http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-23/airbus-starts-a350-assembly-line-as-wide-body-contest-heats-up.html

 

Pretty much.

Here's hoping things will go smoothly now that they've sorted the wing-drilling issue.

 

As I'm hopelessly pedantic at times I can't resist pointing out some errors in the article. They missed that Airbus also has a production plant in Tianjin (China) building A320s. They're also setting up a plant in Mobile (US).

EADS is technically based in Leiden (The Netherlands) for tax reasons. Its headquarters are in Paris, not Toulouse.

 

EADS is technically based in Leiden (The Netherlands) for tax reasons. Its headquarters are in Paris, not Toulouse.

 

Tom Enders, the CEO announced his plan to move EADS HQ to Toulouse. I don't know if this has been implemented yet.

 

Bruno

Tom Enders, the CEO announced his plan to move EADS HQ to Toulouse. I don't know if this has been implemented yet.

 

Bruno

 

Ah, didn't know that. Makes sense though, as they don't really have anything in Paris.

Always thought the A340 was the best looking Airbus ever produced. I just saw an Ethiad A340 landing in Auckland last week. Too bad the jet wasn't popular due to maintaining 4 engines.

 

A350 will put Airbus back in that market now.

Always thought the A340 was the best looking Airbus ever produced. I just saw an Ethiad A340 landing in Auckland last week. Too bad the jet wasn't popular due to maintaining 4 engines.

 

A350 will put Airbus back in that market now.

 

I have flown the A340 numerous times with Emirates from NZAA or NZCH to Dubai and it is by far the best aircraft I have been on for long distance flights, even better than the A380. And I agree, it is one of the best looking aircraft ever produced.

Always thought the A340 was the best looking Airbus ever produced. I just saw an Ethiad A340 landing in Auckland last week. Too bad the jet wasn't popular due to maintaining 4 engines.

 

A350 will put Airbus back in that market now.

 

Agreed it is a beautiful plane - didn't know we got them in Auckland though (I'm in AKL as well). Hope to see one someday.

 

Is it just me or are planes of the future all going to look the same. The A350 looks like something between a 777 and a 787 =(. My older brother was telling me about the days where you had huge variety in aircraft designs from 727s to DC-10s and DC-8s etc. Seems it's all sort of normalizing now.

That Ethiad A340 was landing when we were holding short waiting for takeoff. I looked out the window and could see the four engines through the cloud, at first I thought 747 until the size of the fuselage appeared smaller, so new it was that A340. Last time I saw one of those was when Air Canada had them. They are becoming rare now.

 

I think the 787 is a graceful looking aircraft compared to 777 and A350 but I agree, mostly they look the same. The 787 does stand out with graceful lines, front nose and windscreen, and very sleek and elegant wing shape. I am looking forward to the ANZ 787's

 

Cheers

Ah, didn't know that. Makes sense though, as they don't really have anything in Paris.

 

In fact part of headquarters was in France and another part in Germany (for political reasons, as you probably guess).

 

Among the (many, many) reasons for the failure of the recent attempt to merge EADS and BAE was the request by some German politico (not Chancellor Merkel) to move EADS HQ to Munich. Enders, who is German but tries to get rid of all political interference, had just decided to move HQs to Toulouse and wasn't about to change his mind.

 

Agreed it is a beautiful plane - didn't know we got them in Auckland though (I'm in AKL as well). Hope to see one someday.

 

Is it just me or are planes of the future all going to look the same. The A350 looks like something between a 777 and a 787 =(. My older brother was telling me about the days where you had huge variety in aircraft designs from 727s to DC-10s and DC-8s etc. Seems it's all sort of normalizing now.

 

Yes, the 787 and A350 look very similar. It reminds me of the TU144 and Concorde. But, although many were quick to mention spy work (wich did happen but probably had very little effect on the overall shape of the Tupolev), the main reason two planes are similar is the fact that planes shapes are mostly dictated by the state of the art at a given time.

 

Bruno

 

PS : ytzpilot/Matthew : With the same fuselage and the same wing, I much prefer the A330 (This is funny, I really loved the 707 with 4 engines, but for a plane of the 90's, 4 engines didn't look right to me). To each their own, as they say.

 

Agreed it is a beautiful plane - didn't know we got them in Auckland though (I'm in AKL as well). Hope to see one someday.

 

Is it just me or are planes of the future all going to look the same. The A350 looks like something between a 777 and a 787 =(. My older brother was telling me about the days where you had huge variety in aircraft designs from 727s to DC-10s and DC-8s etc. Seems it's all sort of normalizing now.

 

With a given state of the art there will be certain designs that work best for a given mission, and all planes designed at that time will tend to converge. How many non aviation buffs can tell the difference between a DC-8 and a 707, a DC-10 and a Tristar, a DC-9 and an F28?

How many non aviation buffs can tell the difference between a DC-8 and a 707.....

 

Don't forget the Convair 880

Airbus have released a video showing the final assembly sequence.

 

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2012/10/video-a-step-by-step-overview.html