'Crisis' talk spurs war of words at Airbus

'Crisis' talk spurs war of words at Airbus German CEO blasts French predecessor TIM HEPHER

Reuters News Agency

BERLIN -- Friction at the helm of Airbus SAS took a new twist yesterday as its first German boss implicitly rebuked the Frenchman who now runs parent EADS NV for saying the plane maker was in a "growth crisis."

The unusually outspoken response by Airbus chief executive officer Gustav Humbert reflected embarrassment inside the Boeing rival over comments by EADS co-CEO Noël Forgeard, who held Mr. Humbert's job until he was promoted last year.

Airbus has been trying in vain to keep a lid on proposed changes to its newest design, the twin-jet A350, until it is ready to go public with a blueprint designed to halt the runaway success of a rival Boeing Co. model, the 787 Dreamliner.

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It came in several tons overweight. Airbus is scrambling to try to lighten it before its now pushed back delivery deadline of sometime later this year.

They have talked about using composite materials for things like the seat frames, but these are way more expensive, and the airlines have told airbus its their problem, and they will not foot the bill for such things.

And all these problems mean that many of the engineers that were supposed to be already working on the A350 are still involved with the A380.

And Airbus doesn't want to have to hire new engineers because french employment law states that these people would have to be under paid contract for 5 years and could never be fired.

The A350 is going to get pushed back to 2013 or 2014, but I predict as usual, they will just end up doing a cheap knock off of a Boeing plane, in this case the 787, to try to get the product earlier to market.


Mod Edit: Trimmed down external material

[edit on 5/19/06 by FredT]

[edit on 5/19/06 by FredT]

Mod Edit: Added Link.

[edit on 19/5/2006 by Mirthful Me]

Which Boeing planes were knocked off cheaply in the past then? Strange that the quote you posted has nothing at all to do with what you wrote underneath it, was there a reason for this?

Originally posted by El Tiante

And Airbus doesn't want to have to hire new engineers because french employment law states that these people would have to be under paid contract for 5 years and could never be fired.

Does it? Please substantiate this fact.

Originally posted by El TianteThe A350 is going to get pushed back to 2013 or 2014, but I predict as usual, they will just end up doing a cheap knock off of a Boeing plane, in this case the 787, to try to get the product earlier to market.

Please explain your cheep knock off comment.

Same old same old with this Waynos, any old story that can be used to knock Airbus (and take a side-swipe at Europe in general) will do.

Note too the direct quotes from the Airbus personnel do not quite relate to or match up with the claims of a massive and bitter row.

I suppose it would be rude to mention the weight problems certain Boeing aircraft have had before making it to the 'frozen' production design?

......and as for 'throwing' man-power at a plane with problems in it's early stages?
I suppose the story of the 747 is a mystery to some!

Crisis, what crisis?!

[edit on 19-5-2006 by sminkeypinkey]

Well the former A350 was a quick solution to a miscalculation, underestimating the 787.
About the new one we have to see...

Its becoming clear that Airbus is in a lot of trouble. it seems there is a war being fought inside their headquarters and that cannot be good. It seems that A380 crisis combined with the A350 debacle is dividing the company. The worst thing is that is seems like a nationalistic fight between the french and the germans.

Could they end up splitting EADS and one of the parts could join with Lockheed Martin or the Chinese Government?

I'd hardly say they're in "alot of trouble". Having problems yeah, misjudged certain things, of course. Every company has done that. It doesn't mean they're in alot of trouble, just that they have to stop and rethink a few things. Boeing has had to do that in the past, and so has every aviation company ever.