Spinnaker Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 http://www.forbes.com/markets/2006/09/22/e...tml?partner=rss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W5 Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 More delays http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5402922.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rattler Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Singapore Airlines is the lucky carrier to get the only A380 in 2007. I wonder how their PR department will be able to put a positive spin on the fact that passengers will be riding in the only operational aircraft and that the rest have been held up due to defects???? Imagine how difficult their operation will be based on no common spares pool etc etc etc. I wonder if they will now turn around and refuse to take the delivery?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rattler Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Latest news BBC A380 delay sparks airlines' anger Leading airlines are assessing their positions following confirmation of further delays to the Airbus A380. Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines and Qantas - all due to buy the super-jumbo - have expressed disappointment at the fresh setback. The first A380 delivery has been pushed back to October 2007 but Airbus says all its customers are "still on board". Meanwhile BAE Systems won shareholders' backing to sell its Airbus stake back to the planemaker's parent firm EADS. Bailing out BAE revealed last month that it planned to dispose of its 20% minority stake in Airbus for £1.9bn (2.7bn euros). At the time, it said it believed that problems with the A380 meant that Airbus was facing a "challenging" short-term future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Singapore Airlines is the lucky carrier No CX/AC are the lucky carrier's that wisely chose not to buy them and opted for the 777-300ER instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadaEH Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Well that puts a kink in the expansion plans of some carriers now doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rattler Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Well that puts a kink in the expansion plans of some carriers now doesn't it? It does that as the slots at Boeing for large aircraft are not exactly wide open. The other problem that this will bring to the airlines who continue with the A380 will be a reluctance by airports to upgrade to handle what could be a very limited A380 demand for the upgraded facilities. I wonder how many will op to not put in the two level bridges etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 It does that as the slots at Boeing for large aircraft are not exactly wide open. The other problem that this will bring to the airlines who continue with the A380 will be a reluctance by airports to upgrade to handle what could be a very limited A380 demand for the upgraded facilities. I wonder how many will op to not put in the two level bridges etc etc. What I'm curious about is viable alternates. Will operators use airports that cannot handle the A380 other than the runway/taxiways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rattler Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Guess each airline will make their own decision on that one but just imagine the additional turn time needed if they are only able to unload from the forward lower door for instance. I wonder if the bird will ever be in full production or if the industry will turn their backs on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Guess each airline will make their own decision on that one but just imagine the additional turn time needed if they are only able to unload from the forward lower door for instance. I wonder if the bird will ever be in full production or if the industry will turn their backs on it. and...it could take 3 bays if the terminal is not designed for a A380. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 80 Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I find it funny that some expect massive engineering projects into uncharted waters with a 100% clean sheet design to go off without a hitch. What is in that picture is thirty odd completed 747's without engines - because the engines didn't exist. I know someone who worked at Boeing on the 747 line in those days. The people preaching doom and gloom for airbus don't know what doom and gloom is until you have thirty completed planes on the tarmac no engine to power them and the company is basically bankrupt. The development of the 777 was a disaster and ran to more than double its budget. To say nothing of the fact the 777 as originally conceived was scrapped in favor of what we have today. Boeing also suffered manufacturing problems during much of the late 90's causing a 2.6 billion dollar write-off. They also had serious production problems resulting from introducing a factory inventory system that just plain didn't work. This fiasco led to lots of late deliveries and lots of penalties for Boeing. So why is Airbus the only one getting trashed as though Boeing has never been late with anything and Airbus couldn't deliver a toilet seat on time. I guess it is just "kick'em while their down" journalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W5 Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 An interesting (and recommended) read in this regard is the 1982 book "The Sporty Game" by John Newhouse. It is about the high risk competitive business of making and selling commercial airliners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 So why is Airbus the only one getting trashed as though Boeing has never been late with anything and Airbus couldn't deliver a toilet seat on time. I guess it is just "kick'em while their down" journalism. It could just be commentary on what's happening today rather than years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rattler Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 So why is Airbus the only one getting trashed as though Boeing has never been late with anything and Airbus couldn't deliver a toilet seat on time. Current events vs past history. Seems that Boeing is ticking along just fine (perhaps the dreamliner will be the exception), so Airbus who trumpets using the latest and best technology to creat their aircraft is a natural target when they screw up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 80 Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I suppose my point is more that the current A380 situation is being presented as though this is an unprecidented set of circumstances. There is a difference between ordering a brand new airplane and ordering a new computer from Dell. To glance at airwhiners.net or much of the coverage in the media - and even aviation media you would think this is the most spectacular failure in the history of aviation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rattler Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 There is a difference between ordering a brand new airplane and ordering a new computer from Dell. I quite agree with you on that point, Dell would have had a working model and a production line set up before accepting any orders. (sorry could not resist) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W5 Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybri...omktNews&rpc=44 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rattler Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 The planemaker also said the A400M military airlifter it plans to build for seven European NATO countries faced the risk of future delays and would not make money unless costs were cut. This will definitely help our military make up their minds regarding their choice for a "heavy lift" aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Just heard it from a reliable source...the A380 will be delivered on Sept 15th, he failed to give a year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W5 Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Complete speech of Airbus CEO to employees in regards to A380: http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/...+speech+to.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinnaker Posted October 14, 2006 Author Share Posted October 14, 2006 http://www.forbes.com/markets/2006/10/13/a...tml?partner=rss (Virgin sends a proposal) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rattler Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 I wonder if Airbus will be able to reach those numbers of if the production will be halted? Airbus hikes A380 break-even mark European aircraft maker Airbus has raised the number of A380 superjumbos it needs to sell to make a profit on the project. The A380 programme has been beset by huge cost over-runs and long delays. The firm's parent company EADS now says it needs to sell 420 A380s to break even, up from a previous estimate of 270 aircraft. To date, Airbus has sold 159 A380s and the first plane is now due in October 2007 - two years behind schedule. Long-term hopes The aircraft's biggest customer, Emirates, recently said it was considering its options in light of the delays. A380 ORDERS SO FAR Emirates: 43 aircraft Lufthansa: 15 Qantas: 12 Air France: 10 Singapore Airlines: 10 Fedex: 10 International Lease Finance: 10 UPS: 10 Thai Airways: 6 Virgin Atlantic: 6 Korean Air Lines: 5 Etihad Airways: 4 Qatar Airways: 2 China Southern Airlines: 5 Kingfisher Airlines: 5 Malaysia Airlines: 6 Source: Airbus But in a presentation to analysts and investors, EADS chief financial officer Andreas Sperl said that the planemaker still expected to sell more than 750 of its new planes over the life of the project. The presentation came as speculation built about who would be named as the new managing director at Airbus. Louis Gallois was appointed chief executive last week after the resignation of Christian Streiff. His number two has been tipped to be Fabrice Bregier - head of EADS helicopter unit, Eurocopter. Shake up The problems Airbus is having with its A380 have prompted the company to examine how it runs its businesses. Earlier this month, the company warned of "painful" job losses as a result of the problems with the A380. That prompted France and Germany, the biggest shareholders in Airbus-owner EADS, to call for the redundancies to be fairly shared. Trade unions have said they will fight to preserve jobs and keep factories open. Airbus said on Thursday that it was ready to start addressing difficult social and political issues. The co-chief executive of EADS Thomas Enders said that he believed in the success of the A380 and was sure that Airbus would recover its former strength. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 From CEO of Airbus... We must catch up. In 15 years, I hope we are ahead of Boeing again. Wow, what a forecast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plankspanker Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Considering the design, development and life cycle of a modern commercial aircraft fifteen years isn't that long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Considering the design, development and life cycle of a modern commercial aircraft fifteen years isn't that long. I agree but you must admit it was rather frank of him to admit such a failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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