Air France ACT. Air France aims to reduce its CO2 emissions per passenger-kilometre by 30% by 2030, compared with 2019, excluding any offsetting measures. To reach these targets, Air France is doing all it can in terms of fleet renewal, the use of sustainable aviation fuel, eco-piloting and intermodality.

The highest level of in-flight comfort

The Air France Airbus A220-300 has 148 seats, in a 2-3 seat configuration (5 seats across) offering 80% of customers a window or aisle seat. The seat is the widest on the market for a single-aisle aircraft. It reclines and has an adjustable headrest, leather upholstery and an ergonomic seat cushion for enhanced comfort. A wide solid tray table, cup holder, a seat pocket, individual USB A and C ports and tablet or smartphone holder integrated into the backrest complete the package.

The cabin, the most spacious and brightest in its category, is decorated in the Air France signature colours – shades of blue, a strong presence of white providing light and contrast, and a hint of red symbolize the airline’s excellence and know-how. The central aisle is particularly wide, allowing customers to move about at ease. The carpet revisits the traditional ornamental herringbone pattern, symbolizing the emblematic Haussmann-inspired world of Parisian apartments. Large panoramic windows provide natural light for the duration of the trip. Finally, the spacious baggage racks are easy to access.

Mirabel – 11 March 2023 – The Latvian airline airBaltic in a special event together with the aircraft manufacturer Airbus unveiled its 40th A220-300 aircraft in a livery of the Latvian flag colours, honouring the great, long-standing collaboration ties between Latvia and Canada.

Martin Gauss, President and CEO of airBaltic: “More than six years ago, airBaltic became the global launch operator of the A220-300 aircraft. Over the years, the aircraft type has grown to be the backbone of our operations, and we continue to be a proud ambassador of it. These years have shown a great collaboration and friendship between us as the national airline of Latvia and our partners in Canada, therefore we are glad to be here today, celebrating this aircraft and all the work we have done together. It is an incredible pride and honour to have this aircraft be a part of our growing fleet of A220-300s.”

Rob Dewar, Senior Vice President, Customer Satisfaction, Services, and A220 Product Policy at Airbus Canada: “The unveiling of airBaltic’s 40th A220-300, which will be proudly flying in the colours of the Latvian flag, is an important moment for us all at Airbus Canada. This aircraft symbolises a long-standing collaboration and continued partnership with airBaltic as we are pursuing our shared journey to bring passengers the most sustainable and comfortable flying experience. The A220 has reached over 1 million flight hours and connected more than 70 million passengers thus far.”

airBaltic’s 40th A220-300 aircraft, registered as YL-ABN, is planned to join the airline’s fleet in early April 2023 with a special event also held in Riga, Latvia, to celebrate this milestone. This will be the second A220-300 in the airline’s fleet with a special Latvian flag livery.

Thus far, airBaltic has carried nearly 11 000 000 passengers on the Airbus A220-300 aircraft. Airbus A220-300s of the airline have completed more than 126 000 flights and flown over 275 000 block hours.

Since May 2020, airBaltic operates all its flights with a single aircraft type – Airbus A220-300 – thus minimizing the complexity and benefiting from the additional efficiency provided by the aircraft.

The Airbus A220-300 has performed beyond the company’s expectations, delivering better overall performance, fuel efficiency and convenience for both passengers and staff. This aircraft offers an excellent flying experience with such benefits for passengers as wider seats, larger windows, more hand luggage space in the cabin, improved lavatories and much more.

In addition, the aircraft is also considerably quieter – with a noise footprint area up to 50% smaller than previous generation aircraft. Moreover, at the moment, the A220 has the world’s smallest single-aisle carbon footprint, helping to reduce CO2 and NOX emissions by 25% and 50%, respectively. It was also the first aircraft to have a transparent declaration of the life-cycle environmental impact.

airBaltic in brief:

airBaltic (Air Baltic Corporation AS) connects the Baltic region with over 70 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and the CIS. Over the last 27 years, airBaltic has developed as a strong, profitable, and internationally respected airline, which employs more than 2200 employees. airBaltic is by far the best-known international brand in Latvia and responsible for more than 2.5% of the Latvian GDP. airBaltic operates 39 Airbus A220-300 aircraft. airBaltic has received numerous international awards for excellence and innovative services. Skytrax has awarded Latvian airline airBaltic a five–star COVID-19 safety rating and the Best Airline in Eastern Europe in 2022. In addition, airBaltic is one of the Top twenty airlines for COVID-19 compliance by the safety, product, and COVID-19 rating agency Airlineratings.com. In 2018 and 2019 airBaltic received the ATW Airline Industry Achievement Award as the Market Leader of the Year. In addition, in 2019 airBaltic received Sector Leadership Award by Airline Business. airBaltic is a joint stock company that was established in 1995.