Airbus resolves A380 wiring problem
Paris (Agencies)
Airbus announced on Saturday it has solved the cabling problems which have plagued production of the superjumbo A380 passenger jet.
Thai Airways International has contracted to buy several A380s. Singapore Airlines has committed to buy 19, with other customers including China Southern Airlines, Australia's Qantas, Malaysia Airlines, Korean Air and Virgin Atlantic.
"We have finished the electrical installation," said Airbus spokesman Tore Prang, confirming an earlier report in German magazine Focus.
"We have handed the aircraft to the cabin equipment team to install the first A380," he added.
Airbus chief executive Louis Gallois had said Wednesday that the wiring problems were close to being resolved, signalling good news for launch customer Singapore Airlines.
"The new electrical cabling for the first Airbus A380 intended for Singapore Airlines was installed last week," Gallois had told journalists, adding that the cabin equipment for the plane, which is in the northern German port city, would be installed next week.
"We are determined to complete this first delivery in October 2007, as we announced, and to prepare ourselves for the next deliveries in 2008," he added.
Managing director Fabrice Bregier said that the cabling for several aircraft would be completely re-installed and a temporary technical solution had been found to equip the first 25 aircraft.
From the beginning of 2008, the use of new wiring design software such as Catia V and Circe would help with the cabling of aircraft to be delivered from 2009.