AIRBUS 1984 CALENDAR (1919-1984)

Week by Week Calendar for the year 1984. 

Each week shows a picture of an aircraft or a scene from AIRBUS Civil Aviation (between 1919 and 1983), accompanied by a written description.

1984 is a special year for Airbus Industrie: it will mark the 10th anniversary of operations with the Airbus concept of the wide-body twin. The result of a combined European initiative, the A300, now joined by its smaller brother the A310, has been proving its soundness in the testing field of world-wide line operation for a decade, and over 1 3/4 million economical operating hours.

It is thus a suitable occasion for Airbus Industrie to recall the earliest origins of this European success: the early years of civil aviation were the years in which the foundations were laid for European civil aircraft construction technology.

The springtime years of civil aviation were also years of national and international crisis, confrontation and conflict, not least in Europe. This chronicle therefore takes due note of the fact, as well as of many others that also give a flavour of those times.

This look back at decades of internal European unrest, reaching a peak of bitter conflict and strutting nationalism nevertheless also clearly shows how important are today's moves towards European unity and co-operation, exemplified by the establishment and successful outcome of the Airbus project.

The chronicle of the early days, with examples drawn primarily from the countries whose industries came together to develop and produce Airbus aircraft, highlights how the European industry made a permanent mark on civil air transport. With its products designed to move civil aviation into the 21st Century, Airbus builds on the firm foundation of Europe's pioneer constructors and operators.

By concentrating Europe's power in aircraft design and construction, Airbus is writing new, forward-looking chapters in the history of civil aviation's pioneering tradition. Airbus: the pacemakers.