It is not enough to display about 1,000 billion order book for piloting an aerospace giant is a long quiet river. Airbus Group is in the process of making the painful experience. Former EADS published Thursday, April 28 quarterly results marked by a fall in net profit 50% to € 399 million, and annual steady business, 12.2 billion euros. If confirmed its target of 650 aircraft deliveries for the year (against 635 in 2015), the European giant acknowledges that 2016 be a year of “challenges” in its various programs (A350, A320neo, A400M ). The stock market welcomed, in its way, this honesty: the stock has tumbled 4.60% on the day Thursday
What’s happening exactly in the Airbus house.? A closer look, all detailed challenges the group is not to stay in the same boat. The A350? If delays of some providers, such as Zodiac Aerospace complicate the matter, Airbus maintains target of ten units produced per month in 2018, although this will be “increasingly difficult,” acknowledged executive chairman Tom Enders. The cares of ramp-up production of single-aisle A320neo? These “temporary challenges,” widely associated with GTF engine woes Pratt & amp; Whitney, should be “overtaken by year end,” says the group. Who will, however calm the blood boss of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker, who threatened to cancel its order for 50 A320neo lack of rapid improvement in the situation.
Le Drian losing patience
Even the increased consumption of cash (€ 3.6 billion since December 31, 2015) is not illogical, while the group is in a historical phase of ramping up production. And the United Kingdom, France and Germany have suspended the export credits granted to Airbus, following the transmission of a file relating to the aircraft manufacturer Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the body responsible for the fight against economic crimes or crimes in the UK. Airbus had informed the UK Export Finance (UKEF) the existence of “some inaccuracies” in requests for export credit guarantees, which failed to mention the role played by some intermediaries abroad. London, Paris and Berlin have since cut funding to Airbus, waiting to see clearer. “The group works with export credit agencies to resolve this issue as soon as possible and hopes to obtain financing and refinancing as soon as possible,” said Airbus Group.
The most worrying problem is elsewhere. It takes five characters: A400M. The European military transport aircraft program had been saved by industrial customers and the States in 2009, a huge additional cost of 6.2 billion euros at the end. Since then, the Atlas, the military name of the craft continues to make its own. Contrary to initial promises, he can not refuel helicopters, which forced the French Ministry of Defence to the acquisition of four American C-130J, for an amount of around $ 550 million according to the Tribune. Interviewed by members of the defense committee last October, Jean-Yves Le Drian, furious breach of contract by Airbus, poured in understatement: “I interviews with industrial somewhat tonic relationship”
the subcontractor Avio under pressure
A new technical problem is making straw. The gearboxes of the TP400 engine, produced by the Italian Avio, displayed big quality problems, and wear at high speed. Unfortunate, both for client armies, the army of the French air head, and Industrial. The 20 A400M deliveries in 2016, after eleven in 2015, is now clearly called into question, Airbus is unable to give a precise timetable at this stage. The problem is “a serious challenge of production and deliveries to customers,” admits Tom Enders, which does not exclude yet another financial burden that could be “significant” but remains unquantified at this time.
the Orsec plan was triggered on all floors. The American GE, which bought Avio late 2012, has dispatched dozens of experts to assist its subsidiary to solve the problem. The French Safran, motor industry leader with the British Rolls-Royce, is also called in reinforcements from the Italian supplier. A situation which is no shortage of salt, as the French group, candidate Avio buyback in 2012, was grilled by GE politeness …
Housing in Seville
Meanwhile, time is DIY, at Avio as in the assembly site for the A400M in Seville. According to several sources, the gearboxes of the production line of engines are “collected” to be installed on aircraft in service, and allow them to fly in a context of rapid wear … the Department of Defense, some prefer laugh: “You saw the 100 years of film Dassault retracing 100 years of aviation This is a science fiction film:. in the end, we see a fly A400M”
What is less funny is the hotel de Brienne has therefore no guarantee on the number and the exact capabilities of the aircraft to be delivered to him this year. Jean-Yves Le Drian was nonetheless clear: “We would wish, at the end of 2016, eleven A400M, including six with tactical capabilities – self-protection, airdrop, landing on summary field,” he explained in October last.
the air force lacking A400M
to date, this ideal scenario appears scarcely conceivable. The only certainty is that the French are really capable A400M transport missions that, while the unit had just been developed for multi-role: strategic transport (long distance) and tactical (as close to the theaters) parachute, parachute assault … Now it is the army of the French air that pays the highest price for these delays. Widely deployed in the Sahel as part of the operation barkhane, she has a cruel need these planes, while its fleet of old Transall is breathless. And it can not count as his British counterpart on a variegated fleet of C-17 and C-130.
No comments:
Post a Comment