Reports: Airbus CEO says 50% of A350 production to be outsourced

Airbus reportedly intends to outsource 50% of A350 XWB production even as parent EADS' board debates whether to green-light the program and its funding (ATWOnline, Nov. 29). One way to keep costs down is to outsource much of the aircraft's production, Airbus CEO Louis Gallois told Reuters. "On the A350, our plan is to outsource 50% of the airframe production, which would allow us to hand over [a portion of labor and costs] to partners participating in the development," he said. "The target ...