The leading European aerospace companies have agreed to redraw the structure of the civil aircraft industry in Europe in a direct challenge to the global dominance of Boeing of the US.
The four partners in Airbus Industrie - DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa) of Germany, Aerospatiale Matra of France, Casa of Spain and BAE Systems of the UK - yesterday agreed to pool their assets in one concern, Airbus Integrated Company (AIC).
This will give direct management responsibility to a single organisation capable of developing and building a full range of civil aircraft.
The partners also gave the go-ahead for the commercial launch of the A3XX super jumbo, the world's largest civil aircraft.
Mr Noel Forgeard, Airbus Industrie chief executive, said more than eight airlines had expressed interest in buying a total of 52 superjumbos.
The A3XX, which will cost about $12 billion (€12.8 billion) to develop, will break the 30-year monopoly in very large aircraft held by Boeing with its 747 jumbo.
Airbus said the programme could break even with sales of fewer than 250 units in the next 20 years. But it forecast it would sell around 750 in that period, capturing half of the market it predicts for very large aircraft. But Boeing forecasts a market of less than 500 such planes over the same period. Nevertheless, the US aircraft maker recently announced it too is developing a stretched version of its 747 to seat more than 500 passengers.
The first prototype A3XX is expected to fly in 2004 and it would enter service in the final quarter of 2005. It will be one of the most ambitious industrial projects undertaken in Europe.
Airbus said the project would employ about 160,000 workers, with possibly 50,000 more elsewhere in the world.
Final assembly of the aircraft will be carried out in Toulouse. The wings will be made in the UK, while the furnishing and interior customisation will take place in Hamburg. The tailplanes will be made in Spain.
Bringing the parts together will pose unique logistical challenges. Mr Jurgen Thomas, project leader, said the group was considering lifting large components, such as the wings and fuselage sections, by giant airships from the port of Bordeaux to Toulouse. The three Airbus partners, Dasa, Aerospatiale and Casa, which are merging to form the European Aeronautic Defence and Space company (EADS), will own 80 per cent of Airbus, with 20 per cent held by BAE Systems.
Aer Lingus passengers on the Continental European Network can look forward to wider seats with the introduction of a new Airbus, the first of a $250 million (€267 million) six-aircraft fleet development programme over the next two years.
The new-generation Airbus A320-200 delivered during the week will provide 35 per cent more seats than the Boeing 737-500s currently in use. The new aircraft will ensure the Aer Lingus fleet retains its low average age, currently at 7.4 years.
