He started his journalism career in 1992 as a freelance writer for Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany’s largest daily national newspaper and soon specialised in air transport. Jens joined Aviation Week and Aviation Daily in 2000 as one of the European correspondents. Later his role was expanded to cover international air transport. In 2013 he was named Managing Editor Commercial.
Jens frequently appears on radio and TV to comment on industry matters. In 2003, he received the Hugo Junkers Award of the German aviation press for his coverage of Fairchild Dornier’s bankruptcy. He was named the country’s top travel and air transport writer by the Travel Industry Club three times. Jens graduated from the Munich School of Journalism.
Boeing yesterday launched the Boeing 787-10 at the Paris air show. The manufacturer is going ahead with the development of the aircraft on the back of firm commitments for 102 from five different customers. The first 787-10 is to be delivered in 2018. Among the customers launching the program are Air Lease Corp. (ALC) and Singapore Airlines (SIA), with commitments for 30 aircraft each, United Airlines, with 20 commitments, British Airways (BA), with 12, and GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), with 10.
The Airbus A380 program got a major boost after Doric Lease Corp. signed a memorandum of understanding for 20 aircraft on the first day of the Paris air ahow. Airbus has had no orders for the aircraft in 2013. Once firmed up, this order will be the largest for the A380 since Emirates Airline ordered 32 units in 2010. Doric plans to take delivery between 2016 and 2021 and will choose engines before the end of the year.
Qatar Airways is interested in becoming a launch customer for the Boeing 777-9X. Qatar’s CEO Akbar al Baker on the sidelines of the Paris air show said that he would sign a deal “if we can iron out all the requirements” and define performance specifications. Al Baker did not say how many aircraft he would like to order. The airline is only interested in the -9X and not the -8X, “because the [Airbus] A350-1000 will do most of the missions the -8X does,” he says.
