Who would have thought ... in 1974 ?
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Well it did take Airbus about 15 years to cotton-on to the correct market segment. Flight International, 1967: [quote] Some soothsayers contend that the biggest market is not for jumbo airbuses, but for 180-200-seat aircraft like the Two-Eleven, and that Europe ought not to leave this market to the Boeing 727-200 and its derivatives. They say that the airlines may buy 1,000 or more 200-seaters between now and 1980. [\quote]
Nor the UK government of the day which left Hawker Siddeley to go it alone as the British partner.
The market research people were only looking at A300-sized aeroplanes in those days and would also have been surprised that (a) Airbus would enter the narrow-body market and (b) that when they did, it became the success it is.
ETA written before El Bunto's contribution, but anent that I can say that in 1967 Boeing and Douglas had aeroplanes in the sub-200 seat market and Douglas, Lockheed and Boeing had aeroplanes that were 350-seat plus so the gap was around 250-300 seats.
The market research people were only looking at A300-sized aeroplanes in those days and would also have been surprised that (a) Airbus would enter the narrow-body market and (b) that when they did, it became the success it is.
ETA written before El Bunto's contribution, but anent that I can say that in 1967 Boeing and Douglas had aeroplanes in the sub-200 seat market and Douglas, Lockheed and Boeing had aeroplanes that were 350-seat plus so the gap was around 250-300 seats.
Paxing All Over The World
Also, from 1974, count all the manufacturers that have been bought up/folded. Then count the increasing production from Russia, China, Canada, Brazil - especially in the categrory we now know as 'RJs'.
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Nobody thought so at the time, not even the greatest optimists. It comes down to having the right aircraft at the right time - several times over - , to skilful and shrewd marketing, and to a continuous drive to be the best.
There have been great successes - like selling the A300 to Eastern - and some sad stories, as you'd expect. But most of all it was and is just hard and exceptionally professional work.
There have been great successes - like selling the A300 to Eastern - and some sad stories, as you'd expect. But most of all it was and is just hard and exceptionally professional work.
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But most of all it was and is just hard and exceptionally professional work.
