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Europe
Airbus admits it may scrap A400M
2009-03-30
"The aircraft can't be built under the current conditions," said Thomas Enders, chief executive of Europe's planemaker, in an interview with Der Spiegel. "It is better to put an end to the horror than have horror without end."

The project has been plagued by delays and excess costs, entailing €1.7bn (£1.57bn) in penalties. The aircraft is over-weight. Its turbo-prop engines built by Rolls-Royce and France's Snecma are under-powered. There have been serious glitches in the software from MTU Aero Engines.

Germany's state-secretary for defence, Rudiger Wolf, has threatened to pull the plug on the A400M if Berlin does not receive clarification for the delays by early April. "I don't think it makes any sense to struggle on to the bitter end," he said.
Posted by:Nimble Spemble

#4  I see no way EADS will scrap the A400M. They have too much of their own money invested and will have to give back government money already spent. It would be cheaper for EADS to finish the plane themselves. More like putting pressure on member governments to renegotiate specs and schedules and cough up more money.
Posted by: ed   2009-03-30 19:40  

#3  We may be hearing this from GM at some point.
Posted by: charger   2009-03-30 12:23  

#2  "It is better to put an end to the horror than have horror without end."


This is what we'll be saying about TARP, TARF, stimulus, etc.
Posted by: DoDo   2009-03-30 10:54  

#1  Maybe they should try buying some Antonov AN-70's from the Ukraine instead.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2009-03-30 09:47  

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