With the record-setting number of aircraft orders signed up at the recent Dubai Air Show, Airbus’ indefatigable chief commercial officer, John Leahy can be excused for being "over the moon" about the state of the airline industry in general and Airbus’ continuing role as the best selling aircraft manufacturer in the world in particular. Th e folks in Chicago and Seattle may not like it, but it looks like the Toulouse-based aircraft maker will be outselling Boeingagain in 2007.

Emirates topped the avalanche of orders with a breakthrough deal for 70 A350 XWBs (plus 50 options) and 11 more A380s (now 58). It also placed orders for 12 more 777-300ERs from Boeing. Dubai- based DAE Capital signed LOIs with Airbus for 70 A320 Family aircraft and 30 A350 XWBs, while it also ordered 70 737s and mix of 30 787s, 777s and 747s.

Add the order from Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, chairman of Kingdom Holding, for the first A380 Flying Palace, plus an order from Air Arabia for 34 A320s, plus an MOU from Saudi Arabian Airlines for 22 A320s, plus a few other orders which brought the total number of Airbus orders at the show to 294, and it becomes clear why Leahy is in a jubilant mood.

"In 2006, Airbus sold 1,111 aircraft which was then a record for Airbus and the entire industry. Th is year we expect to be in excess of that," he says.

Asked what will happen if the airline industry faces one of its regular downturns in a 10-year cycle, while all these aircraft are going to be delivered in the next 15 to 20 years, Leahy says: "Th e key is that the industry has matured in the past couple of cycles and the troughs have not been as deep as they were at the beginning of the jet age. So with the growth we’re seeing in the world economy, the need to travel and the increasing opening up of India, China and Russia, we would expect the demand for aircraft, which is very much intertwined with the global and regional GDP development, will stay south."

Although he acknowledges that the world could be in "a bit of a recession" around 2011-2013, Leahy says that the impact will be "shallower" compared to recent recessions and the downturn in aircraft deliveries "less abrupt" than in the past and he predicts that the current spate of orders will act as "a cushion" for what might otherwise be a downturn in that period.

Meanwhile, the production lines in Europe and the final assembly in Toulouse are working at full capacity and Leahy says that "practically all Airbus versions are sold out until 2012", adding that there are only a few single aisle planes left until 2012 andthe same applies to the A330 and A380.

A freighter version of the latter, which was abandoned in 2006 after Emirates and two integrators, FedEx and UPS cancelled their orders, will have to wait until Airbus gets the passenger programme stabilised and the aircraft delivered, says Leahy, who claims he is getting requests for proposals for the A380 Freighter.

"Th e freighter version will come, probably in the middle of the next decade, but I can’t make offers on it right now, but I am convinced we will eventually do it." He says that apart from the integrators, major cargo operators such as Singapore Airlines Cargo, will eventually go for the A380 freighter.

Leahy says he is "disappointed" that the company can’t offer the A380F at a time when rival Boeing is selling its B747-8 Freighter. "I think that the non-existence of the A380 freighter is the only reason the 747-8 freighter is selling right now."

Meanwhile, sales of the recently launched A330-200 freighter are progressing well. Leahy says "the A330-200F is a good aircraft with a 65-tonne capacity, which can fly regional or long-distance. We’re even in discussion with some airlines if we can build an A330-300 freighter." He declines to identify the potential carriers by name, but says that they include "some leasing companies and companies in North America involved in package deliveries. "FedEx might be interested because at some point it will need to replace its fleet of DC-10s."

Commenting on the recently launched freighter conversion programme of the A320 Leahy notes that "it has taken us a while to get it running, but now we’re getting a lot of interest." Th e second conversion line in Russia, for which EADS EFW – the Airbus conversion specialist based in Dresden, Germany – signed a co-operation agreement with MIG and Irkut Conversion in mid 2006, is a "tad" behind schedule, "but we’re rushing to catch up."

In addition to its new A330-200 freighter, which is expected to enter service at the end of 2009, Airbus is seriously contemplating the launch of an A350-900 Freighter, which would offer the same payload-range and volume as the current MD-11F.

Leahy points out that the A350F version is part of the fi ve aircraft types that were included in the A350 business case. "We had the -800, -900, and -1000 versions, plus the -900R, which is basically like an A330-200 to A330-300 with the same gross weight and thrust but with a longer range because of the smaller fuselage. Th en we also had a freighter version in our plans, but with the strong demand for the three A350 passenger version, we have decided to wait with the launch of the -900R and the freighter because I can’t get enough production slots."

Leahy says once the three versions are up and running, the -900R and the freighter will be launched. He adds that the A350F payload will be around 90-95 tonnes with a range of 9,250 km, which would make the aircraft an ideal replacement for the MD-11F, which has a more or less similar payload. Leahy sees the new freighter also as a competitor to Boeing’s 777-200F, which he says has a "good payload and range, but terrible economics."

"If we can get out there with a new generation engine and a new wing and composite fuselage and offer a similar range-payload, but with a 30 per cent lower fuel burn, I think we are looking at quite an attractive proposition."