Airbus recently announced a full-year 2009 delivery record of 498 aircraft, an increase of 15 aircraft from 2008 and included just over 400 aircraft from the A320 family along with 86 A330s/A340s and 10 A380s (compared to the 18 it expected to deliver). The airframer also reported a gross order intake for the year of 310 aircraft, worth a total of US$34.9 billion but cancellations reduced the net to 271 planes valued at $30.3 billion, compared to 777 in 2008. Airbus also said it’s total order backlog amounted to 3,488 aircraft as of 31 December 2009, worth $437.1 billion and roughly equal to six years of full production.

President and CEO Tom Enders called 2009 “a very difficult year” but said he was satisfied that “the prognosis that deliveries would fall dramatically didn’t come true. For the first time, we delivered 400 single-aisle planes.” Airbus expects 250-300 orders this year, including some for the A380, and is anticipating a turnaround in demand in 2012.