All articles tagged with #airbus
A Brazilian father whose son died in the 2009 Air France Flight 447 crash says justice remains elusive even after Airbus and Air France were found guilty, as families continue seeking accountability and memory for the 228 victims.
A Paris Court of Appeal has convicted Air France and Airbus of involuntary manslaughter in the 2009 Rio‑Paris AF447 crash that killed 228 people, issuing €225,000 fines to each company and signaling accountability despite prior acquittals; both firms said they will appeal as families welcomed the ruling but noted no executives were charged.
A Paris appeals court found Air France and Airbus guilty of corporate manslaughter in connection with the 2009 AF447 crash that killed 228 people, imposing the maximum €225,000 fines on each company; the verdict closes a 17-year legal battle with families seeking recognition, while further appeals are anticipated and could prolong the case.
France's Paris Court of Appeal convicted Airbus and Air France of manslaughter in the 2009 AF447 crash that killed 228 people, ruling them solely responsible and ordering €225,000 per passenger; the penalties are largely symbolic as both companies plan to appeal the 2023 acquittal.
France’s Paris Appeals Court has found Air France and Airbus solely responsible for the 2009 AF447 crash that killed 228 people, after an eight‑week trial, and ordered the maximum fines of €225,000 for each company; Airbus said it would appeal. The verdict follows a decade-long search for the wreckage and black boxes and marks a rare acknowledgment of accountability in a major aviation disaster.
Italy has signed a roughly €1.4 billion contract with Airbus to acquire six A330 MRTT tankers to replace its KC-767 fleet, with the deal reportedly finalized in early 2026 (TED lists Apr 16, 2026; ARMAEREO cites Feb 23, 2026) and a program duration of about eight to ten years. This continues Italy’s long effort to modernize aerial refueling capability, with the MRTT offering both boom and hose‑and‑drogue refueling and transport; it remains unclear whether the standard MRTT or the MRTT+ variant will be used.
Italy’s defense ministry awarded Airbus a €1.4 billion contract to procure six A330 MRTT multi-role tanker transport aircraft, a deal projected to run about ten years and which would make Italy the 19th nation to operate the tanker after previously pursuing Boeing’s KC-46 Pegasus; first delivery timing was not disclosed.
AirAsia ordered 150 Airbus A220-300 jets in the largest firm A220 order to date, making AirAsia a new customer and launch operator of a 160-seat cabin configuration with extra overwing exits. The aircraft will expand AirAsia's ASEAN and Central Asia routes while preserving low operating costs; Airbus notes 501 A220s delivered to 25 operators as of March 2026, with SAF use supported today and a goal of 100% SAF by 2030.
Artemis II’s Moon flyby benefited from the Airbus-built European Service Module, which provides propulsion, life-support and thermal control for Orion; the module performed flawlessly, underscoring Europe’s long-running role in human spaceflight and signaling ambitions to supply modules for Artemis III/IV and participate in the lunar Gateway through international cooperation.
Atlas Air Worldwide ordered 20 Airbus A350F freighters—its largest ever for the model—making Atlas the leading customer and signaling a major fleet modernization to boost fuel efficiency, payload, and range for global air-cargo operations (with the A350F debuting in the US).
Airbus and Kratos plan to field a Valkyrie-based Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (UCCA) for the German Air Force by 2029, integrating Airbus’ sovereign MARS mission system and its MindShare AI. Maiden flight of the Airbus-configured Valkyrie is slated for 2026, with the system capable of autonomous operation or manned-unmanned teaming, and upgrades to Eurofighter connectivity via the Litening 5 pod.
Essex-born Sian Cleaver, a spacecraft engineer for Airbus in Bremen, says the 'Essex girl' stereotype never hindered her dream of becoming an astronaut and helping power NASA's Artemis II. The mission, delayed but planned to orbit the Moon with four astronauts including Christina Koch, highlights the push for visible diversity in STEM and the importance of mentoring young girls.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged a fair rebalance of Germany’s trade with China to shrink a €90 billion 2025 deficit driven by Chinese overcapacity, calling for transparency, level competition and rule-based trade; he traveled with a business delegation, noted potential Airbus orders, and pressed China to influence Moscow to end Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Beijing that China will place a larger order for Airbus jets—up to 120 additional aircraft—as part of his visit to deepen Sino-German ties, meeting Xi Jinping and Li Qiang. He urged a balanced, fair partnership and a level playing field for German firms, with the trip also including a stop in Hangzhou to engage tech firms like Unitree Robotics.
At the Singapore Airshow, China's COMAC showcased its C919 as a potential rival to Boeing and Airbus, highlighting government backing, lower prices, and growing demand in Asia-Pacific, while European certification and a complex, stretched supply chain pose hurdles to a rapid global rollout.