Airbus secures $20 billion order for A350s and A380s

[Angus]

I prefer pointy heads rather than thick heads

(After all, my ancestor were Vikings)

Anyway, Viking, interesting with the time, - and Bruce. Are they just running up this testbed avery now and now, - the testing before A320 would have been before 1988 anyway, - even well before! I must confess that I also have absolutely no idea about what the TV material is. I'd love to see more though.
I just looked up Bruce on Wiki, he apparently is now getting some fame for his flying. He actually flew Iron Maiden to Iceland, held the concert with them, and then flew them back. One ball of energy.
(And a champion in Fencing as well )

[Neubob]

Originally posted by Viking
Flying palace indeed. Some people have way to much money!

They have as much money as we have given them.

The good thing about this sort of spending, as is characteristic of most wealthy middle-eastern arabs, is that given these habits, they'll be bankrupt about 5 minutes after the wells run dry. No more gold-leaf wall-paper. No more silver plated BMWs. Just a whole lot of sand, a whole lot of Allah, and hopefully a couple rusty AKs with which they can continue to cull their populations.

We can only dream of the day when this happens.

[john9001]

the prince is only paying $319 million for the plane, a pro sports team costs more than that.

[Nilsen]

Originally posted by Neubob
They have as much money as we have given them.

The good thing about this sort of spending, as is characteristic of most wealthy middle-eastern arabs, is that given these habits, they'll be bankrupt about 5 minutes after the wells run dry. No more gold-leaf wall-paper. No more silver plated BMWs. Just a whole lot of sand, a whole lot of Allah, and hopefully a couple rusty AKs with which they can continue to cull their populations.

We can only dream of the day when this happens.

Yeah because they spend it all on bling and does not invest anything overseas or in their future. We all know they are backwards and not so bright when it comes to money.

^ irony

[Dowding]

Neubob has never been to Dubai. He doesn't know the lengths the Sheiks there have gone to provide for a post-oil economy. It's a huge holiday destination for Europeans and Western companies are relocating there.

[Angus]

Dubai will run out of oil in some 10 years AFAIK. The Sheik is quite clever, and is investing oil money in a luxury-ramp between the east and the west.
Many of the others are just buying tanks etc.
When you think of this, you can just begin to think what Hussein could have done, had he been a businessman rather than a maniac.

[moot]

Originally posted by Neubob
They have as much money as we have given them.

The good thing about this sort of spending, as is characteristic of most wealthy middle-eastern arabs, is that given these habits, they'll be bankrupt about 5 minutes after the wells run dry. No more gold-leaf wall-paper. No more silver plated BMWs. Just a whole lot of sand, a whole lot of Allah, and hopefully a couple rusty AKs with which they can continue to cull their populations.

We can only dream of the day when this happens.

I think the good news is that there's no Wallah Whackbar space exploration/colonization effort.  We'll be out there soon enough and it'd be nice not to have any sort of dependency on them as we have with fossil fuel.

[Neubob]

Originally posted by Dowding
Neubob has never been to Dubai. He doesn't know the lengths the Sheiks there have gone to provide for a post-oil economy. It's a huge holiday destination for Europeans and Western companies are relocating there.

Yeah, I forgot that Dubai encompassed the entire middle east. Building those artificial island chains isn't at all risky, either. The Airport Island the Japanese built sinks a few inches each year, but then again what to the Japs know about engineering when compared to the mighty, industrious Arabs... And the 7 star hotel--an excellent way to attract the middle class hoards. Indoor ski-resort--a brilliant way to attract the Alpine crowd...

When the rest of the region dries up, which it will, you don't think that the subsequent depression that envelopes the entire region might have just a tiny little effect on what your beloved Sheik's have planned? Or do you think that the brilliant business minds of the frugal Arabs will suddenly compensate for the sudden vacuum?

In regards to these Western Companies, most or ours are still based in Delaware.

But since you're an expert--why don't you tell me what's it's like in Dubai? What's their plan for financing the Saudi and Kuwaiti post-oil transformation? And what's your favorite restaurant there?

[Nilsen]

Originally posted by Neubob
Yeah, I forgot that Dubai encompassed the entire middle east.

it isnt the entire middle east who has buys these blig-bling thigs either

[Neubob]

Originally posted by Nilsen
it isnt the entire middle east who has buys these blig-bling thigs either

My mistake, yet again.

Arabs are generally known for their financial frugality, their thoughtful investments, their innovative approach to science and industry, and their pragmatic, secular social mindset.

[moot]

They actualy are notable for their (often enough) ascetism (precursor to frugality), thoughtful investments, and they often do in fact admire western science and technology.
 Pragmatism and secularity are probably nothing to write home about though...

[moot]

And Boeing isn't that marginalized in the full order tally:
Airbus:
70 A320's
30 A350's

Boeing:
70 737's
15 787's
10 777's
5 748F's

[Neubob]

They admire Western innovation and industry? I guess you're right. Ferrari and Mercedes does have quite a customer base out there. Admiration is hardly immitation, however. The Arabic tech industry isn't quite a world leader. They aren't much of a force in Chemicals either. They did make some advancements in medicine... Maybe one day somebody can build a time machine so that we may see it first hand. As far as this asceticism--I'm sure they're all for it in theory. In practice they have built some of the gaudiest, most arrogant monuments to their material wealth on the planet. Hubris piled atop hubris, and all of pumped from the ground, derived from a rapidly expiring natural resource that without western assistence, they would have never located in the first place.

Claiming that Dubai can in any way compensate for the inevitable economic upheavel is like saying that Delaware Corporate Law and Las Vegas Tourism will save the US in the event of a nationwide depression. Utterly absurd.

Sorry for the hijack (no pun intended) attempt. Rant over.

[Viking]

Originally posted by VWE
Tell you what Viking, when terrorism lands on your door step who are you going to run to... your EU buddies? People I talk to every day have thanked me personally for being here. Have personally thanked me and my nation. My perspective is a little different than yours because I have made the choice to be at the pointy end of the stick.

Yet ... despite your personal efforts, which I'm sure are honorable, and those of your comrades, America remains very unpopular in the Middle-East. Now more so than ever before. This is not a slight to you or your friends, but an unfortunate fact.

I pointed out this unfortunate fact to enforce Yeagers speculation that Arab/Persian bias toward American companies may very well exist, and that some of Airbus' success might be a result of that. No offense was intended.


And btw. terrorism "landed" in Norway a long time ago. I've personally been affected by two terrorist acts on Norwegian soil. America is a late-comer in the "War on Terror (tm)".

[Viking]

Originally posted by moot
And Boeing isn't that marginalized in the full order tally:
Airbus:
70 A320's
30 A350's

Boeing:
70 737's
15 787's
10 777's
5 748F's

According to BBC the Airbus order was for 70 A350's and 11 A380's with an option to buy 50 more A350's.

Edit: Emirates (airline) has ordered the 70 A350 and 11 A380. Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) ordered the 70 A320 and 30 A350. Saudi Arabian Airlines ordered 22 A320.

That's a total of 92 A320, 100-150 A350, and 11 A380.

Airbus says it got a total of 259 firm orders at the Dubai air show. I don't know how many Boeing got.