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The wait is over
01 December 2006
The A350XWB is meant to be Airbus' response to Boeing's 787. Geoff Hearn looks at how it is likely to fare.
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Airbus; A350XWB
After months of anticipation, Eads has finally given Airbus the go-ahead for the industrial launch of the A350XWB. Louis Gallois, Airbus president and chief executive officer, says the launch is based on strong market demand and customer backing. He adds: "The decision follows a thorough review of all the resources available."
But Gallois cautioned that the programme remains conditional on the implementation of the company's cost-cutting plans. However, most commentators believe that Airbus had to launch the A350XWB.
Adam Pilarski, senior vice-president at Avitas, has a typical view. "They cannot abandon this part of the market," is his assessment. He adds: "The A330 would not do well against the Boeing 787, so Airbus has absolutely no choice but to develop a new product."
The route to this launch has been tortuous. Having first insisted that its existing A330 was competitive with the 787 and then proposed the modest improvements of...
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