Corrupt Egyptair Deal Suspicions of Bribery Cast Shadow Over Airbus Leaked internal documents from Airbus suggest corruption may have been involved in the sale of several aircraft to Egyptair in 2003. The issues raised by the documents threaten to overshadow the planned departure of CEO Thomas Enders. Von Sven Becker, Michael Sontheimer und Gerald Traufetter
Aerospace Turbulence Boeing's Unsuccessful Attempt to Avert a Crisis Boeing has been the undisputed leader in the aviation market in recent years, with Airbus struggling to keep up. But the crashes of two Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft could invert the industry's pecking order. Von Dinah Deckstein, Martin U. Müller und Gerald Traufetter
Airbus Corruption Scandal A Golden Handshake Worth 80 Million Euros In the Airbus corruption scandal, CEO Airbus has pointed the finger at a Paris-based sales division. But according to information obtained by DER SPIEGEL, he authorized an 80-million-euro severance package for the former head of that division, Jean-Paul Gut.
Exploring the 'Bullshit Castle' Airbus Corruption Scandal May Lead Straight to the Top A potentially vast corruption scandal threatens to overrun Airbus, with a Paris-based sales group suspected of having paid bribes around the world. German CEO Tom Enders is leading the clean-up effort, but documents reveal that he might not be as spotless as he claims. By DER SPIEGEL Staff
Elektroantrieb für Flugzeuge Der Pürierstab lernt fliegen Für viele Menschen ist es unvorstellbar, dass irgendwann die meisten Autos elektrisch fahren. Sie müssen jetzt ganz tapfer sein: Auch in der Luftfahrt wird der E-Antrieb populär. Von Michail Hengstenberg
Milliarden-Deal Airbus verkauft Verteidigungselektronik an US-Investor Der Luftfahrtkonzern Airbus hat sich für 1,1 Milliarden Euro von seinem Rüstungselektronik-Geschäft getrennt. Käufer ist der US-Finanzinvestor KKR. Die Behörden müssen dem Deal noch zustimmen.
Cyber-Attack Warning Could Hackers Bring Down a Plane? For years, hackers have been warning that passenger jets are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Airlines and plane manufacturers have largely ignored the risks, but recent events are leading German authorities and pilots to take the threats extremely seriously. Von Marcel Rosenbach und Gerald Traufetter
Descent to Oblivion The Death Wish of a Germanwings Co-Pilot The flight was routine, but it ended in disaster. On Tuesday, a Germanwings co-pilot apparently intentionally flew Flight 4U9525 into the ground, killing 149 people and himself. It is unlikely we will even know why he did. By SPIEGEL Staff
Beinahe-Crash in Barcelona Russische Boeing kriegt die Kurve Eine Boeing und ein Airbus auf Kollisionskurs: In Barcelona soll es fast zu einem Crash gekommen sein. In letzter Sekunde zog ein russischer Pilot seine Maschine hoch, um eine Katastrophe zu vermeiden. So wirkt es zumindest auf einem Amateurvideo.
Third Time's a Charm Airbus Has Fewer Headaches with New A350 Jet The new A350 from European airplane manufacturer Airbus is expected to go into service this year. The long-haul plane, which can carry up to 300 passengers, is experencing far fewer problems than the A380 or its Boeing competitor, the 787 Dreamliner. Von Marco Evers
Bestellungen, Auslieferungen, Aufträge Airbus feiert Dreifach-Rekord 2013 Der europäische Flugzeughersteller Airbus hat für das vergangene Jahr eine ganze Reihe von Rekorden gemeldet: 2013 gab es für den Konzern so viele Neubestellungen, Gesamtaufträge und Auslieferungen wie noch nie. Der US-Konkurrent Boeing lieferte allerdings deutlich mehr Flugzeuge aus.
Clipped Wings Berlin Struggles to Certify Military Plane German Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière, in trouble over the costly cancellation of the Euro Hawk drone, faces a potentially even greater problem. Certification for the A400M military transport plane is behind schedule and plagued by legal pitfalls. Von Gerald Traufetter
Challenging the Dreamliner Airbus A350 Takes Flight in Toulouse Competition for Boeing's Dreamliner arrived on Friday with the maiden flight of the new Airbus A350 wide-body jet. The plane took off from the company's plant in Toulouse for a four-hour test.
'Shards Bring Luck' EADS Searches for Strategy after Failed Merger In October, German government officials blocked the merger of defense giants EADS and BAE Systems. The merger was a key part of EADS CEO Thomas Enders' strategy to rebalance the company's portfolio. In a SPIEGEL interview, Enders explains how the pan-European firm is picking up the pieces.
Taking the Lead Boeing Soars Past Airbus in Deliveries For the first time in a decade, Boeing has surpassed Airbus in deliveries of passenger jets. Experts blame strategic errors and the influence of politics at the US planemaker's European competitor. Von Maria Marquart
Mega Defense Merger EADS-BAE Plans Put Merkel Under Pressure The planned merger of British defense contractor BAE Systems with aircraft maker EADS is putting Germany's chancellor under pressure. If Merkel consents to the deal, she will jeopardize jobs in the high-tech industry. But if she refuses, she will endanger the future of the aerospace giant. By SPIEGEL Staff
The Lessons of AF 447 Did Faulty Computer Indicator Reinforce Pilot Errors? The pilots of Air France flight AF 447, which crashed into the Atlantic three years ago, ignored basic rules of flying, but were also misled by faulty computer indicators. Experts say pilots have become excessivley accustomed to automated flying and need to learn how to fly planes by hand. Von Gerald Traufetter
Battling Boeing Airbus Plans to Open First Factory in America European aviation giant Airbus appears set to announce plans to open a plant in Alabama. The move would enable the company to reduce costs and also compete more directly with Boeing in its home market. The aerospace firm already has top-notch American customers including Delta and US Airways.
Weight Loss for Superjumbos The A380 and the Aviation Engineering Dilemma 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. Von Dinah Deckstein und Gerald Traufetter
Expensive Checks Hairline Cracks Could Cost EADS 100 Million Euros 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.