Source: Yahoo!UK

Airbus CEO Noel Forgeard said he is 'reasonably optimistic' the company will be able to launch of a new A350 model that will compete with Boeing Co's 7E7, and confirmed the launch will be discussed at a board meeting next week.
He told journalists in Toulouse that Airbus will apply for loans from European governments, if its board approves the launch, but added the availability of loans will not affect the A350 project, which will proceed as planned regardless of loans.
Forgeard did not however disclose the amount that will be invested in the new plane, which is based on the existing A330 model.
'I can't disclose that because that's financial information that may have market sensitivity,' he said.
Previously, Airbus officials have indicated the new programme could cost up to 3 bln eur but the Wall Street Journal said today new plans to boost the capacity and range of the new plane could raise this figure to 3.5 bln.
Forgeard also said he may be a candidate to replace EADS (Paris: NL0000235190 - news) ' co-CEO Philippe Camus, whose term expires at the end of June 2005, but only if the objectives of the job are right.
Recent press reports have indicated that President Jacques Chirac is pushing to replace Camus with Forgeard, ahead of an industrial restructuring of EADS that could see it merge with Thales (Paris: FR0000121329 - news) or other European aeronautics groups.
'The question is the content of the mission... To do what? You choose the managers in function of the objectives,' Forgeard said.
The decision is up to EADS shareholders, he said, declining to be drawn on whether he expects them to reach a decision on the new formation of EADS' management before the July 1 2005 deadline.
Forgeard said Airbus will continue to play a role in the restructuring of the sector in Europe. 'It all has to be done in the frame of an organisation that's efficient, balanced between German and French (interests), equitable,' he said.
'It's very important to keep the Franco-German balance at Airbus,' he insisted, referring to reports that the German government opposes any deal that would dilute its holding in EADS, which owns 80 pct of Airbus.
France and Germany currently have equal influence at EADS, with Germany's DaimlerChyrsler holding a 30 pct stake, and the French state and France's Lagardere SCA (Paris: FR0000130213 - news) each holding 15 pct.
But in the case of a Thales-EADS merger, Germany's stake in EADS would be below that of France, since the French state owns 31.3 pct of Thales.
In any case, Forgeard said he is against any separate listing of Airbus on the stock market.
With regards to orders, Forgeard said he has signed a memorandum of understanding for the purchase of five A380 superjumbos, without identifying the client, although he indicated he has said a Chinese carrier would become an A380 client.
He confirmed that Airbus will deliver 315-320 planes this year, with deliveries expected to increase by as much as 10 pct in 2005.
He said the company plans to develop a 'follower' to the A320 model 'at some point in time,' without being more specific.

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Computer Generated image of Airbus's Newest A380

Artist's Rendering of Boeing 7E7