And no real consumer market at home to sell your Euro trash crap.
But, you made a really big plane.
Maybe this will end up a turkey like the concorde ... there is nothing here that Boeing cant replicate, they just dont think it is the right strategic position for selling planes:
http://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_aviation/read.main/1903297/
think right now we are going through a period when A will be able to take advantage of the fact that there are no planes in the fleet inventories of any airliner the size of the 380. There is a fairly large fleet inventory in the 747 size segment.
In terms of selling today, money is going to the 380 size segment. Enough money to get the plane into the fleet and give airlines a full opportunity to evaluate just how well it performs - especially on the financial side.
After initial inventory levels are filled then airlines will be looking at other size segments. While A has the advantage in the 380 segment B has just as good an advantage (if not better) in the 747 segment. Shrinking the 380 (a plane designed to be stretched) is going to be very difficult if one is to beat the 747ADV economics. Moving some of the 7E7 technologies to the 747 will be far easier.
The key for me is that the airlines will not want to replace all of their 747s with a 380 size plane. They will look at different planes, including the 777/340, but the 747ADV will still have its size segment.
From a risk position, I think B has an advantage. The 7E7 is a proven size and the 7E7 will sell well for a long time. Technology from the 7E7 can go both up to the 747 and down to the 737. For the 380 airlines are going to need to look at annual load factors and may well move planes around, replacing some routes with a 747 or 777/330/340.
It's going to be an interesting few years with huge pressures on both A & B to exceed expectations for their new planes. For me, exceeding expectations is going to be critical for long term success.
No thanks, I'll take the 'vomit comet' any day.