As I recollect, "lending" was exactly how Airbus first got their foot in the door at Eastern with the A300.
I think they started with four "lent" aircraft, but over time, ended up with more than two dozen - purchased! At that time of course, there were no "made in the USA" medium range wide-body aircraft competing. Although, during the A300 initial "famine" period - including one year without a single sale - Airbus would meet resistance from prospective customers who'd say, "if it's as good as you claim, how come no-one else is buying it?"
The rest, as they say, is history. According to Wiki, a total of 561 A300s & A310s were eventually built.
Sorry for any thread drift.
.
Last edited by seafire6b; 3rd Jun 2015 at 21:02.
Reason: Does the plural of A300 have an apostrophe?