The European Commission's competition authorities have approved the formation of the Airbus Integrated Company (AIC) - but Airbus chief executive Noel Forgeard says national certification issues could delay the integration of the airframer's production operations.
Brussels says the transformation of Airbus into an AIC, set for early 2001, "raises no competition concerns", and Forgeard confirms that the project is going forward "at a forced march". While the integration of the relevant finance, human resources and legal units of partners EADS and BAE Systems has been largely achieved, however, he reveals that merging operations such as production, maintenance and engineering "is more delicate" due to certification issues.
"We will have the agreement from the [national] authorities in the first quarter of 2001, at which point the A3XX will be launched industrially and the AIC will become operational," he says.
Forgeard, meanwhile, insists that the cost of developing the A3XX in passenger and cargo versions "will definitely not exceed $10.7 billion". He says the project should break even by 2011, with 250 aircraft produced, and puts the type's catalogue price at $230 million if paid at the time of order.
Though Singapore Airlines paid less than this for 10 aircraft and 15 options, the price grew to $8.6 billion - $340 million per unit - "because they asked for support and spares for the life of the aircraft", Forgeard says. The deal excludes spare engines.
Source: Flight International
