XPost: soc.culture.russian, soc.culture.german, soc.culture.europe   
   From: TheFirstAmerican@iwuzherefirst.org   
      
   It's starting to become clearer what's going on with the Qatar and Aeroflop   
   orders. The Russians and the Qataris both want to lop off some big chunks of   
   Airbus and claim them for their own. Qatar would buy a stake in Airbus while   
   Russia would look to get outsourced production i.e. European jobs going to   
   Russia. Bottom line: more politically motivated meddling in Airbus biz   
   affairs.   
      
   What's more interesting, the as yet unsigned Chinese order for 150 A320s and   
   an A320 factory may spell doom for Germany. France wants to dump A320 onto   
   the Germans while it reserves the family jewels (A380 and A350) for   
   themselves. Once China starts making A320s, the question becomes: why would   
   anybody have the Germans build them? German labor is far too expensive. Once   
   the Chinese are building the A320, Germany becomes the odd man out.   
      
   It may be that Germany is left out in the cold on the A350 anyway. The   
   Spanish have far more expertise with composites than the Germans. The   
   Germans have spent all their R+D on cars. Who really wants the A380 money   
   pit?   
      
   Basically, the French are really frigging up and politically paralyzing   
   Airbus. Maybe the Germans should sell out like BAE?   
      
   Time marches on though and both the politically paralyzed Airbus and Boeing   
   with have to deal with future 737 competition from Russia, China, Japan,   
   Bombardier and Embraer.   
      
   Boeing has two aces up their sleeves though. Russia, China and Airbus can't   
   get to the table with a composite "737". Boeing can. Boeing is already   
   talking to airlines about what they want in a new 737. Boeing also has the   
   Blended Wing Body (797?), 800 passenger, A380 killer in development. The BWB   
   can fly faster and cheaper than a A380 and fit into A380 gates....that   
   somebody else will have already paid for. Nobody has a BWB product in the   
   works, except Boeing. Russian and Chinese aircraft are likely to be aluminum   
   tubes and therefore won't be competitive.   
      
   Strike all you want Airbus workers...then kiss your jobs au revoir, auf   
   wiedersehen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)