ABSTRACT
In the 1960s certain European leaders and a handful of industrialists realized that the battle for control of civil aeronautics was part of a bigger game. The European business and political leaders who forged Airbus did not want to succumb to total technological dependence on America. Prior to the formation of Airbus, individual European countries had tried to cooperate with US partners on a bilateral basis. Boeing expressed an interest in partnering on the de Havilland Trident, while Douglas had similar thoughts regarding the Sud Est Caravelle. In mid-1968 Airbus founders Henri Ziegler, Roger Beteille and Felix Kracht took the initiative and secretly redesigned the aircraft. In 1968 when Beteille and Kracht forced through the A300 redesign there were as yet no firm orders. In mid-1970s the partners and governments of Airbus consortium faced a crucial decision concerning how precisely to expand the product family. From the A310 onwards Airbus has led the world in technological innovation and dynamic efficiency.
