Flying Back On Course: The Inside Story Of The New Airbus A350 Jet
By Tim HepherPARIS (Reuters) – Ten years ago, the boss of Qatar Airways, who takes his firstnew A350 jet this week, warned Airbus it was flying off course.Boeing was knocking on his door with a “super-efficient” jet boasting 30 percent fuel savings thanks to a carbon-composite design. In Toulouse, some Airbus engineers, riding high after overtaking Boeing and suspecting a short-lived marketing stunt, laughed off the future 787 with a “tail like a dolphin”. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker urged Airbus to take the 787 seriously and said its draft response, a quick fix to its A330 with new General Electric engines, was inadequate.