How Airbus Went From Boeing Wannabe to High-Flying Legend
Today, Airbus hands Singapore Airlines the keys to a shiny new A350-900. Besides receiving a big check, Airbus gets to celebrate: This widebody jet is the 10,000th plane it has delivered. It's an impressive milestone for a planemaker whose chief nemesis Boeing celebrated its 100th birthday this year.
Airbus Industrie, a European consortium based in Toulouse, France, started bolting wings to engines in 1970, when Boeing was celebrating its 54th anniversary. It was formed because France, Germany, and initially, Britain wanted to beat those damn Yankees by developing their own “air bus” — a small, short-haul plane. Almost half a century on, Airbus rivals Boeing in marketshare, and deserves credit for some revolutionary innovations, including fly-by-wire and double-decker passenger jets. Here’s a look back at the trip so far.