That Other Troubled Airbus Plane

I agree with Cunningham. Fix price or PTA contracts are only mutually beneficial for products or services with which there is tremendous experience and knowledge. Airbus experience with transport is negligible (the Transall C-160 was too long ago, pre-EADS). The impression is, EADS leaders had been too optimistic, gung-ho, or even conceited for their own good. Nor did they learn from others' experience in developing transports. The Boeing/MD C-17 took about 10-12 years to get off the ground. It also had weight and issues. The company executives didn't really care, nor did Pres. Jacques Chirac when he insisted on jam fitting the ill-suited Pan-European engine on the A400M.

Just read a major problem they're having is with the engines. They could of used an engine from Pratt Whitney that's built by our Canadian friends but opted for a home-grown Euro engine that's never seen the light of day. These are the same folks that cried foul when the tanker deal was tossed.

They're liars with two faces... they want fair trade but are subsidized to the max, whine about the tanker project being unfair when it was proven to be unfair to their competitor, not them, and could of had one less issue to deal with getting this plane into the air by purchasing proven engine technology but they chose to stick to the euro work project theme.

Boo Hoo to them! I hope the Euro govts that supported this works project have to pay dearly... just like they did with the A380.

There was never any point to the A400M, there already was a perfectly good transport plane available called the C130 Hercules. The Eurojerks could have bought that off the shelf. Instead they spend billions making the same plane and they can't even do that right. What a bunch of idiots.

I agree with Mr Holland.Let these hypocrites eat dirt.We should focus on developing better trade relations with Asia,Latin America and even Russia,but let these jerks wither on the vine!!We should pull all our troops out of Europe and disband NATO.These jerks don't care about us,never have,but want us to always bail them out when they get in a jam.I am sick of it!!

Some few of the opinions expressed here by the reporter and the bloggers are undeniably correct, viewing the matter from a certain limited perspective.
But globalisation does not obviate countries' national interests. European countries do not want to be totally dependent on America for something as vital as aero engines and major aircraft manufacturing. Neither do they want to surrender jobs, scientific and engineering expertise and possibility of discoveries and advancements resulting from research, and of course possible export earnings, to another country. Indeed, hy should they? The reverse would also be true, of course.

In this light, the Chinese and the Japanese are working quietly but very hard to develop their own aero engines and aircraft manufacturing capability. It would be equally absurd and irrational to hurl criticisms and accusations at them for their initiatives.

It is interesting to go back and read the news stories and opinions expressed in America when Airbus Corporation was launched, and measure their validity against the present reality of Airbus' existence.

As a sidebar, it should be noted that some years ago under the aggressive leadership of a very chauvinistic Industry Minister, Canada, on behalf of Bombardier launched virtual warfare against Brazil's Embraer ((Empresa Brasiliera de Aeronautica)) charging Brazil before the WTO with numerous unfair trading practices. A losing battle that severely damaged Canadian Brazilian relationship, and which to this day rankles Brazilians. Understandably.

To quote my American hero the great industrialist Jack Welch, we all need to:-
"Face reality as it is not as we wish it to be."