Posted on 01/18/2005 7:23:13 AM PST by highimpact
Tuesday January 18, 10:44 PM Airbus unveils its superjumbo, European leaders hail lead over US
Airbus unveiled the world's biggest passenger jet in a glitzy ceremony in which the leaders of France, Britain, Germany and Spain hailed Europe's victory over the United States as the new king of the commercial skies.
The huge A380 superjumbo, which can carry up to 840 people on its two full decks, supersedes the ageing 747 by US rival Boeing as the biggest civilian aircraft ever made.
When it is put into service early next year, it will become the flagship of many airline fleets and offer unprecedented amenities on long-haul services, including, in some cases, gyms, bedrooms and bars.
For the countries which backed the 10.7-billion-euro (14-billion-dollar) development cost, the plane stood as a prominent symbol of European cooperation.
"Good old Europe has made this possible," German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told a packed hall in Airbus's headquarters in Toulouse, southwest France.
That was a barely-veiled barb recalling the US dismissal of France, Germany and other EU states in 2003 as "Old Europe" because of their opposition to the war on Iraq.
Noel Forgeard, the French head of Airbus, made similar hints in his presentation of the A380 during a spectacle featuring computer graphics, atmospheric theme music and swirling colours.
"The European states -- so easily accused of weakness -- backed this fantastic challenge 35 years ago and have believed in the A380," he said.
The hubris on display was reinforced by recent figures showing that, for the second year running, Airbus has outsold Boeing and now holds some 57 percent of the world market for passenger aircraft.
The company, a majority owned subsidiary of the listed European Aerospace and Defence Company (with 20 percent in the hands of Britain's BAE Systems), forecasts that the A380 will extend that lead.
Thirteen airlines have already placed firm orders for 139 of the planes. Airbus calculates that by 2008 it will reach the break-even point of 250 A380s sold, and from that point it will turn out 35 of the aircraft per year to rising profits.
The catalogue price of the huge machine -- boasting a wingspan of 80 metres (262 feet), overall length of 73 metres (239 feet), height of 24 metres (79 feet) and maximum take-off weight of 560 tonnes -- is between 263 and 286 million dollars, though discounts are frequently applied.
French President Jacques Chirac called the project a "big success" and said: "We can, and we must, go further on this path of European construction so essential for growth and employment."
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the plane was "the culmination of many years of hard work" and congratulated the workers across Europe who made it happen.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Europe was "unstoppable" when it pooled its efforts.
The plane, Zapatero said, "has turned this historic moment into a moment in which cooperation and globalisation are giving rise to more peace and justice."
The four EU leaders later lunched together, leaving industry VIPS to get close to the huge white plane sitting in its hangar.
Airline executives at the presentation were superlative in their praise, even though the A380 has yet to undergo test flights scheduled for March or April.
Richard Branson, the head of Britain's Virgin Atlantic, said his airline would pamper passengers on the six A380s ordered by including gyms, beauty parlours, bars -- and even casinos and double beds.
The last two features meant "you'll have at least two ways to get lucky on our flights," Branson joked.
The biggest buyer of the new plane is the Emirates airline, which has ordered 43. "The A380 will be the future of air travel," its chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, said.
Airbus's success with the A380 is raising hackles at Boeing, which has won relatively little interest in its own new offering, a long-range mid-size plane called the 7E7 Dreamliner.
A bruising dispute over state subsidies between Boeing and Airbus is currently the subject of tense negotiations which, if they fail at the end of a three-month deadline, will blow up into a full-blown arbitration case at the World Trade Organisation.
The Europeans have the highest unemployment rate other than Mexico. The debt of each and every country in the Euro Union is astronomical compared to that of the United States.
It is predictable that in the next 20 years, another Hitler type character will rise to power there and start the whole debacle of the 30's and 40's all over again. The Euros are incapable of managing their own affairs and with their burgening Muslim populations getting more powerful, it is a scary scenerio.
My major criticism of the plane is that it is quite ugly. Most airplanes are very attractive and many are downright gorgeous (I even love the supposedly homely A-10 Warthog), however this one is borderline hideous. I imagine that realization may slowly eat at the Frenchman's soul as he tries in vain to argue how sublime this hog really is. There, now I feel better.
Subsidies are a hell of a drug
France, the home of dirty pictures and surrender monkeys, will continue to weaken Europe until it folds like wilted lettuce.
Bet that's not coach !
Agree completely on the Bridge- absolutely beautiful (although designed by a British architect of course ;) ) . One thing the French do well is built impressive stuff for 'la gloire', I wish British society would be more supportive of such things rather then just carping at them into oblivion.
The plane is pretty ugly- I'd contend that the wings however (which were built a few miles from where I live) are quite gorgeous :D
The US subsidizes its industries with the best of them. Just look at agriculture (i.e. welfare queens in overalls).
Tip of the hat to your British bridge designing architect. It is the most beautiful bit of engineering in recent years. Some of the construction tricks were pretty nifty as well. I think a Spanish engineering team help Eiffel in this area.
This is incorrect, at least in general. Some figures: United States - 62.4% of GDP
United Kingdom - 51% of GDP
France - 68.8% of GDP
Germany - 64.2% of GDP
Finland - 48.7% of GDP
Sweden - 51.8% of GDP
Spain - 62.7% of GDP
...and lawyers. Don't forget the lawyers!
Yeah, the next model Boeing airliner will be named the "Great Wall".
"Good old Europe has made this possible," German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told a packed hall in Airbus's headquarters in Toulouse, southwest France.
WOW!!!!!!!!!!! They managed to band together to fund a private industry on 3/4 of the $$$$$ we fit into budget pork in asingle FY.....rmfe.
"Maybe as a military airlifter, it could see more of a future."
Yes...they will be able to evacuate more French troops per plane from some trouble spot.
And don't more Europeans use bullet trains to commute "in continent" anyway?
As I said on another thread, this is an amazing plane. I think it looks nice, and it's huge. Assuming it tests well, it will likely be a success for long-haul hub travel. BUT, the way the thing was funded is criminal. The accomplishment is far less amazing when you look at the whole picture and history of the plane.
Right now, Asian companies are their biggest customers. For example United Arab Emirates has ordered at least 43 of these. I imagine there will be a lot of demand for these in China onc e their economy grows some more.
Won't be long before some jihadi hijacks and crashes one of these flying cattle cars.
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