(Reuters) - Airbus faces an unprecedented challenge in ramping up production to meet 2018 delivery targets following engine delays, and must eventually overhaul a manufacturing system that belongs to a “bygone age,” the jetmaker’s new president told staff on Friday.
“We have a battle plan in place for this year and the engine manufacturers are working hard to meet their commitments. Still, we know it will be challenging,” Airbus Commercial Aircraft President Guillaume Faury said in an interview for internal circulation seen by Reuters.
“Delivering 80 to 90 aircraft every month in the second half of the year has never been done before. In the long term we must overhaul a single-aisle production system that belongs to a bygone age when high-rate production of aircraft wasn’t needed.”
Airbus has been hit by delays in getting engines from United Technologies (UTX.N) unit Pratt & Whitney and CFM International, co-owned by Safran (SAF.PA) and General Electric (GE.N).
It delivered 172 aircraft in the first four months of the year, lagging behind the pace needed to hit a full-year goal of 800 even though deliveries traditionally speed up in the final quarter.
Faury was speaking to mark 100 days since taking over the European group’s planemaking division from Fabrice Bregier.
Echoing his predecessor, former auto executive Faury signaled a push to exploit digital techniques as Airbus (AIR.PA) and U.S rival Boeing shift towards mass production of jet aircraft that are far ahead of standards previously seen in commercial aerospace.
“Ultimately, we want to move to
