The French minister of the Defense, Morin, assures that the program A400M of EADS will not be abandoned, while the airplane of military transportation accuses a consequent delay and does not dispose not yet of a calendar of delivery. “France and its European partners are aware that l’A400M is a major program and no one wants to abandon it”, it underlined Tuesday. It expressed himself outside the signature of the contracts of aeronautical centers of competitiveness with the regions, Noon Pyrenees, Aquitaine and PACA.
The program A400M, valued at some 20 billion Euros, is supported notably by France, Germany, the Great Britain and the Spain that passed orders for their armed forces with EADS. It gives rise to the worry because of a delay value at at least three to four years.
According to Morin, “the feeling henceforth is divided by everyone and not more only the France than the program A400M must be saved”. “At the time of our meeting Thursday last outside NATO, I noted that no one had decided to leave the program”, it explained, considering that Europe disposes with l’A400M of a unique occasion for his aeronautical industry.
For the French minister, it exists even a German French consensus on the future of l’A400M and the positions with the other countries compare themselves, even if divergences exist.
Last Thursday, the president Nicolas Sarkozy declared that Paris and Berlin gave themselves six months to take a decision on l’A400M. “The essays on l’A400M happen well, the motor gives completely satisfaction. All that allows me to say that the light seems at the end of the tunnel”, assured Morin.
According to him, the countries that ordered the military airplane wish henceforth to have a discussion on the new suggestion of EADS on the subject of the additional costs, penalties of delay, rhythm of the deliveries and industrial risk that weighs on the group, to split on l’A400M.
“There is also a budget equation to resolve for it is necessary to buy or to rent airplanes while financing the program A400M that is late”, it added. On this point, according to Morin, Germany wishes a “true transparency”, while the Great Britain puts conditions.
Seven countries passed orders for a total of 180 copies of l’A400M and EADS risks having to pay billion Euros of penalties linked to the delivery delays, which heavily could handicap it. In addition, in case of cancellation of the program, 5.7 billion Euros advanced by the European governments will have to be reimbursed.
“Although it arrives, there will be additional costs in the program A400M”, warned Morin.
Questioned besides on the absence of orders abroad of the airplane Flurry, the minister explained that the device was difficult to sell for “it is necessary to take decisions on 30 or 40 years”.” A Flurry does not sell itself as a car. It is not a matter not only to choose the color of the seats. There is a long debate on the evolution of the device, his maintenance, its specifications (…) “, it added. ATR: ten ATR mil-std-1553 sold ones to Air Nostrum and six ATR 600 orders by Royal Air Morocco
The builder of airplanes of regional transportation ATR announced Tuesday the sale of ten airplanes ATR 72-600, more ten options, to the Spanish company Air Nostrum, as well as six ATR 1553, more two options, to Royal Air Morocco. “ATR and the Spanish company Air Nostrum signed today a contract for the purchase of 10 ATR 72-600, and options for 10 additional devices”, announced the builder, a coentreprise between the Italian Aero-nautica and EADS. The contract is valued at about 425 millions of dollars while including the options.
Simultaneously, ATR and Royal Air Morocco equally signed a contract for the order of four ATR 72-600 and of two ATR 42-600, as well as options for two ATR 72-600 additional ones. The value of the contract was not communicated. Royal Air Morocco already had announced in March orders it of four ATR 72-600 and of two ATR 42-600. The delivery of these devices to propellers will begin in 2011.
Air-Asia: orders firm for ten A350-900
The airline company down with cost malaisienne AirAsia announced Tuesday an order closes of ten long mails A350-900 European avionneur Airbus.Elle is matching of an option for five other ones A350, specified Tony Fernandes, director and founder of AirAsia climbing It of this order was not communicated. According to the prices catalog of the avionneur, she would rise to near of 2.4 billion dollars. AirAsia will exploit these devices on a network linking up his “hub” Asian of Kuala Lumpur to the destinations in the entire world, notably Europe and Australia. AirAsia chose for l’A350-900, that will welcome more than 400 passengers, in a configuration bi-classe, added the avionneur.