2008

Airbus today reached its target of delivering 12 A380 aircraft in 2008, bringing the total number of A380s delivered to date to 13.

The first A380 was delivered to Singapore Airlines on 15th October 2007, with five more delivered to the airline in 2008. Qantas received three A380s in 2008, and Emirates four - the most recent of which was delivered on the 30th December 2008 from the Airbus delivery centre in Hamburg, Germany.

Following the EU-Brazil summit, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil officially announced the contract for 50 EC725 helicopters which has been signed by the Brazilian government and a consortium formed by Eurocopter and Helibras. The helicopters will be operated by Brazil’s armed forces and the first deliveries are scheduled for 2010. This is the largest contract ever signed in South America and will provide Brazil with a fleet that is capable of performing an extremely wide range of missions. The contract will also allow Eurocopter to continue its expansion in South America.

The EADS Board of Directors has adopted a simplified and leaner divisional structure on 12 December within the scope of the “Future EADS” programme. This decision, which will lead to further integration of EADS, consists of two major adjustments.

The Military Transport Aircraft Division (MTAD) will be integrated into Airbus, which will simplify the A400M management and allow an optimized alignment of resources. MTAD will become the military pole of Airbus under the name of Airbus Military; it will keep its current core capabilities to design and certify aircraft, to integrate mission systems on military aircraft, and it will operate the A400M Final Assembly Line.

A coordination of the EADS Astrium and EADS Defence & Security (DS) Divisions will be established. While EADS Astrium and DS both remain full-fledged divisions, their coordination will ensure a consistent approach towards common customers and will foster the development of commercial, technical and strategy synergies.

These steps mark the next milestone within the “Future EADS” programme following the initial decisions that had been presented in mid-November.

Grupo Marsans, the largest tourism and transport group in Spain and fourth in Europe, has signed a firm order with Airbus for the purchase of 61 Airbus aircraft including four A380s, ten A350-900s, five A330-200s and 42 A320 Family aircraft (of which 12 A319s, 25 A320s and five A321s). These aircraft will be operated by Grupo Marsans’ subsidiary or related airlines. This new order adds to the previous order for 12 A330-200s and will bring Grupo Marsans’ total orders with Airbus to 73 aircraft.

The sale of the site in Laupheim, Germany, from Airbus to Diehl/Thales was closed with effect from 1 October 2008 and all operational business and assets were transferred.

The Jules Verne ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle), which was designed and built by Astrium on behalf of the European Space Agency ESA, has successfully completed its final manoeuvre. The ATV performed two de-orbiting manoeuvres and disintegrated in the upper layers of the atmosphere over the South Pacific, exactly as planned.

Airbus, today, officially opened its first final assembly line outside of Europe. The Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, together with the Party’s Secretary of Tianjin, Zhang Gaoli and Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders inaugurated the Airbus A320 Family Final Assembly Line in Tianjin, China (FALC) at a grand ceremony with over 600 guests.

The final assembly line is a joint venture between Airbus and a Chinese consortium comprising Tianjin Free Trade Zone (TJFTZ) and China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC).

Australia’s flagship airline, Qantas, has received the first of 20 Airbus A380s on order, at a ceremony in Toulouse, France. The Rolls-Royce powered aircraft was handed over to Qantas Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Dixon and Qantas CEO-Designate, Alan Joyce by Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers.

Qantas was the first customer to conclude the signing of a contract for the A380. In November 2000, it ordered 12 A380s, marking the first time in the airline’s long history it had ordered Airbus aircraft. Qantas later increased its order for A380s to 20, and is now the second largest customer for the world’s most modern aircraft.

The four Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines will each deliver up to 72,000 lbs of thrust, contributing to the aircraft’s overall fuel efficiency of less than three litres of fuel per passenger per 100 kilometres.

Airbus and GKN have signed a contract under which GKN will purchase the wing component and assemblies manufacturing unit based at Airbus’ site at Filton, near Bristol, UK. This will result in all operational business, assets and activities, within the parameters agreed, being transferred to GKN. As a result of the transaction, GKN is fully supporting the Airbus Power8 initiative and making further investment in the unit in order that Filton will continue to play its important role in Airbus’ current and future programmes.

The manufacturing unit includes a total workforce of approximately 1,500 employees (both manufacturing workers and support staff), which equates to around 25 per cent of Airbus’ total workforce at Filton. The unit is responsible for producing wing components such as the wing leading and trailing edges; outer wingbox assemblies and shroud box; single aisle wing electrical harnesses; ribs and other machined parts; pipe forming, ducting and other detail components.

Emirates Airline has taken delivery of its first Airbus A380 aircraft in an historic delivery ceremony with over 500 guests in Hamburg, Germany. The first customer A380 powered by Engine Alliance engines, was presented to Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Airline and Group, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum and to Emirates President, Tim Clark by Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. Also present was James Moravecek, Engine Alliance President and Bruce Hughes, former Engine Alliance President.

Emirates is the largest customer for the A380 with 58 aircraft on order. Four Engine Alliance GP7200 engines delivering up to 72,000 lbs of thrust each will power the aircraft, with a resultant overall fuel efficiency of only three litres of fuel per passenger per 100 kilometres.

Dubai based Emirates Airline has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for 30 Airbus A350XWB plus 30 A330-300s. The agreement was signed between Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Airline and Group and Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO on the occasion of their first A380 delivery in Hamburg, Germany.

At the 10th Dubai Airshow in 2007, Emirates signed a firm order for 70 A350 XWBs with an option for 50 more. Today’s agreement includes the firming up of 30 of these A350 XWB options and will eventually increase Emirates’ total order for the A350 XWB to 100.

Airbus announced transactions covering 256 aircraft, valued at US$ 40.5 billion at the 2008 Farnborough Air Show. These transactions include firm orders for 247 aircraft and nine commitments. This also reflects a strong aerospace market despite the global economic uncertainties.

In a ceremony presided over by His Majesty Juan Carlos I, King of Spain, Airbus Military has today rolled out the first complete A400M military transport aircraft from the Final Assembly Line facility in Seville, Spain.

Designed initially to a recognised requirement for a new airlifter for European air forces, the A400M incorporates the state-of-the-art materials and technology that are being continuously perfected in today’s civil aircraft fleets. Features such as electronic flight controls, carbon composite structures and an automated handling system will bring new standards of operability and safety to military aircrews.

Astrium has completed the Skynet 5 military satellite communications fleet with the successful launch of Skynet 5C – the third Skynet 5 satellite - from Kourou, French Guiana on 12 June.

Airbus has selected Diehl / Thales as preferred bidder for its Laupheim site. Teams on both sides will now enter into negotiations on remaining details and take the next steps including confirmatory due diligence to achieve a final agreement as soon as possible.

The Airbus plant in Laupheim employs a total of 1,100 employees. It produces cabin linings, compartments and air ducts for all Airbus products (A320 Family, A330/A340 Family and A380).

EADS, a global leader in aerospace and defence, is supporting the global emergency relief efforts in the province of Sichuan following the Earthquake on May 12.

Louis Gallois, CEO of EADS, said: “Our employees all around the world are eager to offer help to the victims of the earthquake, their relatives and the professionals and volunteers on the ground.”

In its continuing efforts toward eco-efficiency – and to help the whole aviation sector prosper with less impact on the environment, such as reducing emissions from aircraft operations –Airbus has teamed with Honeywell Aerospace; UOP, a Honeywell Company; International Aero Engines (IAE); and JetBlue Airways to pursue development of a sustainable second-generation biofuel for use in commercial aircraft.

EADS today announced the acquisition of California-based PlantCML, a leading provider of emergency response solutions, from Golden Gate Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity fund, for approximately $350 million. Based on the good underlying profitability of PlantCML, the acquisition is earning per share (EPS) accretive (on a pre fair value amortization) in the first year. Leveraging the synergies between the companies is expected to create additional value in the following years. The acquisition was made through EADS’ U.S. operating subsidiary, EADS North America, and will become part of the North America business portfolio.

AirTanker, the EADS-led consortium, has today signed a 27 year contract with the UK Ministry of Defence for the provision of air transport and air refuelling capability to the Royal Air Force. The AirTanker consortium has also completed its financing for the programme, raising approx £2.5 billion (€3.2 billion) for investment in the fleet, a new state-of-the-art operational base and associated infrastructure.

With the handover of GT015, a German Twin-Seater aircraft, the final aircraft out of Tranche 1 destined for the four partner Air Forces of Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom in the core programme has been delivered on March 20, 2008.

EADS (stock exchange symbol: EAD) delivered a strong business performance in 2007 while experiencing significant challenges. The Group's order intake, at record heights, doubled compared to the previous year and the EBIT* reached break-even, as was indicated in EADS' revised guidance. For 2008, the Group targets an EBIT* of € 1.8 billion.

At 5.03 a.m. CET, an Ariane 5 ES placed the 19.4 tonnes of the ATV Jules Verne into orbit at the very first attempt.

Selection of the Northrop Grumman KC-30 Tanker by the U.S. Air Force, a system based on EADS’ A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) and designated by the USAF as the KC-45A, will significantly increase EADS’ industrial presence and commitment in the United States, as well as its role as a U.S.-based defence and homeland security provider.

EADS North America is the partner to Northrop Grumman on the new tanker, with responsibility for assembling airframes and providing completed flight-qualified aircraft and refuelling sub-systems.

United Arab Emirates has announced today the purchase from EADS, through its Military Transport Aircraft Division, of the A330 MRTT (Multi Role Transport Tanker) as the new air to air refuelling aircraft for the UAE Air Force & Air Defense. The A330 MRTT shall be fitted with under wings pods and EADS CASA Boom system.

Europe’s space laboratory Columbus is in space: it successfully docked to the ISS on Monday 11 February. The module was built by Astrium for the European Space Agency ESA.

Eurocopter, the world’s leading helicopter manufacturer, achieved an all time high in sales results in 2007, even surpassing those of 2006 which was considered a record year. The company’s products and services proved to be the customers’ preferred choice, optimally matching their mission requirements. In line with its strategy of being a multi-local player, and reflecting the booming market, Eurocopter has also further strengthened its worldwide industrial footprint by setting up additional subsidiaries in key markets. The company is well-positioned to take up the 2008 industrial, technological and international challenges, and pursue its growth.

China Airlines, Taiwan’s largest carrier, has signed a contract with Airbus for the purchase of 14 A350-900 and taken another six on option. The new generation medium capacity long-haul aircraft is being acquired by China Airlines as part of their future fleet modernisation programme.

Leading Brazilian carrier TAM Linhas Aéreas has firmed up its order for 22 A350 XWBs and for four additional A330-200s. The airline based in São Paulo has furthermore added another 20 A320 Family aircraft to the initial order. TAM, Airbus’ biggest customer in the southern hemisphere, now has the largest A350 XWB fleet. This agreement raises the number of orders for the A350 XWB to 314 aircraft.

In 2007 Airbus delivered 453 aircraft, 19 more than in 2006, on time and to customer satisfaction. The deliveries include 367 A320 Family aircraft, six A300 Freighters, 79 A330/A340 aircraft, and the first all new eco-efficient A380 to Singapore Airlines. Entry into service of the A380 was smooth, with a very high technical dispatch reliability rate.

Airbus achieved 1,341 net orders valued at US$ 157.1 billion at catalogue prices (1,458 new gross orders valued at US $ 181.1 billion). They include 913 A320-Family aircraft, 405 A330/A340/A350s, and 23 A380s. This demonstrates the strong demand for Airbus aircraft, with all members of the product family doing extremely well. In particular the newly launched A350 XWB has achieved 292 new firm orders.

Airbus today announced a commitment to establish an A330 Freighter aircraft final assembly line (FAL) in Mobile, Alabama, if Northrop Grumman (supported by Airbus’s parent company, EADS) receives the order to build aerial refuelling tankers from the United States Air Force. If established, the FAL would mark an important step forward for U.S. aerospace production, as it would be one of the first new commercial aircraft assembly facilities built in the U.S. in more than four decades, as well as the first Airbus manufacturing facility in the U.S.

The second production Airbus A380 (MSN005) was handed over to Singapore Airlines on 11th January in line with the latest delivery schedule. Equipped with four Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines, the second aircraft for the first A380 operator follows the delivery of the first A380 (MSN003) that took place on 15th October 2007.

The second aircraft is fitted with the same spacious and luxurious cabin-interior Singapore Airlines revealed on the occasion of the delivery of their first A380, also featuring 471 seats in three classes.

The Dublin based lessor AWAS has signed a firm contract for 75 A320 Family aircraft bringing their Airbus portfolio to a total of 145, comprising single aisle and long-range aircraft. This is the first order announced by Airbus this year.

Being one of the three largest aircraft leasing companies in the world, AWAS has a diversified selection of commercial aircraft and is a leader in next generation technology.

The Saudi MODA has decided the acquisition of the A330 MRTT as the new air-to-air refuelling aircraft for its Royal Saudi Air Force as a result of the competition process started in early 2006.

European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V.
Le Carré · Beechavenue 130-132 · 1119 PR Schiphol Rijk · The Netherlands

EADS Deutschland GmbH · 81663 Munich · Germany
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