This Dubai Airshow marks the last time EADS will exhibit at any major aerospace show before it officially changes its name to the Airbus Group on January 1, 2014. Fittingly, two of the company’s highest-profile Airbus-branded products–the A380 and A400M military airlifter–are participating daily in the show’s flying display, while an Egyptair A330-300 sits on static display and an A350XWB cockpit mockup graces the Airbus stand in the exhibit hall.
For the first time in the Middle East and under the tagline “EADS, delivering innovation,” the EADS Group appears as an integrated entity in Pavilion P10 in a central position, alongside the Airbus, Eurocopter and Cassidian products static display.
The Cassidian display features unmanned aerial vehicles, sensors, defense electronics, border surveillance and avionics systems, while the division is also demonstrating its “Touch Lab” multimedia scenario library. Eurocopter’s presence centers on the new EC175 advanced medium-lift multipurpose helicopter on static display, alongside an evolved EC145T2 and a latest-generation AS350B3. Finally, the company’s Astrium division is displaying a scale model of the Yahsat 1B telecom satellite and some of its latest satellite equipment.
Last Thursday EADS reported its results for the first nine months of 2013, during which revenues increased 7 percent to €40 billion, EBIT rose 22 percent to €2.3 billion and net income rose 36 percent to €1.2 billion. The company also raised aircraft order and delivery guidance to reflect stronger market conditions. The company expects gross commercial aircraft orders to top 1,200 airplanes and deliveries to reach 620 airplanes this year. However, due to lower A380 deliveries and under current exchange rate assumptions, EADS is forecasting moderate growth in revenues for 2013.
Meanwhile, the company acknowledged that the A350 program remains challenging, and added that that any schedule changes could lead to further pressures on cost provisions. Still, it reported good progress on the A350 following first flight of the second aircraft in October. “Even though there is still a long way to go to achieve the 2,500-hour flight-test program and certification, the program remains on track for entry into service [EIS] in the second half of 2014,” said EADS. “The increasing effort to prepare for the industrial ramp-up and a mature EIS is triggering some higher costs.”
