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A mishap a few days. Originally scheduled on December 13, delivery of the first copy of the Airbus A350 in Qatar Airways was finally intervene Monday, December 22 in Toulouse, at the headquarters of the European aircraft manufacturer. A carry last minute due, according to some, to cabin finishing problems of the airplane: poorly glued carpet, water leak in the toilet … For others, it is the taste for setting media scene Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar airline, which would have caused this shift.
This is not the first time that Qatar Airways boss fussy acting up. In June, the company had refused to take delivery of the first A380 in its fleet. At the time, Mr. Al Baker had already raised, the cabin finish defects. The average especially persiflent some, getting free publicity on the back of Airbus. Nevertheless, Qatar Airways whims change nothing! In the opinion of all professionals, the new jumbo Airbus long-haul aircraft is a “well born.”
And yet everything started badly. In the mid 2000s, “Airbus and Boeing have different approaches to the development of air traffic,” remembers a specialist. The American manufacturer is then sure, he adds, “it is no longer necessary to build very large aircraft, because the traffic will no longer go by very large hubs” those Giant airports into which people had the same company, like Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Air France. At the same time, Airbus believes otherwise and is betting hubs. The European aircraft manufacturer mobilizes all its forces to develop its very large long-haul A380.
First answer minima
In 2005, Boeing sensation by out of his sleeve its proposed 787 Dreamliner. The plane gives pride to the power supply and composite materials. A pledge of weight gain and therefore fuel savings for companies. According to one expert, “Airbus could not afford to allow Boeing to establish its supremacy over the long-haul sector” . A market estimated at more than 6000 devices for next twenty years, nearly 1000 billion!
Most importantly, note Stéphane Albernhe, president of consulting firm Archery Strategy Consulting (ASC) “be positioned on the long-haul sector, it is the guarantee for a manufacturer to sell higher margin devices” . An A350 is charged, list prices, $ 290 million. A380 reached $ 400 million.
The announcement of the Dreamliner is not good news for Airbus. At the time, as recognized in the entourage of the aircraft manufacturer, “the context is very degraded” . In 2006, EADS, the parent company of Airbus, has changed three times president. Especially, industrial wanderings between French and Germans, for the production of the A380, were costly. The invoice has exploded! More than 2 billion of additional costs for two years late.
First, Airbus attempts a reaction minima. Rather than a new plane, it tests the companies with an improved version of its A330 long haul. A major lessor of aircraft Airbus informed that the market does not want this project. “The A330 was surpassed by the 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft. It was not up to the innovations of the Dreamliner, “ points the ASC boss.
” Since we had a slight delay on Boeing 787 and it was necessary that our plane is better “ will be remembered at Airbus. In December 2006, EADS, Airbus became Group, vote the launch of the A350 XWB program (“extra wide body”), a proposed long-haul widebody to the extra-wide body entrusted to Didier Evrard. This time, Airbus hits hard. No question of repeating the mistakes of the A380 and sharing “political” of tasks between France and Germany. The A350 will be produced, assembled and equipped in Toulouse. “We decided to position the A350 family at the heart of the two competing families of 777 and 787,” says Mr. Evrard. In practice, the future long-haul is “the heart of target. The range of devices that can carry 300-369 passengers “.
aggressive positioning
In outsider Airbus opts for ” a aggressive positioning “. Aggressive but cautious. “ We have made different choices Boeing” including the power supply, he added. Alarmed by the departures of fire repeatedly in the lithium-ion 787, grounded for three months, Airbus has chosen the most proven technology of nickel-cadmium.
The A350 promises fuel consumption and reduced maintenance costs by 25% due to extensive use of composite materials and carbon fiber. “More than 50% of the aircraft’s composite” , welcomed Mr Evrard. Lighter, the new aircraft is quieter and comfortable for passengers than its competitors. Its lower pressurization allowed to install larger windows and its wider cabin offers the opportunity for companies to install new front seats while providing more space for passengers.
This cocktail technologies advanced and more conservative options please the market. “The bet is successful from the start,” welcomes the patron of the program. Companies take out their checkbooks. End of 2014, even before the delivery of the first copy, Airbus already has almost 800 A350 on order.
According to Mr Evrard, the future of the new long-range promises to be bright. “The A350 will be a profitable program. “ Airbus should earn money from 2019-2020 when ten A350 come out each month of its assembly lines. Still, the A350 will be the last new plane before long. Airbus and Boeing now want to receive dividends of their programs.
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