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I must laugh im afraid:
www.forbes.com Announcing the deal, EADS said in a statement late Friday it would co-locate the final assembly of the tankers at Mobile, Alabama, 'creating the first new large commercial aircraft assembly facility in the US in over 40 years'. In reaction, the CFDT union issued a statement saying the decision 'will not be without consequences on an industrial as well as employment level and notably for the Toulouse plant' Now french unions are complaining as well - i do actually hope that one day , at some point within the next 20 years the US actually gets the new tankers... |
If Airbus had lost the contract, what would have become of SDD-1 and SDD-2 - the former already flying and the latter undergoing final assembly - is there any significant difference between the SDD aircraft and KC-30s for other countries?
Meanwhile, on the campaign trail: Sen. Barack Obama expressed his disappointment Sunday that Northrop Grumann and the parent company of Europe’s Airbus beat out Chicago-based Boeing Co. for a contract worth up to $40 billion for the next generation of U.S. Air Force refueling tankers. Obama said it was hard for him to believe “that having an American company that has been a traditional source of aeronautic excellence would not have done this job.” He preempted his comments by saying that he had not examined the deal carefully. Seriously - this is like Patriots fans complaining that even though the Superbowl is a competition, the Giants were supposed to just show up and look pretty. (As this is the NFL, looking pretty is a relative rather than absolute value) |
Westie, you may well be correct about Mr Wroblewski thinking of the A400M.
If so, he is even less well informed than he indicates....:rolleyes: The A400M common-standard aircraft does indeed stand on its wheels right now. But should fly mid-2008.... Perhaps even before the Boeing 7-late-7 takes to the skies? |
Beags - I sincerely doubt encouraging people to research the development timelines of A400M vs B787 is going to look good on A400M, even if you build in time wasted on the Sonic Loser. Future International Military Airlifter goes back 26 years...
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Most of the delays to the A400M have been political, not technical.
And it will also have a tanker role, Mr Wroblewski. It was a shame about the Sonicruiser, I thought Boeing had managed to discover some new aerodynamic technique which would have permitted economic cruise in the very high subsonic regime. Had they actually done so, the Sonicruiser would have been a world-beater! |
Perhaps even before the Boeing 7-late-7 takes to the skies? Apples to oranges. If however you want to pound a square peg through a round hole, the 787 trumps your turboprop. |
I couldn't agree more, Westie.
Abject failure to deliver a pretty straightforward airliner on time does indeed trump political delays to an advanced high speed military airlifter. I really wish that Boeing had been able to develop the Sonicruiser - it would have been truly revolutionary. |
If the 787 is straightforward and the A400M advanced then I reckon the
Iranian nuclear program is peaceful.:eek: |
SDD1 is flying?
Really? If so that puts it a long way ahead of the http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABP...2004143243.jpg Frankentanker |
SDD-1 (or D-1) flew on September 25 last.
UPDATE: For Lazer-Hound: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7272475.stm More jobs are expected to be created at Airbus's Flintshire plant after the company struck a £20bn contract with the US Air Force. The future of the plant's current 7,400 staff was secured with the announcement that they will build wings for a fleet of 179 in-flight refuelling aircraft. Brian Fleet, a former Broughton apprentice who is now an Airbus senior vice president, said it was "highly probable" more staff would be needed. |
So, we've got a name for the FSTA (in the lines of Dave etc)!
Susan- as suggested earlier on in the topic. There is alot of patriotic nonsense coming from the Americans on other forums- airliners for example. But the fact that the NG/EADS won 4 out of 5, then DREW on the 5th is quite difficult to compete with! |
So, we've got a name for the FSTA (in the lines of Dave etc)! Susan- as suggested earlier on in the topic. There is alot of patriotic nonsense coming from the Americans on other forums- airliners for example. But the fact that the NG/EADS won 4 out of 5, then DREW on the 5th is quite difficult to compete with! |
Do they have the wings on the C130 turboprop replacement yet?
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The reason Boing (sic) lost the contract is simple - they thought it was a shoe-in until a few years ago, when they had their eyes wiped for dodgy practices - hence they didn't bother doing any serious development work until it was too late.
However, it concerns me somewhat that Scarebus haven't yet got any proven track record with Mil types in service. And Scarebus's dodgy practices are even worse than Boing's. I think this is a case of 'Boeing caught napping', rather that 'Airbus products proven superior', TBH. The whinging lefties were inevitable, whoever won - it's just America's lefties bleating instead of the Frogs for a change! |
Sen. Obama must have forgotten that you have to win a state in both the Primary and the General, not just the Primary - even Alabama. Note: The Democratic Party is traditional unionist party. Washington State (Beoing hometown) is a Democratic stronghold. Obama is from Illinois. Don't be surprised if the deal is overturned/sweetner deals offerred if the Democrats win the Presidency. |
Westie, the aircraft has more than just the wings fitted now!
From http://www.airbusmilitary.com/press.html : "As an auspicious start to the New Year in Seville the first complete A400M airframe was removed from the assembly jigs at the FAL on January 2nd and towed to an adjacent development hangar, where work will commence on strain gauge calibration tests prior to further preparation for systems ground tests." The first aircraft is due to fly in July2008. Some 'Hercules'!: |
Just in time for the Norman invasion then. Harold will be pleased!
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no no no he means 8 mins past ten...
I love the look of it.. those Huds are huge. Cheers |
Duly edited......thanks!
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False Alarm
Just for one moment I was delighted to pull out the Daily Telegraph business supplement and saw a big picture of an A330 with FSTA emblazoned all over it, at last!!!!. Sadly it was an artists drawing being used to illustrate the USAF deal. Ah Well, dream on. |
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