Airbus Military told Occar that the maiden flight of the A400M would be postponed to August 31

Airbus Military told the European armament organisation Occar that the maiden flight of the A400M would be postponed to August 31, one month later than planned. The programme is currently six to twelve months behind schedule, recalls Le Figaro Economie. Still, according to Occar executive director Patrick Bellouard,

The maiden flight of the A400M military transport aircraft could be postponed to this autumn.

The maiden flight of the A400M military transport aircraft could be postponed to this autumn. The programme reportedly accumulates persistent technical issues. Les Echos

EADS returned to profitability in the first quarter in spite of the weak dollar.

The EADS share surged 5.85% yesterday, at €16.64, thus scoring the best CAC40 performance. The group announced a € 285M net profit for the first quarter, beating analysts’ expectations. Its turnover rose 10% to € 9.9Bn, lifted by record deliveries at Airbus (123 aircraft). For the full year, Louis Gallois confirmed the target of a € 1.8Bn operating profit on a turnover “superior to € 40Bn”. He added that Airbus’s target of 470 aircraft deliveries in 2008 was not called into question and that orders are expected to slow in coming quarters.

EADS unveils its quarterly results today.

The group is expected to report a net profit of € 245.57M, according to a consensus estimate compiled by Thomson Financial. In the same period last year, EADS posted a net loss of € 10M. Deutsche Bank analysts expect the group’s management to remain cautious about its outlook as the dollar rate remains negative for Airbus and ongoing programmes –A400M and A380- still face challenges. AFX (14/05)

EADS unveiled the A400M military aircraft to the public for the first time

EADS unveiled the A400M military aircraft to the public for the first time, in Seville. The A400M’s official roll-out ceremony, in the meantime, is scheduled for June 26. Carlos Suarez, CEO of EADS-Casa and managing director of Airbus Military, the EADS subsidiary in charge of the A400M military transport aircraft programme, confirmed that the aircraft’s maiden flight would take place on July 31, as scheduled. Yet, he admitted that “there are still a few risks” looming over the programme. The engine tests are now proceeding normally and the first system tests have not revealed any major issue so far. But the flying test bed is running a little late, says Les Echos. This is why Mr Suarez said the company preferred to speak of a target “in the summer” for the first flight.

EADS asserted that the A400M military transport aircraft’s

development was on track, in compliance with the revised schedule. The group said “the first A400M, dubbed MSN001, has just left station 40, where all its software systems have been connected and where the electrical system has been successfully tested”. EADS added that engine installation was now underway and the “dedicated flying test bed” is being prepared to start the flight tests “shortly”. Reuters recalls that the A400M programme is already six to twelve months behind the initial schedule. Reuters (14/04)

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).

EADS will present the new A400M military transport

aircraft at the EADS-Casa assembly site in San Pablo, near Seville, next April 22. Several company executives will attend the ceremony, reports Negocio. The expertise of the Andalusia-based facilities will be under the spotlights as the aircraft –a unique type of military plane in its segment- makes its “first steps”, comments the Spanish newspaper. The A400M’s transport capacity, indeed, is superior to that of the Hercules and its size is smaller than that of other US transport jumbo jets, namely the C5 and C17. It can notably carry vehicles and helicopters. The newspaper adds that the A400M can operate in any weather condition and boasts advanced selfprotection systems. Negocio