Airbus
Regional jets with hybrid propulsion in 15 years?
Airbus CEO Tom Enders believes that the time has come for partially electric aircraft in the passenger business in the early 2030s. Airbus' goal is not only to have aircraft that can fly for an hour, but also 100-seaters that fly electrically hybrid.
However, the Airbus boss did not mention any concrete plans for such an aircraft. To date, Airbus has been present in the passenger business with jets with significantly more than 100 seats. The smaller types for regional routes are mainly built by the Brazilian manufacturer Embraer and the Canadian Bombardier Group.
Enders believes that technical innovations in the future will primarily come from commercial aviation and from there find their way into military aircraft. "It used to be the other way around." The manager therefore believes that Airbus, as a manufacturer of commercial jets and military aircraft, is better positioned for the future than pure defense companies. He also predicts great success for the A400M military transporter, despite numerous breakdowns, billions in additional costs and years of delays. In a few years' time, the aircraft will be "the pride of the air force", he said.
Enders takes a positive view of the discussion about higher military spending by European countries in NATO. "It's good that the downward trend in European military spending has come to an end," he said. However, it will take some time before the individual states actually invest two percent of their gross domestic product in defense, as envisaged.
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