Airbus approached by ‘at least seven governments’ bidding for future wing production work
An article published by Bloomberg.com yesterday says ‘Britain’s five-decade dominance of wing construction for Airbus is under threat from rival countries.’
The story which quotes unnamed sources suggests that uncertainties surrounding Brexit has seen Airbus approached by at least seven governments looking to “poach future wing production” after the planemaker raised concerns about Britain leaving the EU.
Bloomberg does however say the future wing production work ‘rival countries’ are eyeing up relates to the next generation of narrowbody jets of which no plans have been announced by the company as yet.
“As Airbus assesses plans for its next A320 narrowbody, it has been courted by EU members France, Germany and Spain, as well as the U.S. and China, where it has assembly lines, and even Mexico and South Korea, according to the people, who asked not to be named as the approaches weren’t public.” According to the article.
It goes onto to say “Airbus executives have hinted for months that the U.K.’s stranglehold on wing manufacturing, in place since the planemaker’s inception in 1970, isn’t guaranteed.”
“Our first commitment is not to any particular nation,” Outward bound Airbus chief Tom Enders told a gathering of British aerospace and defence executives a couple of weeks ago “It is first and foremost to the global competitiveness of the company and our industry.” Airbus declined further comment says Bloomberg.
Read the full article here:
Brexit Exposes U.K. to Worldwide Raid on Airbus Wing Production
Meanwhile, the first A321 Long Range jet took off on its maiden flight from Hamburg Germany this morning to commence its flight test programme.
The reconfigured version of the A321neo is capable of carrying up to 240 people.
Airbus says the jet is the world’s longest-range single-aisle aircraft, capable of flying up to 4,000 nautical miles when configured with 206 seats including lie-flat beds.
The aircraft is now set to undergo a nearly 100 hour flight test programme, including transatlantic missions, for EASA and FAA Type Certification in Q2 2018. Entry into service is targeted for Q4 2018.
