EU-DIGEST

Spain - Basque aerospace skills benefit Airbus and Boeing by Niall O'Keeffe

Two members of Basque aerospace association Hegan have been selected to manufacture carbonfibre components and structures for the Airbus A350 XWB. The contracts establish Aernnova and SK10 as risk-sharing tier-one suppliers to the European airframer's newest programme. SK10, part of the Alcor group, has won a contract to manufacture the A350's belly fairing, a 170m2 (1,830ft2) structure based on a metal grille and carbon fibre lining. The contract has a potential value of €1 billion. Aernnova's contract, with a potential value of €3 billion, covers the overall design and production of the horizontal stabilizer and elevator.

Airbus, a fairly near neighbor, is a strong supporter of the Basque aerospace sector. Despite the woes caused by program delays, the sector's A380 involvement has led to investment of €300 million and will generate €3 billion in revenue

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU, Spain

EADS Returns to Profit on Airbus Deliveries, Raises Forecast - by Andrea Rothman

European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co., the continent's largest aerospace company, returned to profit in the third quarter as it delivered more Airbus A380 superjumbo airliners. It raised its full-year profit forecast. Net income was 679 million euros ($865 million) compared with a 776 million-euro loss a year earlier, Paris- and Munich- based EADS said in a statement released by the German stock exchange. Last year's loss included charges for delays of the A400M military transport plane.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

Airbus Leads Boeing In 9 Month Orders, Output

Airbus sold 31 planes in September, bringing gross orders for the first nine months of the year to 785 as the European planemaker held a lead over strike-hit Boeing in new orders and deliveries. Stripping out cancellations, Airbus reported a net total of 737 aircraft orders in the first nine months. While some airlines are having second thoughts over purchases as the global economy weakens, the Airbus tally does not yet include a 55-plane purchase from Abu Dhabi-based Etihad.Although the USD$11 billion order dominated headlines at the Farnborough air show in July, getting it into the order book has proved a headache as Airbus and the Gulf emirate negotiate an industrial offset deal, according to industry executives.The deal for a net 51 planes would bring Airbus within reach of its 2008 goal of 850 orders if it enters the backlog before end-year, though other new business has slumped since July.

Airbus delivered 34 planes in September and 104 in the third quarter, bringing deliveries for the year so far to 349 jets. Deliveries at rival Boeing have been paralyzed by a production workers' strike, now a month old.
The US jetmaker said last week it had delivered 84 planes in the third quarter, down from 109 in the same quarter of 2007.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

Airbus begins push for Chinese market - David Gow

Airbus broke out of its European fortress yesterday when it opened a euro520m ($600m) final assembly line for its best-selling A320 aircraft in China and committed to buy $1bn of locally made components by 2020. The plant, the most modern of its kind in the world, is designed to establish a foothold in China's booming aviation market, which is growing at 14.5% a year. Airbus executives said it would see orders for more than 3,000 new planes over the next 20 years as China develops the world's second-largest aviation market after the US.

After an opening ceremony attended by premier Wen Jiabao and more reminiscent of a Communist party congress setting, John Leahy, chief operating officer (sales), said China could account for as much as a fifth of the more than 850 orders the European plane-maker expects this year.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, China, EU

Airbus Industries - Boeing may opt out of bidding for tankers - by Dion Lefler

A Boeing Co. team met today with the US government procurement officials to discuss specifications for the Air Force's next-generation tanker, against a backdrop of reports that Boeing may drop its bid for the $100 billion contract. Aviation Week magazine reported that Boeing was considering withdrawing from the bidding process over concerns that project specifications favor a competing bid built around an Airbus model. Airbus' parent company -- the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. --and Northrop Grumman Corp. are competing with Boeing for the contract.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, Boeing, EU

New airbus 380 makes a quiet statement - by Anthony Richardson

The destination was New York’s JFK airport and the passengers were excited because they were about to embark on a small piece of aviation history: the maiden voyage of Emirates’ headline-grabbing super-jumbo – the first of 58 ordered by the company – and the first commercial flight of the Airbus A380 into the Americas.Friday’s historic flight took 13 hours and 10 minutes and a slightly rough landing at JFK was marked by a round of applause from passengers. Tomorrow, the aircraft will be on show at San Francisco International Airport before heading to the Flight Path Museum in Los Angeles on Tuesday. With Friday’s flight, Emirates became the second commercial airline to fly the A380. The first was Singapore Airlines, which operates a fleet of five super-jumbos.

Labels: A380, Airbus, Aircraft Industry, Airline Industry, Emirates

Airbus orders top Boeing's at Farnborough - by Jane Wardell

European plane maker Airbus emerged as the clear winner at the Farnborough International Airshow on Thursday after racking up plane orders dwarfing the deals done by U.S. rival Boeing Co. An agreement to sell South American consortium Synergy Aerospace 10 aircraft worth $2.1 billion took Airbus' total orders so far at the weeklong show outside of London to 247 planes worth $38.7 billion at catalog prices. Boeing, meanwhile, boosted its show tally to 197 planes worth $23.1 billion with an apparent headline grabbing deal with Air China for 45 of its planes worth $6.3 billion.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

Airbus parent looks toward more U.S. military business

Despite the Pentagon decision last week to redo the big Air Force refueling-tanker competition won in February by Airbus parent EADS and its partner Northrop Grumman, top EADS executives remain determined to break into the U.S. defense market. They talked about making a billion-dollar U.S. acquisition next year. And they are eyeing more than tankers. They aim to eventually replace more than 450 U.S. Army midsize transport planes. Boeing doesn't have a candidate plane for that role.

Saturday, EADS leaders shrugged off the tanker rebid and expressed confidence that the original award will be sustained.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

Airbus Set to Conquer Chinese Market - by Kristina Doneck

Hamburg-based aircraft manufacturer Airbus has started transporting the first aircraft segments to their new assembly line in Tianjin, China. This is a milestone for Boeing's rival in the struggle to dominate Asian markets and produce planes in the People's Republic. The manufacturer will start building aeroplanes there in August 2008, and the first locally-assembled Airbuses will be delivered to Chinese airlines in the first half of 2009.

Entering the Chinese market is not only another great step in increasing Airbus' global presence, but will also increase the company´s flexibility in the A320-family production. It is expected to lead to increase the production rate to 40 by 2010.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, China

Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. is disappointed by a recommendation that a $35 billion U.S. Air Force tanker contract that it won with an American partner be reopened for bidding, the company's chief executive said Wednesday. The US Government Accountability Office said it found "a number of significant errors that could have affected the outcome of what was a close competition between Boeing and Northrop Grumman." The GAO decision is not binding, but it puts heavy pressure on the Air Force to reopen the contract and could help Boeing capture part or all of the award.

Note EU-Digest: one can only hope the EU takes good note of this US Government intervention on behalf of Boeing when Boeing or US Aircraft builders try to sell their aircraft in Europe.

Labels: Airbus, Airbus Tanker, Politics, USA

Airbus seeks 500 engineers - Recruitment Day - 30th June 2008, Toulouse, France

Airbus seeks 500 engineers to insert in the personnel at the European facilities. This is an exclusive invitation-only opportunity for experienced engineers in the following areas to join us for a unique day of career and technological discovery at our A-380 Assembly line in Toulouse, France.

f you would like to take part in this Recruitment Day, send your cv and introductory letter and to: recrutement.cadres@airbus.com within the 16th June 2008. Following positions are available - Structural Design & Stress
Electrical Design, System Design, On-board information systems, Avionics Software/Electronics, Simulation Software, and General Design. Please provide the following information when you apply, as incomplete submissions will not be considered:
Last name...............
First name..............
E-mail.................
Phone number...........
Area/vacancy of interest.............
How did you find out about the Airbus Recruitment Day?.........

Labels: Airbus, EU, recruitment

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

New delays loom for both Boeing Dreamliner and possibly the jumbo Airbus

Boeing has warned customers they face a 27-month delay in deliveries of its new Dreamliner jet, and Airbus has also told buyers of a fresh hitch in manufacturer of its jumbo A380, German news reports said Saturday. Boeing, was reported this week to have begun assembly of the fifth Dreamliner, a flight-test plane, with the project 15 months late. But the daily newspaper Die Welt said Saturday the US manufacturer was in deeper trouble than that with its B787 project. It said many airlines had been warned in a letter that deliveries planned after 2012 would be delayed as much as 27 months.

Approached for comment by Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa, Airbus said the A380 program was being reviewed because a key stage in the jet's manufacture, using new software to manage the wiring work, had been reached. This meant that the 26th plane to be made, the first to be have all its wiring designed by computer, would roll out late, but this did not mean the 27th would be delayed, and later jets might even be ahead of schedule. It was vital to complete the 26th perfectly as a standard for the rest. Airbus spokesman Stefan Schaffrath said in Germany he was not aware of any letter to customers about this.

Labels: A380, Airbus, Aircraft Industry, Boeing Dreamliner 787

Airbus 280 in New York.

For the complete report from Reuters click on this link

Boeing lags Airbus in plane orders this year

Boeing Co booked only 57 commercial plane orders in April, its lowest monthly total since October last year, and still lags rival Airbus in the race for sales this year.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, Boeing, EU

Airbus: China needs 2,800 aircraft in 20 years

Chinese mainland will need to add more than 2,800 passenger aircraft and freighters in the 20 years through 2026, European plane maker Airbus forecast.The demand, valued $329 billion, represents 11.6 percent of the world total for more than 24,000 new aircraft during the period, it noted. China's demand for passenger aircraft is only second to the United States in the period, said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer for Customers.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, China, EU

Singapore Airlines collects its fourth Airbus jet

Singapore Airlines has taken delivery of its fourth Airbus A380 plane, the world's biggest passenger jet, which left Toulouse, France, on Saturday, Airbus said. The aircraft, delivered "on time," will service the first commercial link between Singapore and Tokyo, and is due to start flying the route on May 20, management said. The three giant airships already in the skies service London and Sydney flights. As with the existing craft, Singapore Airlines has restricted its 853 capacity to seating for 471 passengers, including 12 suites with full beds.

Labels: Airbus, EU, Singapore Airlines

Boeing failed to learn from Airbus - by David Robertson

A couple of years ago Jim McNerney, the chief executive of Boeing, was in London to persuade the world’s airlines that they should purchase the 787 Dreamliner. Over lunch at a Mayfair restaurant I asked McNerney whether he and Boeing had learned anything from the chaos that was unfolding at Airbus. The European aircraft manufacturer was at that time doing a swallow dive from the high board into concrete. It had withheld information on how serious the production delays on its flagship A380 project were and was writing off billions of euros in lost revenue. Chief executives were departing on a monthly basis, there were accusations of insider trading and Airbus’s customers – led by Emirates – were threatening to pull the plug on the whole company.

Without pausing for thought, McNerney said no. He felt there was nothing to learn from Airbus. I thought at the time that such arrogance was hubris and events since have proved the foolishness of McNerney’s words.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, Boeing Dreamliner 787, EU

How Airbus gambled and won a huge U.S. military contract - by David Herszenhorn and Jeff Bailey

Just hours before the U.S. Air Force announced the winner of a $35 billion contract to build aerial refueling aircraft last month, an Airbus plane lumbered off the runway in Getafe, Spain, and climbed to 27,000 feet to rendezvous with a Portuguese F-16 fighter. Then, in the skies south of Madrid, the two aircraft danced across the sky, edging closer and closer, until they were joined by a 50-foot, or 15-meter, boom hanging off the back of the big Airbus plane. The boom, operated by Don Cash, a retired boom operator for the U.S. Air Force who now works for Airbus, pumped 2,000 gallons, or 7,570 liters, of fuel into the other plane during several connections on its maiden mission.

The technology to pass fuel from one plane to another may not be rocket science, but it helped Airbus and its partner, Northrop Grumman, establish their technical bona fides. Hungry to penetrate the U.S. military market, European Aeronautic Defense & Space, the parent of Airbus, made several bold plays, perhaps none more dramatic than building the $100 million state-of-the-art refueling boom on speculation. The result is that Boeing, the pride of U.S. aerospace, was outmaneuvered on its home turf for a contract that could grow to $100 billion, becoming one of the largest military purchases in history.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

McCain Advisers Lobbied for Airbus-by Jim Kuhnhenn

Top current advisers to Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign last year lobbied for a European plane maker that beat Boeing to a $35 billion Air Force tanker contract, taking sides in a bidding fight that McCain has tried to referee for more than five years. Two of the advisers gave up their lobbying work when they joined McCain's campaign. A third, former Texas Rep. Tom Loeffler, lobbied for the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. while serving as McCain's national finance chairman. EADS is the parent company of Airbus, which teamed up with U.S.-based Northrop Grumman Corp. to win the lucrative aerial refueling contract on Feb. 29. Boeing Co. Chairman and CEO Jim McNerney said in a statement Monday that the Chicago-based aerospace company "found serious flaws in the process that we believe warrant appeal."

McCain, the Republican presidential nominee in waiting, has been a key figure in the Pentagon's yearslong attempt to complete a deal on the tanker. McCain helped block an earlier tanker contract with Boeing and prodded the Pentagon in 2006 to develop bidding procedures that did not exclude Airbus. EADS retained Ogilvy Government Relations and The Loeffler Group.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU, John McCain

Airbus Received 341 Orders, Delivered 75 Aircraft In February

European commercial aircraft builder Airbus said Monday it had booked a total of 341 aircraft orders in February. The company's February total, including cancellations, came to 275 planes from its family of single-aisle short-to-medium range aircraft, 88 wide-body jets and three A380 superjumbos.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

Airbus: Tanker contract will not move jobs from Europe to US

Defence contractor EADS said Wednesday that a contract it recently won to supply the US air force with tanker planes will create new jobs in the United States rather than moving old ones from Europe. "There is no relocation of jobs," a spokesman for the European group told AFP, contradicting an earlier statement from EADS' partner Northrop Grumman Corporation which said the deal would see work shift across the Atlantic. Some 1,000 jobs are to be created in Mobile, Alabama to assemble the tanker planes and another 300 related to construction of A330 commercial planes, the EADS spokesman said. There are enough orders for the A330 for the firm to keep personnel currently employed at the Airbus site in Toulouse, France, in work, according to the spokesman. Airbus is an EADS subsidiary.

US-based Northrop Grumman had said earlier the tanker contract would result in the transfer of 2,000 jobs from Europe to the United States.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

Korean Air to buy 3 more A380 jets from Airbus

Korean Air Co will purchase an additional three A380 superjumbo jets from Airbus on top of five jets it had earlier agreed to buy from the European aerospace firm, a company official said on Wednesday. The additional purchase by South Korea's largest carrier came through exercising an option contained in the original contract, the official added, but declined to give the value of the deal.

Labels: A380, Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

Alternative fuel takes flight with Airbus

his week Airbus published a press release stating: "The A380 is the first commercial plane to be powered by alternative fuel." Loaded with special fuel derived from natural gas, the Airbus will take off from its production plant in Western England. Upon takeoff, the plane will perform a three-hour test flight ending at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, Southwest France. Airbus hopes these attention-grabbing efforts will jump-start competition and collaboration for continued development of alternative fuels. "Testing today will support future second generation bio-fuels," said the company's press release. "Fuel and energy are key challenges aviation is facing and for which technology and international research collaboration open up new horizons," said Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders. Enders cited "cross industry and cross border collaboration" as the key to an "eco-efficient enterprise."

At a time when the aviation industry is already under great pressure over the impact of aircraft emissions and the high cost of jet fuel, the company deserves to be applauded by travellers and businesses alike.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

China Airlines orders up to 20 Airbus A350 XWBs

China Airlines, Taiwan's largest carrier, has signed a contract with Airbus to buy 14 A350-900 jets with an option for another six, Airbus said. China Airlines intends to start using the A350s from 2015. The jets will be primarily deployed on China Airlines' long-haul routes to Europe, Australia and the US, Airbus said. Airbus is part of European aerospace group EADS.

Labels: Airbus, Airbus 350 XWB, Aircraft Industry, EU

Airbus Gains Altitude - by Carol Matlack

It's been a long time since Airbus has had better news to deliver than Boeing BA. But on Jan. 16, as the U.S. jetmaker was acknowledging additional delays on its new 787 Dreamliner (BusinessWeek.com, 1/15/08), Airbus reported logging a record 1,341 orders and 453 airplane deliveries in 2007, while making better-than-expected progress on cost reductions. True, Airbus's 2007 order tally fell short of Boeing's 1,413 planes. But Boeing lagged slightly behind its European rival on aircraft deliveries, with 441. Perhaps the best news of all for the European aerospace giant was the 292 orders placed by airlines last year for the A350 wide-body jet, its planned answer to the 787 Dreamliner.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry

Singapore Airlines takes delivery of second A380

Singapore Airlines has taken delivery of its second A380, the world's largest civilian airliner, according the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus. The plane, delivered 18 months behind schedule because of production problems, left Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in southern France for Singapore on Friday. A first A380 was handed over to Singapore Airlines on October 15 and since October 28 has been operating daily service between Singapore and Sydney.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

Airbus grabs first big order of 2008 - by Michael Dunlop

The first major commercial jet order of the year goes to Airbus. Dublin-based leasing company AWAS has placed an order for 75 A320s, Airbus announced Wednesday. The order is worth more than $5 billion at list prices, though jetmakers like Airbus and the Boeing Co. tend to discount heavily.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

Indian Navy may go for European aircraft - by Girja Shankar Kaura

The Indian Navy, which is all set to float the long-delayed global tender for maritime reconnaissance aircraft (MRA), seems to have narrowed down its choice to the offering from the European consortium of EADS.The Airbus A-319 version had emerged as the favorite in the race. This despite the Pentagon pledging to make additional technical, military capabilities available to New Delhi as the P-8A enters into service with the US military. It seems the price, at which the EADS would be arming the Indian Navy with the eight MRAs, is almost US $ 400 million less than the price offered by Boeing. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta had recently said: “We have completed our evaluations of various long-range maritime patrol aircraft and a request for proposals (RFPs) should go out very soon”.The other initial bidders for the contract had included Israel Aerospace Industries and Elta Systems (Orion) and a Russian consortium with the upgraded Ilyushin Il-38SD.

Labels: A319, Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU, India

Airbus beats cost-cutting target

The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has largely surpassed its 2007 cost-cutting target and could end the year with savings of as much as €400m, the French newspaper Les Echos has reported. An Airbus spokeswoman refused to comment on the report ahead of the company's annual press conference on January 16. The paper said the €300m target will be easily eclipsed, with cuts totalling €400m still possible.

Meanwhile Qantas and Airbus celebrated another major milestone in the airframe manufacturer’s relatively short but successful existence – the delivery of its 5,000th aircraft, an A330-200, to Qantas at a special ceremony in Toulouse on December 14th. Today, the Qantas Group, including Jetstar, has a fleet of 37 Airbus aircraft comprising ten A330-300s, seven A330-200s and 20 A320s. Also on order are 20 A380s and three A330s. In November, Qantas also announced its intention to acquire a further 50 A320 Family aircraft.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

Vietnamese companies buy 30 Airbus planes

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and the Viet Nam Aircraft Leasing Company (VALC) signed a contract in Ha Noi on December 21 to buy 30 Airbus planes. Vietnam Airlines will buy 10 A350s and 10 A321s, while VALC will take another 10 A321s. A memorandum of understanding had been reached in early October under the witness of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung during his official visit to France . Airbus plans to hand over the first A321 to Viet Nam in 2012 and an A350 in 2016.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU, Vietnam

Airbus lands on Antarctic

For the complete report from Stuff.co.nz click on this link

Airbus landing Antarctic milestone

Australia has scored an Antarctic coup by successfully landing a commercial airliner at its polar base.

A statement from the Australian Antarctic Division said the Airbus A319 landed on the purpose-built Wilkins Runway, around 70 kilometres from Casey station, late on Sunday night and returned to Hobart early on Monday."It is a most ambitious undertaking which, for the first time, connects Australia and Antarctica with a permanent air link. It really is a tremendous achievement and marks a significant milestone for Australia's Antarctic Program. "Operational crews reported that the AIRBUS aircraft handled the conditions well and had nothing but praise for Wilkins Runway. It has been a wonderful reward, too, for the ground support personnel who have worked so hard in sometimes appalling conditions." The first flight to Wilkins carried only operations personnel and was one of a series of successful 'proving' flights before final approval from authorities to allow passengers on board.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, Antarctic, Australia, EU

Singapore Airlines: 'A rocking party at 40,000 feet': Airbus' A380 first commercial flight lands

James Wallace, a veteran aerospace reporter with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, was seated beside Singapore’s chief executive Chew Choon Seng during the flight, who apparently called the take off of the massive craft "so quiet it was eerie.'' Flight International is also running a challenge for the “sexiest” picture of the A380’s first commercial flight, inviting those with pics of the massive jet to upload them on their site. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the inside, the Times Online has a good video of what Singapore has done to deck out its new double-decker jet.

Singapore Airlines, arguably the best airline in the world in customer service, apparently pulled no punches on the flight, greeting passengers at the airport lounge in Singapore at 8 a.m. local time with a string quartet before serving up a delicious in-flight brunch. According to the International Herald Tribune, “a festive atmosphere prevailed” on the flight, fueled in part by the Dom Perignon that was flowing through the aisles with the passengers who were touring the plane. Singapore also had a piano bar on the upper deck of the double-decker plane.

Labels: Airbus, Airbus380, Aircraft Industry, Airline Industry, EU, Singapore Airlines

US Airways Signs Contract With Airbus

US Airways Group Inc. has signed a contract to buy 92 Airbus aircraft, confirming a deal announced in June, Airbus said Friday. The contract is for 18 A350-800s, four A350-900s, 10 A330-200s, and 60 A320 family aircraft, Airbus said in a statement. Financial details were not disclosed.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU

Lufthansa orders 41 new Airbus aircraft

German airline Lufthansa said on Wednesday it had placed an order for 41 new Airbus planes worth an estimated $4.0 billion at catalogue prices. The order is for 32 single-aisled A320 planes for use on shorthaul routes in Europe and another nine A330-300 planes for longhaul journeys by its Switzerland-based subsidiary, Swiss.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, EU, Germany, US

Airbus wins 25 A320 aircraft order from US lessor Aviation Capital Group

EADS unit Airbus has won an order for 25 A320 family aircraft from US-based aircraft lessor Aviation Capital Group (ACG).

Labels: Airbus, Airbus sales, EU

Air China to buy 23 Airbus planes for euro 1.05 billion (US $ 1.4 bln)

Air China (SEHK:0753) has signed a deal to buy 23 Airbus A320 passenger planes. Air China, the country's flag carrier, said the contract was signed under the framework agreement reached by Airbus and the Chinese government back in October last year for the purchase of 150 jets.

Labels: Airbus, China

Airbus edges Boeing in plane orders

The Paris Air Show brought Airbus 425 bookings worth tens of billions of dollars, a welcome distraction from troubles at the plane maker and its parent company, European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co.Airbus got a boost for its morale and its fortunes, especially those of the A350-XWB, the Europeans' rival to the Dreamliner.

Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry

Airbus upstages rival Boeing with big deals - by Russell Hotten

Airbus notched up some big contracts on the opening day of the world's largest air show in Paris as the company's commercial chief surprised the industry with a forecast the European planemaker will sign a record number of orders.John Leahy said yesterday that Airbus should achieve its best-ever tally, with more than 280 orders.

Labels: Airbus

Airbus Wants To Cut CO2 Emissions By Half By 2020

Airbus is committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions from its planes by half between now and 2020, company chief executive Louis Gallois said June 14. Gallois also appealed to Airbus competitor Boeing to take part in an industry conference on protecting the environment.On June 13 the EU executive approved a draft proposal on "clean skies" aimed at reducing aircraft emissions and noise.

Labels: Airbus, Pollution and the environment

Airbus to fly into profit in 2008

Embattled European aircraft maker Airbus will return to profit in 2008 after two years of heavy losses, the finance director of its parent company EADS predicted in a German press interview on Thursday. “According to our current forecasts, Airbus is going to make a net operational profit in 2008,” Hans Peter Ring told the Boersen-Zeitung.

Labels: Airbus

Air Transat adds 16th wide-body jet to its fleet with new Airbus plane

Air Transat, a holiday travel airline owned by Montreal-based tour operator Transat A.T. Inc. (TSX:TRZ.B), is expanding the size of its fleet to 16 wide-body jets, with the addition of a new Airbus A310-300 plane.

Air Transat operates 12 A310s, which carry 259 passengers, as well as four Airbus A330s with up to 363 seats. The bigger fleet will be used to expand Air Transat and Transat Holidays operations from Canada to Europe, the company said.

Labels: Air Transat, Airbus, Aircraft Industry, Canada