SPIEGEL ONLINE
- March 21, 2012
To reduce fuel consumption, Airbus used extremely lightweight materials in its flagship A380. Now cracks have appeared in the wings, and repairs will cost the company hundreds of millions of euros. The problem highlights the engineering dilemma caused by the industry drive for fuel efficiency. By Dinah Deckstein and Gerald Traufetter more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- February 13, 2012
Last week, European aviation safety authorities ordered all Airbus A380s to be checked after hairline cracks were found in wing brackets. Now SPIEGEL has learned that the inspections and repairs could cost Airbus parent EADS up to 100 million euros -- over 1 million euros per plane. more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- February 08, 2012
Australian airline Qantas has temporarily suspended flights with one of its A380 super jumbo jet aircraft after hairline cracks were found. In the light of the discovery, Europe's aviation safety authority has ordered inspections on all the Airbus double-decker planes in service. more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- November 10, 2011
In a deal valued at more than a billion euros, the German government has said it will purchase 7.5 percent of shares in Airbus parent company EADS. The move is aimed at preserving the balance between German and French ownership in the aerospace giant and ensures that Germany's holdings in the company will not be sold to foreign investors. more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- October 20, 2011
In a SPIEGEL interview, Lufthansa CEO Christoph Franz, 51, discusses how to deal with the aggressive competition arising from budget airlines in Europe, rising state-owned carriers in the Gulf states as well as the fallout from a recent ban on nighttime flights at Germany's biggest airport in Frankfurt. more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- October 10, 2011
Executives at Daimler are opposed to a sale of the company's holdings in aerospace giant EADS to the the emirate of Qatar, and they are locked in a dispute with the government in Berlin. They fear the sale would lead to French dominance in future decision-making. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- September 19, 2011
The future of Germany's stake in aerospace organization EADS has been uncertain since Daimler announced it wanted to sell its shares. But now Qatar is said to be in talks with Berlin about acquiring a stake. Will this upset the delicate balance of power between France and Germany at EADS? more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- June 20, 2011
Airbus had a few setbacks over the weekend, but it whipped up much excitement with talk of a supersonic "commercial rocket plane" ahead of the Paris Air Show, which opened on Monday. The aircraft is meant to be a greener replacement for the retired Concorde. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- June 01, 2011
Airbus believes pilot error caused the crash of Air France flight AF 447 two years ago. But the families of some victims think it might have been a technical defect. They have filed a petition with a Paris court which could result in a temporary grounding of all A330s. By Gerald Traufetter more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 30, 2011
It took just three-and-a-half minutes for Air France flight AF 447 to plunge 11,000 meters into the Atlantic two years ago. An initial analysis of the plane's data recorder hints at errors made by the pilots. But questions have also been raised about the A330's automated control systems. By Gerald Traufetter more...
