Airbus soon will deliver its 5,000th jet – an A330-200 for Australian carrier Qantas. The delivery ceremony will take place this week in Toulouse, France, Airbus’s base.
The event comes more than 33 years after Airbus delivered its first aircraft, an A300B2, in May 1974, to Air France. Since then, the European company has emerged as an aerospace powerhouse, taking over from the Boeing Co. the title of the world’s leading commercial jet maker in terms of sales.
Airbus President and Chief Executive Tom Enders noted how long it took the company to make its mark on the industry, in a company press release.
“Not only does it require vision, but it also requires a strong commitment to invest in the long term. This was the basis to the success,” Enders said.
Airbus has a backlog of more than 3,000 jets, which the company says it can deliver in the next five to six years.
A few Airbus milestones:
* May 1974: First aircraft delivery – an A300B2 to Air France
* 1993: 1,000th commercial jet delivery
* 1999: 2,000th plane delivery
* 2002: 3,000th jet delivery
* 2005: 4,000th aircraft delivery
* December 2007: Delivery of 5,000th jet, an A330-200, to Qantas.
Keep in mind, however, that Boeing has delivered more than 5,500 of its single-aisle 737s. And just earlier this year, Boeing reached the 3,000th delivery mark for wide body aircraft built in its Everett factory. The Chicago-based jet maker also has a backlog of more than 3,000 commercial aircraft.
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