Airbus is on track to deliver 30 A380 jets this year, even as it continues to fix wing cracks and other problems that have plagued the superjumbo.
Airbus' chief executive Tom Enders told reporters at the Singapore Airshow: 'Despite the issue right now with the cracks in the wing ribbed feet... we're maintaining our planned increase in production.'
The jets rolling off Airbus' assembly lines will be delivered to Malaysia Airlines and Thai Airways, which will join A380 operators such as Singapore Airlines and Qantas, he said.
This will bring the total global fleet of the aircraft to about 100.
Mr Enders, speaking at an Airbus briefing, also reiterated that despite the hiccups, the A380 was 'absolutely safe to fly', and that there had been no compromise on safety.
Responding to a query on whether Airbus can guarantee that the faults that have surfaced will not recur, he said an investigation has been launched to get to the root of the problems.
Lessons will be drawn and steps taken to ensure that similar faults do not occur with new aircraft such as the A350, the debut of which has been delayed, he said.
It is now expected to enter commercial service in 2014.
'We make no secret of the fact that the programme is running a little slower than we planned,' he said.
But he added that it was better being late than to rush to get the aircraft into commercial service and then have to fix problems that may crop up.
In recent weeks, SIA and other operators of the A380 have had to take some of their jets out of commercial service for inspections; in some cases, repairs have been needed for the wing cracks.
At the briefing on Wednesday, Airbus' chief salesman John Leahy singled out the Asia- Pacific as being 'second to none' in pumping up current and future prospects for the aviation business.
'And aviation growth will bring increased trade and significant wealth creation into the region,' he added.
Airlines in the Asia-Pacific will take delivery of about 9,370 new aircraft valued at US$1.3 trillion (S$1.65 trillion) over the next 20 years - about a third of global deliveries, he noted.
At the same briefing on Wednesday, Airbus' parent company European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) announced a deal between one of its subsidiary companies and Singapore-based ST Aerospace.
Under this partnership, ST Aero will work with the EADS unit to convert A330 passenger aircraft to all-cargo planes.
The passenger-to-freight conversion programme is a growing one for the Singapore firm. To date, it has done 175 such conversions.
source: http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-3/Story/STIStory_767157.html
Airbus' chief executive Tom Enders told reporters at the Singapore Airshow: 'Despite the issue right now with the cracks in the wing ribbed feet... we're maintaining our planned increase in production.'
The jets rolling off Airbus' assembly lines will be delivered to Malaysia Airlines and Thai Airways, which will join A380 operators such as Singapore Airlines and Qantas, he said.
This will bring the total global fleet of the aircraft to about 100.
Mr Enders, speaking at an Airbus briefing, also reiterated that despite the hiccups, the A380 was 'absolutely safe to fly', and that there had been no compromise on safety.
Responding to a query on whether Airbus can guarantee that the faults that have surfaced will not recur, he said an investigation has been launched to get to the root of the problems.
Lessons will be drawn and steps taken to ensure that similar faults do not occur with new aircraft such as the A350, the debut of which has been delayed, he said.
It is now expected to enter commercial service in 2014.
'We make no secret of the fact that the programme is running a little slower than we planned,' he said.
But he added that it was better being late than to rush to get the aircraft into commercial service and then have to fix problems that may crop up.
In recent weeks, SIA and other operators of the A380 have had to take some of their jets out of commercial service for inspections; in some cases, repairs have been needed for the wing cracks.
At the briefing on Wednesday, Airbus' chief salesman John Leahy singled out the Asia- Pacific as being 'second to none' in pumping up current and future prospects for the aviation business.
'And aviation growth will bring increased trade and significant wealth creation into the region,' he added.
Airlines in the Asia-Pacific will take delivery of about 9,370 new aircraft valued at US$1.3 trillion (S$1.65 trillion) over the next 20 years - about a third of global deliveries, he noted.
At the same briefing on Wednesday, Airbus' parent company European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) announced a deal between one of its subsidiary companies and Singapore-based ST Aerospace.
Under this partnership, ST Aero will work with the EADS unit to convert A330 passenger aircraft to all-cargo planes.
The passenger-to-freight conversion programme is a growing one for the Singapore firm. To date, it has done 175 such conversions.
source: http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-3/Story/STIStory_767157.html
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