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AIRBUS A220

of suppliers is also going to be very
helpful. But yes, that is one of the
priorities for the program, ramp it up,
build the sales. I can see already just
in discussions we have had in the last
seven months a lot of capability and
help that came and of course now we
are going to have an additional facility
in Mobile which will increase the
capacity and help that ramp-up.
“Basically, we are going to build
a sales volume and ramp up the
program and again that is going to
be helpful for everyone because with
more volume it will help the suppliers
and us to reduce our downhill earning
curve and also to produce at a lower
cost. We have had some preliminary
discussions with our suppliers and
they are also very supportive so we are
confident we are going to get to a very
successful program together.”
So what to make of Airbus’s change
of tune on the 100-150 seat market,
a sector in which its forecasts were
previously far more pessimistic than
Bombardier’s? There has, apparently,
been a reassessment.
“As far as I am concerned we
see in that sector over the next 20
years – and that includes the C series
and the A319neo – 7,200 aircraft, of
which 6,100 will be for C Series size,”
Dufrenois said.
Airbus would expect to get half of
these orders.
“I don’t think we can be accused of
not underestimating this market,” said
Dufrenois. “We did give our colleagues
at Bombardier a very hard time when
second line being built in Mobile, volume Airbus brings this program The A220 features five-abreast it came to the C Series v the A319/320
Alabama (alongside an existing Airbus will be very successful.” seating in economy and an competition, to the extent where we
final assembly line for its A320) will Dufrenois says one of the major advanced flightdeck featuring actually grabbed a lot of this market.
open in 2020 with plans for it to tasks ahead is to reduce the unit costs sidestick controllers. airbus “But that was not actually to
deliver 50 to 60 aircraft a year. of the aircraft. underestimate the market itself nor
Ultimately, production rates will “How we are going to do that in the program. John (Leahy, former
depend on how successful Airbus is many instances is on the supplier Airbus sales chief) said it was a cute
in selling the jet. Cutting production front of course. We are sharing some little plane and I think he meant it.
costs on the troubled program will be suppliers with Airbus and of course we It is still a cute little plane. The point
one of Airbus’s key targets, allowing will take advantage of our global scale is at one stage we had to make this
it to turn out jets at a price customers to actually ask a little bit of effort from ‘We did decision.
are prepared to pay. some of our suppliers on the C Series “We have made this decision and
Can the A220 be built at a price the particularly. give our we are going to make this C Series
market will accept to buy it? “That’s the kind of thing that a great success… all the 100-seaters
“The answer is yes, of course, we will do. I cannot tell you which colleagues at that came on the market were actually
because otherwise we wouldn’t suppliers particularly. We are looking regional aircraft that were stretched
continue an endeavor on this at them all as we speak. That is Bombardier but Bombardier took the bet and the
program,” explained Dufrenois. ongoing work. But the idea is to take commitment to actually design a new
“Airbus did a very thorough advantage of the global force in terms a very hard aircraft from scratch specifically for
assessment of the market, the pricing of the global supply of Airbus.” the 100-seater. It was extremely risky
and the costing of the aircraft and Rob Dewar, known as father of the time when it at the beginning because they were
we are confident that together in this C Series and now head of customer hitting the lowest part of the A320
partnership we have the capability service for CSALP said Airbus brings came to the segment which proved to be a little bit
and capacity to make the program a world-leading capability to help the risky.”
successful. We are very confident program. C Series.’ Indeed, until now there has been
on that. Yes, we have to make cost “They have huge production a “grey area” between what are
reductions and of course with the sales rates and their ability and network DAVID DUFRENOIS commonly known as regional jets and
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