Airbus: Superjumbo problem resolved
Temporary solution found ahead of the introduction of new wiring design software.
Louis Gallois, Airbus chief executive, had said on Wednesday that the wiring problems were close to being resolved, signaling good news for launch customer Singapore Airlines.
“The new electrical cabling for the first Airbus A380 intended for Singapore Airlines was installed last week,” Gallois had told journalists, saying that the cabin equipment for the plane, which is in the northern German city, would be installed next week.
“We are determined to complete this first delivery in October 2007, as we announced, and to prepare ourselves for the next deliveries in 2008,” he added.
Fabrice Bregier, Airbus managing director, said that the cabling for several aircraft would be completely re-installed and a temporary technical solution had been found to equip the first 25 aircraft.
From the beginning of 2008, the use of new wiring design software such as Catia V and Circe would help with the cabling of aircraft to be delivered from 2009.
Singapore Airlines has committed to buy 19 A380s with other customers including Thai Airways, China Southern Airlines, Australia’s Qantas, Malaysia Airlines, Korean Air and Virgin Atlantic.
Parcel problems
UPS, the Parcel delivery company, said on Friday that it had not decided whether to cancel its order for the superjumbos.
French business daily Les Echos, citing unidentified sources, reported on Friday that UPS would cancel its order for 10 A380s next week.
“We continue to talk to Airbus. We haven’t changed our order and we haven’t made a decision one way or the other, so the order still stands,” said Lynnette McIntire, a spokeswoman for UPS in Atlanta.
Airbus spokeswoman Barbara Kracht said on Friday that she had no information about a possible cancellation.
A cancellation would leave Airbus with no more customers for the cargo version of the A380, after FedEx and International Lease Finance canceled their orders last year.