Airbus: A350 XWB on schedule for 2013 delivery

Published 3:53 pm Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Airbus is taking a “more conservative” approach to delivering its A350 XWB jet compared to some “other” airplane programs, said Simon Pickup, director of business operations for Airbus Americas.

Pickup spoke at the PNAA’s annual aerospace conference today in Lynnwood.

Obviously, the “other” program is Boeing’s delayed 787 Dreamliner.

Coincidentally, Scott Carson, president of Boeing Commerical Airplanes, told investors at a different conference that Boeing is on time … to deliver its 787 nearly two years late in 2010.

Airbus’ Pickup disputed predictions made Monday by analyst Richard Aboulafia, with the Teal Group. Aboulafia suggested the A350 XWB won’t be ready until 2015.

But Pickup said Airbus has allotted nearly three years for manufacturing and assembly of the A350 XWB with final assembly beginning in early 2011. And the company has scheduled 15 months for flight testing, with the first flight set for early 2012.

Boeing has struggled with production of its 787. The jet’s first flight was pushed back to the second quarter of this year. But analysts question whether Boeing has given enough time for flight testing.