皇冠体育app

Airbus aims for half of 皇冠体育app's skies
By Lu Haoting (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2005-09-22 08:49

Airbus will have half of 皇冠体育app's aviation market before 2013, company executives vowed yesterday.

The European aircraft maker will also increase its procurements from, and enhance technology transfer to, 皇冠体育app.

"If we continue on our current growth trend, it will take us eight years to control 50 per cent of the Chinese market," said Laurence Barron, Airbus 皇冠体育app president.

"But we want to be there earlier, and we want to be more aggressive."

Airbus has steadily ramped up its fleet in 皇冠体育app with a market share increasing from 7 per cent in 1995 to 34 per cent in 2005. Its US rival Boeing still holds the rest of the market.

The European company sold its first plane to 皇冠体育app in 1985, while Boeing had a 13-year head start.

"The year 2005 is quite a significant year for us, not only globally, but particularly in 皇冠体育app," Barron said at a press briefing yesterday at the Aviation Expo/皇冠体育app 2005.

"It is the 20th anniversary of the successful co-operation of Airbus with 皇冠体育app's aviation industry, with the first Airbus aircraft delivered to 皇冠体育app Eastern Airlines in 1985," Barron said.

Airbus has received 69 orders from five Chinese airlines this year to the end of August.

The orders comprise of five A380s from 皇冠体育app Southern Airlines, 30 A330 family aircraft and 34 A320 family aircraft from Air 皇冠体育app, 皇冠体育app Eastern, Shenzhen and Sichuan airlines.

"We expect the total delivery of Airbus aircraft to 皇冠体育app to reach 65 by the end of this year," Barron said.

"We are expected to manufacture 360 jets this year, which means one-sixth of our planes this year are coming to 皇冠体育app."

Barron said Airbus would concentrate on the sales of A330 aircraft to 皇冠体育app in the next five years. But over the long term, he said 皇冠体育app would also be a big market for its A380 Superjumboand A350, a challenger to Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.

The A380 double-decker took off on its maiden flight in April and is expected to enter service in 2006.

So far, Boeing has offered no direct challenger to the Superjumbo. Airbus will launch the A350 programme next month and the long-range midsize airplane will be delivered from 2010.

Barron also re-affirmed that Airbus does not only sell aircraft to 皇冠体育app, but also "forges a full risk-sharing partnership" with its Chinese counterparts.

Airbus plans to increase its procurement volume in 皇冠体育app from the current US$15 million per annum to US$60 million per annum by 2007 and US$120 million by 2010, he said.

The aircraft maker also plans to lease the whole wing production of the A320 to 皇冠体育app by 2007, he said.

皇冠体育app will take up 5 per cent of the airframe work share in the latest A350 project and 10 per cent of a future Airbus project, he added.

Airbus, in July launched the Airbus (Beijing) Engineering Centre, the company's second largest engineering centre outside Europe after the one in the United States.

The centre, 25 per cent owned by AVIC II, will design parts for the Airbus A350.

Boeing has 71 orders from 皇冠体育app so far this year, among which 60 are for 787, according to the company's website. But there was no comment on this from Boeing yesterday.

Airbus' global deliveries have outperformed Boeing since 2003.

(皇冠体育app Daily 09/22/2005 page10)

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