newstodate.aero
Jun 14, 2006 (newstodate): Airbus yesterday informed its board, customers and the press that the A380 delivery program has run into severe problems causing delays at least until 2009.
As the single good news, Singapore Airlines will still receive its first A380 by the end of this year, but out of 20 planned deliveries in 2007, only nine will be materialised.
In 2008, there will be a shortfall by five to nine of out of 35 planned deliveries, and in 2009 Airbus expect a shortfall of five out of 45 planned deliveries.
-I have spent most of the day talking to customers, and they are obviously not very happy with us although they appreciate our open approach to the issue that is caused entirely by industrial problems, Gustav Humbert, Airbus president and CEO told participants at the annual Airbus Technical Press Briefing at Toulouse.
According to Mr Humbert, the root cause is the complexity of customisations and upgrades of the A380 cabin that has exceeded the design capacity of the systems, primarily the electrical systems.
Airbus is thus receiving empty fuselage parts deliveries that have to be wired and implemented with systems at the final assembly line, rather than being delivered as completed units to the line as otherwise dictated by Airbus aircraft manufacturing philosophy.
Mr Humber left open the issues of which carriers will receive their A380 at what time and in what sequence, leaving this till further talks with customers have been completed.
He also said that compensations and penalties are now to be included in talks with airlines that may also reconsider their previous decisions.
As the single good news, Singapore Airlines will still receive its first A380 by the end of this year, but out of 20 planned deliveries in 2007, only nine will be materialised.
In 2008, there will be a shortfall by five to nine of out of 35 planned deliveries, and in 2009 Airbus expect a shortfall of five out of 45 planned deliveries.
-I have spent most of the day talking to customers, and they are obviously not very happy with us although they appreciate our open approach to the issue that is caused entirely by industrial problems, Gustav Humbert, Airbus president and CEO told participants at the annual Airbus Technical Press Briefing at Toulouse.
According to Mr Humbert, the root cause is the complexity of customisations and upgrades of the A380 cabin that has exceeded the design capacity of the systems, primarily the electrical systems.
Airbus is thus receiving empty fuselage parts deliveries that have to be wired and implemented with systems at the final assembly line, rather than being delivered as completed units to the line as otherwise dictated by Airbus aircraft manufacturing philosophy.
Mr Humber left open the issues of which carriers will receive their A380 at what time and in what sequence, leaving this till further talks with customers have been completed.
He also said that compensations and penalties are now to be included in talks with airlines that may also reconsider their previous decisions.