Airbus: Pioneering Leadership.

Airbus is one of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers, and it consistently captures approximately half or more of all orders for airliners with more than 100 seats.

Over the past 40 years, Airbus has played a key role in the international air transport industry’s evolution. Achievements such as improving manufacturing techniques, developing global cooperation, and reducing aviation’s environmental impact result from Airbus’ ability to understand market and passenger expectations, and answer them with solutions that have become world standards.

Airbus always has been forward-thinking, with the environmental impact of its products high on the agenda. Their mission is to provide the aircraft best suited to the market’s needs and to support these aircraft with the highest quality of service. The Airbus product line comprises 14 aircraft models, from the 100-seat single-aisle A318 jetliner to the 525-seat A380 – which is the largest civil airliner in service. Reducing noise and fuel consumption – and thus emissions – as well as managing the full lifecycle of its aircraft all are major objectives.

At a time when others were concentrating on three- or four-engine aircraft, Airbus entered the civil aviation scene by developing the first ever widebody twin-engine, the A300B, in the 1970s. This aircraft featured low fuel consumption, reduced external noise levels and highly efficient operating costs, as well as Category 3 landing technology, enhanced comfort and containerized cargo.

In the early 1980s, Airbus improved the A300B with a new concept of forward-facing crew cockpits – which reduced the crew to two pilots while improving safety and introducing new standards for civil aircraft.

Next, it developed a shortened version of the A300: the A310. It was the first commercial widebody to be certified for two-man crew operations from the start, as well as the initial aircraft to use composites for primary structure components.

In the late 1980s, Airbus broke new ground again with the A320 – which set standards for efficiency and cabin comfort, and introduced fly-by-wire flight controls and side-stick controllers into civil aviation.

In the early 1990s, Airbus introduced ultra-efficient aircraft for the medium- and long-range markets: the A330 and A340.

The recent introduction of Airbus’ 21^st century flagshipA380 marked a new era. It is not only setting new passenger comfort standards, the aircraft is raising the bar for environmental standards with its low fuel consumption and noise levels – as well as reduced CO2 and NOx emissions.

The A350 XWB will continue Airbus innovation, utilizing new technologies and advanced materials such as 53 per cent of CFRP (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic) while keeping the benefits of commonality.

Airbus made 483 deliveries in 2008, surpassing the previous year’s total by 30. Its total number of aircraft provided to customers worldwide was above the 5,600 mark as of April 2009, with combined orders reaching more than 9,200 single-aisle and widebody Airbus jetliners. It has also expanded into the military transport aircraft sector.

Finally, Airbus revolutionized the industry by convincing European partners to develop and manufacture aircraft components while assembling the aircraft on a single production line.

To safeguard this technology leadership position and to ensure its global competitiveness, Airbus relies on its ability to innovate and build the world’s most efficient aircraft. Today, Airbus 2020 sets the path for a huge R&T programme over the next 20 years, which will ensure that innovation remains at the heart of Airbus development.

Comprehension

5.3 Divide the text into logically complete parts and match them to the headings:

a) Objectives

b) The role in the international air transport industry’s evolution

c) Development

d) Future prospects

e) Deliveries