[Yo-Yo]

Boeing is paving the way with the 787. If the 787 works as advertised, then Airbus knows it can be done, and they will do it. They have worked with composites in the past, including the first all composite wing for the A300M that was fabbed in the UK last month.

However, as you said, Airbus rakes in the dough with the A320, and that aircraft will be slayed by a plastic 737 as Boeing's next project. Airbus won't be able to respond with a plastic A320 until the entire run of plastic 737s is sold out.

By deciding to go with the A350XWB instead of directly to a plastic A320, Airbus has chosen to play catchup with Boeing for the next two decades.

(BTW, Ping to Paleo for his pinglist)

[Yo-Yo]

Oops, sorry, that was an all composite wing for the A400M, not A300M.

[SW6906]

Airbus has screwed the pooch on the 767/A330/787/A350 market. If Airbus went directly to an A320 replacement and let go the A350, they would beat Boeing to that very lucrative market.