EADS CEO: A350XWB Development Program Better Than A380 Program

European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. NV (EAD.FR) said Tuesday it doesn't want to repeat previous mistakes and said the development program of its new aircraft A350XWB has been significantly adapted.

Therefore the company won't face the same development and production problems it did with its A380 superjumbo program, Chief Executive Louis Gallois said at the company's annual general meeting in Amsterdam.

Europe's largest aerospace group included partners from the beginning of the plans for the A350XWB, Gallois said, noting this hadn't been the case with the A380. Here the company developed on its own for some time, and then added partners, he said.

The A350XWB is the next generation long-range, medium-sized jetliner.

In addition, the A350XWB won't be as tailor-made to customer demands like the A380, Gallois added. There are some proposals for the interior from which customers can choose, the CEO said, noting the company wouldn't accept the many specific requests as with the A380.

Despite these limitations, Gallois repeated the development of the A350XWB is a "challenge." He said it is a very complex target with high technical specifications.

-By Kirsten Bienk, Dow Jones Newswires, [phone], [e-mail]