Would You Buy a Used Car From This Guy?

This is from a PR piece released by The German Embassy in 2005. It is something that most politicians fear the most, proof of their hubris. Less than two years after the EUphoria of this event, that was going to put Boeing back behind the technological leadership of Airbus, we have what could be the end to an extraordinary risk in aviation history. Technologically, the A380 is far more advanced than anything on the market. It also fills a significant void in the long-haul market that has essentially fallen to various models of the Boeing 747, which was first designed in the 1960's. The A380 is a creation of the current European craze, consensus. The A380 is an airliner built by committee, and that has caused big problems. France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom are all suppliers of major componets, not because that is the most efficient or cost effective. This bird is the most political airship built by mankind. Major inefficiencies are built into the system. The Germans, with superb manufacturing and engineering skill could have built the entire aircraft, but Herr Schroeder and M. Chirac had to put their EUropean credentials on the line and the French took responsibility for the 300 miles of wiring in each A380 and the Germans got to build the wings. You get the picture. Now EUropean taxpayers have a seventeen billion EUro problem. Herr Schroeder is busy helping his friends the Russians with some energy scam and the workers who thought they would be building the plane for a generation are receiving pink slips because of you guessed it, bullshitting politicians.

Remember I did not write this; the German Embassy did. And do not worry, if you think I am letting American pols off the hook, you don't know 2164th. Stay tuned.

The Week in Germany: Politics

January 21, 2005

Chancellor hails A380 superjumbo as "triumph of engineering"

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder joined heads of government from fellow Airbus backers Britain, France and Spain in Toulouse, southwestern France, on Tuesday for the glitzy unveiling of the A380 "superjumbo," the largest passenger aircraft ever.

Schroeder: "A piece of European industrial history is being written."

"A piece of European industrial history is being written," Schroeder told 5,000 guests assembled at Airbus headquarters for a lavish ceremony that included operatic theme music, clouds of dry ice and interpretive dancers clad in elaborate costumes.

"We may have reached for the stars, but as far as the aeronautical industry is concerned, we caught some of those stars," the German leader added, calling the twin-deck, four-aisle A380 a "triumph of European science and engineering."

For French President Jacques Chirac, the unveiling of the A380 was a moment of pride and emotion. "The launch of this giant of the airways is the crowning achievement of a fantastic human and industrial adventure," he said.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "The A380 is the most exciting aircraft in the world and is a symbol of economic strength, technological innovation and a dedicated workforce."