Petters Group Worldwide (PGW) has signed a contract for an Airbus A318 Elite, becoming the first US customer for the type. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, PGW plans to use its A318 Elite for flights to Asia and Europe - as well as within the USA.

The order takes deals this year for Airbus corporate jets to nine - comprising three A318 Elites, one ACJ, two A320s and three VIP A340s, marking an excellent start to the year. Total sales of the Airbus ACJ Family stand at around 80 aircraft.

The Airbus A318 Elite is the newest and smallest member of the Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) Family, which also includes the ACJ and A320 Prestige.

"Airbus' A318 Elite is a great size for our company's travel needs, giving us the most working space and the greatest cabin comfort of any corporate jet," says Tom Petters, CEO and Chairman of Petters Group Worldwide. "Our company is a long-time user of corporate jets, and we are really looking forward to stepping up in comfort."

"Big jet comfort has never been as affordable as it is with the A318 Elite, as more and more companies are realising," says Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers John Leahy. "And with the greater space and comfort that the A318 Elite offers, we are confident of a great market for it, especially in regions such as North America."

Airbus' ACJ Family is increasingly the preferred choice of companies, governments and individuals, which love its comfortable cabin, robust reliability and solid support.

Airbus' ACJ Family offers twice the cabin-width and three times the volume of traditional top-of-the-line business jets, delivering unmatched value for money.

The Airbus ACJ Family delivers more in features such as fuel-saving wingtip-fences, cost-saving centralised maintenance and weight-saving composites. It also has many other benefits that have become the hallmark of Airbus aircraft - such as a pilot-friendly common cockpit, fly-by-wire controls and category 3B autoland.

Airbus' A320 Family is also unique in providing practical advantages such as large, outward-opening cargo-doors and a choice of engines and auxiliary power units.

Total sales of the Airbus A320 Family stand at more than 5,000, and they have been ordered by, or are in service with, some 240 customers and operators.