Wed, Jan 06, 2010
Airlifter, Year Behind Schedule, First Flew Last Month
A report in the German press suggests that Airbus may be on the
verge of ditching the A400M airlifter project, which is several
years behind schedule and billions over budget.
The international news service AFP indicates that a report in
the Financial Times of Deutschland says Airbus President and CEO
Thomas Enders told a group of Airbus executives last month that he
"no longer believed in pursuing the program," and that he had taken
steps to end it.
The A400M flew for the first time December 11th, amid questions
about the potential customers for the aircraft. About 120 have been
ordered, with a price tag of around $29 billion, but clients are
being asked to pitch in additional billions to cover unexpected
development costs. Airbus and its parent company EADS have been in
discussions with seven of the countries who were set to buy the
plane, but Enders estimated the chances of success in the talks at
no better than 50-50. Still, the German Defense Ministry said it
plans to continue with the program, and hopes talks can be wrapped
up by the end of January. "We ... will continue to clarify
the necessary details for a continuation of the program with the
industry until the end of the month," a ministry spokesman said
The Financial Times said a list of engineers currently working
on the A400M who would be transferred to the A380 and A350 programs
has already been compiled. Additionaly, Enders said he "is
not ready to threaten the civil aviation division, which is doing
well, just for the A400M," according to a knowledgable source.
An aviation analyst at the private German Economy Institute,
Klaus Heiner Roehl, said Enders' comments might be intended to step
up pressure on governments invested in the program to beef up their
support. "It would of course be complete nonsense, now that the
maiden flight was a success, to back out," he told German channel
N-TV.
More News
From 2023 (YouTube Version): Legacy of a Titan Robert (Bob) Anderson Hoover was a fighter pilot, test pilot, flight instructor, and air show superstar. More so, Bob Hoover was an i>[...]
Get The Latest in Aviation News NOW on Instagram Are you on Instagram yet? It's been around for a few years, quietly picking up traction mostly thanks to everybody's new obsession >[...]
Aero Linx: B-52H Stratofortress The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions. The bomber is capable of flying at high subsonic spee>[...]
Altimeter Setting The barometric pressure reading used to adjust a pressure altimeter for variations in existing atmospheric pressure or to the standard altimeter setting (29.92).>[...]
"Knowing that we play an active part in bettering people's lives is extremely rewarding. My team and I are very thankful for the opportunity to be here and to help in any way we ca>[...]