Airbus thinking of U.S. plant?

Airbus may add a final assembly line in the United States to increase visibility in the largest market for single-aisle planes, according to one executive. Airbus parent, EADS, would have had an assembly line in the U.S. in Mobile, Ala., had it not lost the aerial refueling tanker competition to Boeing. Airbus currently has final assembly lines in France, Germany and China. The comment about a possible U.S. assembly line came from Hans Peter Ring, chief financial officer of EADS, in an interview with Bloomberg. (Source: Bloomberg, 01/17/12) Meanwhile, Airbus is adding fuselage work in Wichita, Kan. Airbus North American Engineering Inc. said it's looking to hire 30 new engineers to work at its Wichita headquarters. The Wichita site, which has primarily done wing engineering since it opened in 2002, will now have some fuselage design work on the A350-1000 program. (Source: Wichita Business Journal, 01/17/12) Previous posts of interest: Airbus, Boeing see demand increase; Shelby: Airbus still eyeing Mobile; Boeing leaving Wichita