The delays to key aircraft programmes, such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787,

show the limits of component outsourcing and the technological complexity of new projects. Spanish daily Expansion recalls that Airbus delivered its first A380 with an 18- month delay, while the A400M military aircraft is running months behind schedule and the Boeing 787 has just postponed its schedule for the third time. These projects are all brandnew aircraft, not updated versions of older models, which makes their development more complex. Besides, in Boeing’s case, experts point at the risks of outsourcing a massive part of aircraft-component production. Airbus has more experience in extended supply chains as the group itself was born from the merger of several national industries (France, Germany, UK, Spain). Yet, says Les Echos in a comment piece entitled “Dream and Reality”, the financial market did not blame Boeing for this third delay, and rather saluted its monitored financial communication. The Boeing share jumped 5 % following the update of the 787 schedule. Les Echos, Expansion