Airbus 40 Years of Innovation - Timeline Illustrated
Airbus 40 Years of Innovation - Timeline Illustrated
Airbus 40 Years of Innovation - Timeline Illustrated
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1970
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1971
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1972
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1973
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1974
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1975
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1976
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1977
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1978
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1979
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29 may
1969
The A300, the world's first twin-engine wide-body jet, is launched at the Paris air show. It is designed to carry up to 250 passengers in a comfortable twoclass lay-out.
09 nov
Air France orders the very first A300s. With six firm orders and ten options the French state carrier became the launch customer.
1971
15 mar
The A300 receives type certification under French and German airworthiness regulations including Cat II automatic approach and landing.
1974
18 dec
1970
23 dec
The Spanish aeronautical industry joins formally Airbus Industrie.
1971
10 may
Airbus delivers to Air France the very first A300B2 ordered in Toulouse.
1974
Airbus Industrie GIE (Grouping of Economic Interest under French law) is officially formed between Aerospatiale (France) and a grouping of Germany's leading aircraft manufacturing firms, later part of Deutsche Aerospace. VFWFokker (Netherland) and Hawker Siddeley (GB) are also associated with the programme.
28 oct 1972
The A300 takes off at 10:30 local time from the Toulouse airport for a mission lasting for one hour and 23 minutes.
02 may
Frank Borman, former astronaut and President of Eastern Airlines, becomes the first American airline to commit to Airbus aircraft leasing of four A300B4. 1976 1977
1977
969
J F M A M J J A S O N D
1970
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1971
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1972
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1973
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1974
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1975
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1978
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1979
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Product
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P.01
1980
J F M A M J J A S O N D
1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
J F M A M J J A S O N D
The A310, seating 218 passengers, is launched with the aim of offering airlines a smaller, longer-range alternative to the A300. Airbus launches a family of aircraft.
06 jul
1978
The first Airbus aircraft with EFIS (Electronic Flight Instrumental System), the A310-200, receives certification from French and German airworthiness authorities.
11 mar
1983
1985
J F M A M J J A S O N D
1986
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1987
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1988
J F M A M J J A S O N D
1989
J F M A M J
05 jun
Airbus launches its long-range family of aircraft, the A330/A340.
1987
06 oct
An A300 performs first flight with FFCC (Forward Facing Crew Cockpit). This was the first flight ever of a wide-bodied airliner with a two-man crew.
1981
22 feb
1987
Following a first flight of three hours and 23 minutes, the A320 becomes the first airliner to fly with full digital, computer-driven fly-by-wire controls and sidestick controllers.
The British industry (British Aerospace) which had taken over Hawker Siddeley rejoins the consortium as a full partner with 20% stake in Airbus.
01 jan
1979
02 mar
Airbus announces the launch of the A320 programme.
1984
1985 1986
Airbus celebrates the first flight of the long range A340-300, the first Airbus aircraft to have four engines and the largest commercial airliner built outside the US.
25 oct
1991
M A M J J A S O N D
1980
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1981
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1982
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1983
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1984
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1987
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1988
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1989
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P.02
1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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1995
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1996
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1997
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1998
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1999
J F M A M J J A S O
25 mar
The 1,000th aircraft is delivered to Air France a A340-300.
1993
18 may
Airbus delivers its 2,000th aircraft to Lufthansa a A340-300.
1999
03 aug
Thirty years after its creation Airbus formally becomes a single integrated company, Airbus SAS.
2001
2002
13 sep 1994
08 jul
The A300-600 Super Transporter, which features the world's most voluminous cargo hold, performs its maiden flight. Airbus has today five A300-600STs to bring aircraft parts for assembly around Europe.
2000
EADS is founded through the merger of Aerospatiale Matra (Paris), Construcciones Aeronuticas S.A. (CASA, Madrid) and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (Dasa, Munich). EADS owns 80% of Airbus while BAE SYSTEMS owns 20%.
19 jul
31 oct
Twenty five years after the first flight of the first Airbus aircraft, Airbus passed the milestone of 2,500 firm orders for its aircraft family.
1997
19 dec
The A380, the world's first double-decker passenger aircraft and the largest commercial airliner ever conceived is launched.
2000
27 apr
The first A380 takes off from Blagnac international airport in Toulouse at 14.23 local time (12.23h GMT) and completes a successful first flight of three hours and 54 minutes.
2005
J A S O N D
1990
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1991
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1992
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1993
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1994
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1995
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1996
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1997
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1998
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1999
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Product
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O N D
2001
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2002
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2003
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2004
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2005
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2006
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2007
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2008
J F M A M J J A S O N D
2009
J F M A M J J A S O N D
09 sep
Airbus delivers its 4,000th aircraft to Lufthansa - a A330-300.
2005
13 dec
Airbus delivers its 5,000th aircraft, an A330-200, to Qantas.
2007
14 jan
Airbus launches works on eco-efficient A350 XWB Final Assembly Line in Toulouse.
2009
2009
13 oct
EADS acquires from BAE Systems its 20 percent stake in Airbus and becomes the sole owner of Airbus.
2006
30 jul
Airbus passes 9000th order mark, Airbus' order book tripled within 10 years.
2008
9000
31 mar
Airbus records more than 400 customers and operators around the world.
30 oct
Airbus opens the Airbus Engineering Centre India in Bangalore which focuses on the development of advanced capabilities in the areas of Modelling & Simulation as well as in applications on aircraft.
2007
28 sep 2008
The first Airbus Final Assembly Line outside Europe is inaugurated in Tianjin, China.
15 apr
Airbus integrates over 5000 MTAD colleagues into the Airbus Family that now covers two huge business areas, the military (Airbus Military) and civil (Airbus) markets.
2009
O N D
2000
J F M A M J J A S O N D
2001
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2002
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2003
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2004
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2005
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2006
J F M A M J J A S O N D
2007
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2008
J F M A M J J A S O N D
2009
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Product
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