News in brief

Airbus’ 21st century A380 flagship jetliner turns heads wherever it goes, and did so this time with some high-powered help at the 2013 Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition in Malaysia. The aircraft from Malaysia Airlines’ growing fleet of A380s partnered with four Sukhoi Su-30M...

Airbus has delivered the initial A330-200F for Qatar Airways, further expanding the list of international carriers enhancing their aircraft fleets with this new-generation freighter. Qatar Airways’ A330-200F is the first of three to be provided on lease from BOC Aviation, and will be used on the ope...

Airbus Military marked a key milestone towards delivery of the initial A400M with today’s successful maiden flight of the first production aircraft. This new-generation airlifter, designated “MSN7,” took off from Seville, Spain and returned there after a smooth 5-hour, 42-minute trip. The French Air...

Airbus Military and Thales UK have signed an 18-year contract with the UK Ministry of Defence to supply training services for its A400M Atlas next-generation transport aircraft, which are to be operated by the Royal Air Force. Provided through the A400M Training Services Ltd.  joint venture of ...

Saudi Arabia has placed its first A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport into operational service with this new-generation aircraft’s formal acceptance into the Royal Saudi Air Force fleet. The clearance was given by Deputy Minister of Defense Prince Khaled bin Sultan during a dedication ceremony held ear...

The Australian Department of Defence has declared initial operating capability (IOC) for its A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport, which is designated the KC-30A in service with the Royal Australian Air Force. This announcement was made today at the Australian International Airshow, and it reinforces th...

Airbus Military’s new-generation airlifter has completed another round of cold weather testing as preparations continue in advance of the first A400M customer delivery. These latest evaluations were completed during a week-long deployment to Iqaluit, Canada using a production-representative aircraft...

A key milestone has been reached for the upcoming delivery start-up of French Air Force A400Ms with Airbus Military’s signing of the initial In-Service Support contract, which was inked with France’s OCCAR (Organization for Joint Cooperation in Armaments) and spans a period of 18 months. The agreeme...

The partnership of Airbus’ ProSky subsidiary with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has advanced with signing of a joint research and collaboration agreement – marking an important step toward strengthening Singapore as a centre of excellence for air traffic management. Under this pac...

Airbus Military has delivered the first of three new-generation A330 Multi Role Tanker Transports (MRTT) to the United Arab Emirates, which will be operated in service with the nation’s Air Force and Air Defence. This latest handover marks a key milestone for the MRTT programme, as each of Airbus Mi...

Airbus Military’s new-generation A400M airlifter programme marked a key milestone with an unveiling of the no. 1 production aircraft in colours of the French Air Force – the initial customer scheduled to receive an A400M.  This aircraft was shown at Seville, Spain, which is home to the A400M’s ...

India has selected Airbus Military as the country’s preferred bidder to supply A330 MRTT Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft, following a selection process that included the refuelling of multiple Indian Air Force fighter types and operations from the high-altitude base at Leh.  Detailed negot...

Airbus Military’s A400M has achieved the last major requirement for its full type certification with completion of Function & Reliability (F&R) flight testing – which evaluated this new-generation military airlifter’s behavior in conditions representative of normal in-flight operations. The ...

Malaysia Airlines is the first operator to receive an A380 equipped with a new-generation supplementary cooling system, which keeps certain aircraft systems – along with stored food and drinks – at optimum temperatures, particularly in hot regions of the world.  Developed with Liebherr, the new...

Airbus has widened the flight test programme for its Sharklets-equipped A320 Family with today’s maiden flight of the initial A319 incorporating these fuel-saving, performance-enhancing wingtip devices. The A319 joins A320 and A321 aircraft that have been validating the Sharklets’ efficiency, w...

Shortly after the arrival of the second fully equipped wing for the A350 XWB MSN001 aircraft, the wing join-up started in the Roger Béteille Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Toulouse. The wings will be attached to the fuselage and other finishing activities such as the spoilers will also be installed. ...

Two lucky students – Kim Min-seo (age 12) and Park Kyung-lin (13) – have won a trip to visit Airbus in France as well as having their painting featured as a special livery on a Korean Air A330-200. The two were winners of Korean Air’s Future Artist Olympiad competition, which was co-sponsored by Kor...

The first flight of a Sharklets-equipped A321 was performed today as this aircraft flew from Airbus’ Hamburg, Germany production site to the company’s Toulouse, France headquarters facility.  It joins the on-going certification flight test campaign of these large fuel-saving wing tip devices, w...

China Southern Airlines has expanded the route network for its A380 fleet with the start-up of operations on international routes. This achievement was marked by a trans-Pacific flight between China’s Guangzhou Baiyun airport and Los Angeles International in the United States during October. The thr...

The Airbus-sponsored e-Genius electrically-powered aircraft – which is being utilised to examine the long-term potential of electricity as a major onboard energy source for commercial aviation applications – is on display at the 2012 ILA Berlin Air Show. Data collected from operation of the Universi...

Airbus reached another programme milestone for its 21st century flagship A380 with delivery of the 80th aircraft, received today by Singapore Airlines. This carrier was the first to operate the double-deck jetliner in October 2007, and has used the A380 to such destinations as Frankfurt, Hong Kong, ...

The initial A400M for the Turkish Air Force has begun its final assembly process, which kicked off this week at Airbus Military’s Seville, Spain facility following arrival of the airlifter’s vertical and horizontal tailplane components. Turkey is scheduled to receive its no. 1 A400M during 2013.

With the 2013 edition of Airbus’ “Fly Your Ideas” student competition gearing up to start in September, the company has launched a new website to provide information on this international contest. Visitors to the site have the opportunity to register for e-mail updates on the competition, which invo...

A new programme milestone has been reached for Airbus Military’s A400M with announcement of this next-generation airlifter’s official naming: ATLAS. The designation was confirmed today during a ceremony held at the Royal International Air Tattoo industry event in England, which involved the European...

The first of six A380s ordered by Malaysia Airlines departed Airbus’ Toulouse, France facility today on its way to Kuala-Lumpur, where it is scheduled to be placed into service on 1 July. Seating 494 passengers in a premium three-class layout, the aircraft features a special celebration livery,...

As the next-generation A400M continues its certification evaluations, all five of the programme’s flight test aircraft took to the sky this week for a unique formation flight performed by the Airbus Flight Test teams. The exercise originated from Toulouse, France, and provided many impressive visual...

To mark Europe’s bicycle week, nearly 1,500 Airbus employees at the company’s Toulouse, France-area facilities used this two-wheel means of transport in May for their travel to work – with many posing for a family photo at the A350 XWB final assembly line.  “Cycle to work” activities also were ...

Airbus Military has opened rough field testing for its new-generation A400M airlifter, beginning with a set of unpaved runway evaluations performed at Cottbus-Drewitz airfield in Germany. These initial trials were competed on grass surface, and included maximum-braked rejected takeoff operations, as...

Airbus Military’s new-generation A400M airlifter has demonstrated its refuelling compatibility with the company’s A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport, successfully completing a series of 30 “dry contacts” with the tanker aircraft’s hose and drogue system. This testing – which utilised an A330 MRTT to b...

Airbus Military has received the initial type certification for its new-generation A400M airlifter, with this first approval – known as a Restricted Type Certificate – presented by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) today in Toulouse, France. This milestone marks an important step toward the...

Airbus has further expanded its research and technology (R&T) activities in the United States through a six-year renewal agreement signed with the Hampton, Virginia-based National Institute of Aerospace. This accord follows completion of a previous six-year agreement, during which over $6 millio...

The Airbus Military-produced A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport has marked a new operational milestone for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), carrying a record number of passengers for the military service during a single flight. This sortie – flown last month as part of the aircraft’s service int...

Asian nations are receiving a first-hand look at the A400M as this next-generation airlifter continues its 14-20 April tour of the region. The aircraft began its circuit with a touchdown in Malaysia that also marked the A400M’s milestone initial appearance in Asia. During this three-day stopover, go...

The Airbus Corporate Foundation is expanding two programmes aimed at helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds realise their full potential. The organization’s “Flying Challenge” – which is being piloted at Bellefontaine College in the Toulouse, France area with The United Way charity – in...

The Airbus Military A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) has entered service with the UK Royal Air Force, performing a training sortie on 8 April from the RAF Brize Norton facility – the military service´s primary transport/tanker base.  This first operational UK aircraft, along with 13 othe...

The Airbus Military A400M has touched down in Santiago de Chile, where this next-generation airlifter will take centre stage at FIDAE (Feria Internacional del Aire y del Espacio) – Latin America’s largest air show, held this year from 27 March to 1 April. The arrival in Chile – representing the A400...

Airbus Military has successfully demonstrated the A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport’s (MRTT) refuelling compatibility with Mirage 2000 and F-16 Block 60 fighter jets – which are the primary aircraft types to be supported by A330 MRTTs in future service with the United Arab Emirates Air Force. This re...

The second series production A400M is now taking shape inside Airbus Military’s Seville, Spain final assembly line. This activity was kicked off in February with integration of the aircraft’s wings and central wing-box, followed by arrival of the A400M’s other main components – including its vertica...

The Airbus-developed I-4D (initial four-dimensional) system has been recognised for technological excellence by leading information provider IHS Jane's, underscoring its capabilities for improving the efficiency of air traffic management operations worldwide. I-4D - which is a cornerstone of the SES...

In recognition of his contributions to aviation, Airbus Chief Operating Officer – Customers John Leahy has been named an “Officer” of the French Legion of Honour – which is the country’s highest civil decoration. Leahy joined Airbus in 1995, and has led a commercial team that has sold 80 per cent of...

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) today revealed the design and specifications for its new A380, featuring a bright new livery and luxurious cabin layout.

The aircraft will accommodate 494 passengers in a three class configuration, seating eight passengers in First Class, 66 in Business Class and 420 in...

King Juan Carlos I of Spain has become the first head of state to fly in Airbus Military’s new-generation A400M military airlifter. With Airbus Chief Test Pilot Military Edward Strongman and Experimental Test Pilot Ignacio Lombo, the King of Spain made a local flight of some 40 minutes from the Torr...

Three A330 MRTTs (Multi Role Tanker Transports) destined for different customers recently completed a formation flight in the skies above Spain. The lead aircraft, located furthest from the camera in the accompanying photo (at left) will join the UK Royal Air Force, where it is to be known as Voyage...

The first Airbus Military A400M for the French Air Force is taking shape in Seville, Spain, where its final assembly line is located. The final assembly process for this aircraft started last November. The nose and fuselage are already integrated and the aircraft was recently moved, on its landing g...

The production of Airbus’ A330 reached a rate of nine per month in January, bringing the output of this popular twin-engine jetliner to a record rate in meeting international demand.  Assembly of the A330 is performed in Toulouse, France, with Airbus planning a further ramp-up to 9.5 aircraft m...

Airbus has delivered the first major airframe section to the A350 XWB Final Assembly Line in Toulouse, France. The 21-metre-long front fuselage section, delivered from Airbus in Saint-Nazaire,  is destined to become part of the A350 XWB static test airframe.  Final assembly of this airfram...

Six Singaporean students were given “VIP treatment” by Airbus earlier this month, with a visit to the company’s headquarters in Toulouse, France – which the group earned in September by winning first prizes in the island nation’s annual CREATE high school competition. Their trip included tours of th...

Airbus has started joining the first 21-metre long front fuselage section for the A350 XWB in Saint-Nazaire, France. This phase will continue over the coming weeks, and once completed, the front fuselage will be transported by Beluga to the A350 XWB Final Assembly Line in Toulouse. It will be the fi...

The Airbus Engineering Centre India (AECI) has relocated to a larger building within Bangalore, allowing for a consolidation of its teams into a single integrated facility and providing the necessary space for long-term growth over the next decade. The centre originally opened during April 2007, and...

Assembly of the first A380 for Thai Airways International (THAI) has now commenced at the Airbus Final Assembly Line in Toulouse. The final assembly process of an A380 is made up of several phases. At the first station, front, central, and aft fuselages, wings, horizontal and vertical tail planes (H...