Production and delivery delays Airbus A380

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initial production of a380 troubled delays attributed 530 km (330 mi) of wiring in each aircraft. airbus cited underlying causes complexity of cabin wiring (98,000 wires , 40,000 connectors), concurrent design , production, high degree of customisation each airline, , failures of configuration management , change control. german , spanish airbus facilities continued use catia version 4, while british , french sites migrated version 5. caused overall configuration management problems, @ least in part because wire harnesses manufactured using aluminium rather copper conductors necessitated special design rules including non-standard dimensions , bend radii; these not transferred between versions of software.

airbus announced first delay in june 2005 , notified airlines deliveries delayed 6 months. reduced total number of planned deliveries end of 2009 120 90–100. on 13 june 2006, airbus announced second delay, delivery schedule slipping additional 6 7 months. although first delivery still planned before end of 2006, deliveries in 2007 drop 9 aircraft, , deliveries end of 2009 cut 70–80 aircraft. announcement caused 26% drop in share price of airbus parent, eads, , led departure of eads ceo noël forgeard, airbus ceo gustav humbert, , a380 programme manager charles champion. on 3 october 2006, upon completion of review of a380 programme, airbus ceo christian streiff announced third delay, pushing first delivery october 2007, followed 13 deliveries in 2008, 25 in 2009, , full production rate of 45 aircraft per year in 2010. delay increased earnings shortfall projected airbus through 2010 €4.8 billion.

as airbus prioritised work on a380-800 on a380f, freighter orders cancelled fedex , united parcel service, or converted a380-800 emirates , ilfc. airbus suspended work on freighter version, said remained on offer, albeit without service entry date. passenger version airbus negotiated revised delivery schedule , compensation 13 customers, of retained orders placing subsequent orders, including emirates, singapore airlines, qantas, air france, qatar airways, , korean air.

beginning in 2007 a380 considered potential replacement existing boeing vc-25 serving air force 1 presidential transport, in january 2009 eads declared not going bid contract, assembling 3 planes in not make financial sense.

on 13 may 2008, airbus announced reduced deliveries years 2008 (12) , 2009 (21). after further manufacturing setbacks, airbus announced plan deliver 14 a380s in 2009, down revised target of 18. total of 10 a380s delivered in 2009. in 2010 airbus delivered 18 of expected 20 a380s, due rolls-royce engine availability problems. airbus planned deliver between 20 , 25 a380s in 2011 before ramping 3 month in 2012. in fact, airbus delivered 26 units, outdoing predicted output first time. of july 2012, production 3 aircraft per month. among production problems challenging interiors, interiors being installed sequentially rather concurrently in smaller planes, , union/government objections streamlining.

at july 2016 farnborough airshow airbus announced in “prudent, proactive step,” starting in 2018 expects deliver 12 a380 aircraft per year, down 27 deliveries in 2015. firm warned production might slip red ink on each aircraft produced @ time, though anticipates production remain in black 2016 , 2017. “the company continue improve efficiency of industrial system achieve breakeven @ 20 aircraft in 2017 , targets additional cost reduction initiatives lower breakeven further.” airbus expects healthy demand other aircraft allow avoid job losses cuts.

as airbus expects build 15 airliners in 2017 , 12 in 2018, airbus commercial aircraft president fabrice brégier said without orders in 2017 production should reduced below 1 per month while remaining profitable per unit , have program continue 20 30 years. within 2017 half-year report, airbus adjusted 2019 deliveries 8 aircraft. in november 2017, chief executive tom enders confident airbus still produce a380s in 2027 more sales come, , further develop keep competitive beyond 2030.

airbus profitable @ rate of 15 per year , trying drive breakeven down further make losses @ 8 per year.