Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH
The German Government is linking the provision of further aeronautics-research funding to the restructuring of Airbus Industrie and the launch of the A3XX, putting further pressure on the Airbus partners to reach agreement on the establishment of a new commercial structure for the consortium.
Germany's current four-year, DM600 million ($400 million), aeronautics-support package runs out in 1998, and preliminary talks have begun with the federal ministry for research and technology over a follow-on programme. The ministry says, however, that any future research backing must have specific product applications, with the proposed Airbus A3XX as a "a major component". It also sets preconditions that financing and partnerships must be in place for the new aircraft project, and that the restructuring of Airbus Industrie into a commercial company must be complete.
Officials at Daimler-Benz Aerospace (DASA) say that they and other Airbus partners are "working very hard" to meet the year-end deadline for drawing up a memorandum of understanding detailing the consortium's restructuring. The aim is to implement this by 1999.
Harmonisation of Europe's various rules on taxation and employment have emerged as stumbling blocks, says DASA. For example, company taxes, which are now paid in each of the four partner countries, could end up being paid only in France, where the new company would be based.
"This is not a game: this is the first real European company which will be set up. If you make a mistake due to time pressure, then you may create problems later," says DASA.
The German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) says that having Airbus' restructuring as a precondition for A3XXresearch funding is unrealistic.
"To avoid unfair competition, we need a deliberate innovation policy for aviation in future," says Manfred Bischoff, BDLI president and DASA chairman. He is also pushing for action at a European level to back up national research efforts, with aerospace given a special focus within the European Commission's Fifth Framework on research spending.
Source: Flight International
