Airbus says A350 customer feedback came 'too late' and admits to two year delay on new design

Flight International Online ^ | 1 June 2006 | Justin Wastnage

[lowbuck]

Airbus has taken a swipe at potential and existing customers for its A350 long-range twinjet for failing to supply timely feedback during the development effort, admitting that any newly-designed variant could not be ready until at least 2012.

In a hard-hitting interview with UK broadcaster BBC in its Hard Talk series, Airbus chief operating officer, Charles Champion, says the airframer "underestimated how much our customers wanted a competition between Airbus and Boeing with a new product from our side". He adds that "constructive criticism" that Airbus welcomes during the development phase of any new aircraft came "a bit late, maybe".

Champion, questioned by Sarah Montague on the programme, says that the re-design of the A350, initially based on the A330 airframe, is currently going through a discussion "loop" with "all stakeholders internally" such as partners and suppliers to see whether "an alternative, better A350 will do the job". These discussions are expected to be concluded "rather quickly," probably before the Farnborough air show in July, he adds.

Any new product would be ready "a couple of years later than today's A350", or around 2012, says Champion. The new A350 could have an improved wing design, offering a cruise speed around Mach 0.02-0.03 faster than the current M0.83-0.84 design, he says.

[lowbuck]

More on the Airwars. Looks like the 350 is going back to the hanger for some major surgury!

[SamAdams_Lite]

Europeans are doing the airplanes Americans wouldn't do.

[OSHA]

Bush's Customer's fault!

[oldleft]

Funny, 'cause I already think the thing looks downright retro compared to the 787.

[Vaduz]

It will make a big a$$ crash site.

[MrKatykelly]

European capitalism: Blame the customer. They just don't get it.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

translated:
The customers were too busy to communicate with Airbust because they were on the phone buying 787's.

[Jameison]

Don't ya just love market forces?
All that cheating by the diabolical Europeans...and they end up with a lemon.
There is plenty of schadenfreude here.

[Jameison]

"European capitalism: Blame the customer."

Yep.
And if all fails, go get even more huge handouts from the government.
When are they going to walk on their on two feet..if ever?

[RJL]

Airbus has taken a swipe at potential and existing customers for its A350 long-range twinjet for failing to supply timely feedback during the development effort

In a perfect French communist world the customers would be forced to beg the government company, Airbus, for any wanted changes.

This clearly didn't happen here and the French can't figure it out except it's clearly the customer's fault.

[keat]

"Well that might be your problem, it's not what you like, it's the consumer. ..."
Joe Dirt, 2001

[lowbuck]

Ah, tickle my funny bone!

[nikos1121]

"Champion, questioned by Sarah Montague on the programme, says that the re-design of the A350, initially based on the A330 airframe, is currently going through a discussion "loop" with "all stakeholders internally" such as partners and suppliers to see whether "an alternative, better A350 will do the job". These discussions are expected to be concluded "rather quickly," probably before the Farnborough air show in July, he adds. "


What he really mean't to say:


The A350 sucks wet dog fur, and we finally admit it.

[SamAdams_Lite]

The A350 recently failed some stress tests with their wings snapping a less than specified maximum loads.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

"...hard hitting interview..." Wow !

[gogeo]

I'm wondering about the wisdom of blaming the customer.

[Jeff Chandler]

Daang!

[NavyCanDo]

I remember Airbus saying Boeing was over estimating the amount of customer interest in the 787 dreamliner. There would be limited interest for that size of airplane they said, and that the fastest growing market would be the super jumbos that only Airbus was building, and Boeing would be left in Airbust dust.

Who's laughing now? Boing stock at all-time record highs, and they are building more commercial airplanes a month than at anytime in the companies history. And Airbus? They are still pointing fingers at each other and their customers trying to figure out what went wrong.

[DungeonMaster]

It's nice to see Boeing back on top!

[lowbuck]

I've said for years that I believed Boeing maneuvered Airbus into committing to the A-380 which they correctly foresaw as the wrong bet. Then they got serious with a point to point fuel sipper.

The fact that fuel prices have risen is just makes the 787 more appealing and the A-330/A-340 less so. The idea of a warmed over 330 to counter the 787 did not make much sense and now the marketplace is speaking.

As I have also said for years, cash flow must be a big problem for the gang at Airbus. As in, no 380 delivered so the check isn't in the mail! Ditto for the folks who are willing to wait for 2012 for a shiny new 350.