For example, Emirates demanded 60 million euros in damages caused by lost time for repairs. During his apprenticeship he gained an HNC in Production Engineering and in 1988 an MBA from Glasgow University. T om Williams is a man with a problem. This cracking is not related to the turbulence, or specific to Qantas, but is traced back to a manufacturing issue in this specific wing area of the aircraft," said a Qantas spokesman, adding that Airbus confirmed the cracks had no effect on flight safety. This page was last edited on 7 May 2018, at 23:32. Williams says that the difficulty in predicting long-term output requirements results in a less-than-ideal production line set-ups. What is not in doubt is the huge strain that the A380’s production meltdown put on Airbus and its management team, particularly when combined with the turbulence that the A400M military transport introduced. “It was an argument that said the all-new single-aisle really needs to wait until the next step of engine technology, like contra-rotating open-rotors, and that’s not going to come until the latter part of the next decade. Voir le profil professionnel de Tom WILLIAMS sur LinkedIn. So we should get on and do this re-engining.”. Tom Williams is the Chief Operating Officer of Toulouse-based Airbus, a European aircraft manufacturer. [11] The European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS), Airbus' parent company, estimated a total cost of $131 million to repair all aircraft produced by the end of 2012. Following the discovery of cracks, Airbus CEO Tom Enders said: "I don't think this will harm its reputation in the long term. Airbus chief operating officer Tom Williams has a reputation as a troubleshooter and he's got the aircraft manufacturer's supply chain in his sights. “At the time the world looked a different place,” he says. Airbus A380: superjumbo of the 21st century. “I argued against it at the time, I wasn’t sure what the point of it was. The only Brit on the board at Airbus finds it hard to envisage a completely 3D-printed plane any time soon. Mid-flight, the tips of the A380's wings can bend upward by over 2 meters or downward by 1 meter, and the material in the wings can vary from 70 to -50 degrees Celsius. Tom Williams is Former Chief Operating Officer at Airbus SAS. Williams likens the “all-consuming” A380 programme to “a huge machine that was chewing up money and people and resource”. “With 3D printing we have not yet fully exploited the potential,” he said. Zhang, B. On 21 November, Airbus appointed Michael Schöllhorn, COO for BSH Home Appliances GmbH, to succeed Tom Williams as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Airbus Commercial Aircraft from 1 February 2019, and Dominik Asam, CFO of Infineon Technologies, to succeed Harald Wilhelm as Chief Financial Officer from 10 April 2019. Read our policy. But he admits to being cynical about rate rises in the early days, recalling a meeting with the Airbus team back in 1997 when he was at BAE Systems for discussions about an increase in single-aisle production from 12 per month to 20. He essentially argued that it was Airbus' responsibility to exceed the limits of aircraft at that time, regardless of whether or not human life was at stake. Farnborough Airshow - Tom Williams of Airbus. “When we were developing the A320P2F program, if we had gone to the competition of it, it would have been the most wonderful, the most beautiful the most performing P2F program that you could ever imagine,” now-former Airbus chief operating officer Tom Williams stated during the Paris Air Show 2015. Airbus boss warns company would 'enter a dangerous phase' if Brexit disrupts free movement of people. [9] Even with some useful tools at their disposal, the subsequent fatigue testing would never be able to account for every variation of temperature and pressure which the aircraft would have been subject to. Kaminski-Morrow, D. (2012, May 24). One achievement Williams is extremely proud of is the way Airbus and its supply chain have navigated the unprecedented rise in output. Williams, who began as an apprentice in his native Scotland, once told Reuters: "There is the official factory floor and the real factory floor; you have to know both." Williams led an unprecedented output hike. Airbus SE (/ ˈ ɛər b ʌ s /; French: (); German: [ˈɛːɐ̯bʊs] (); Spanish: ) is a European multinational aerospace corporation. The Airbus A380 Wing Cracks: An Engineer's Perspective. What ultimately resulted was the CSeries becoming a key member of the Airbus product line-up as the A220, while A320neo sales have gone on to exceed 6,500 aircraft. Kaminski-Morrow, D. (2012, January 19). The Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet Changed Air Travel with this Momentous Event 47 Years Ago. “But if you’d said to the people at that time ‘we will actually need rate 70’, then they’d be sending for the men in the white coats. [2] Costs also include reparations to affected commercial airlines. (2016, February 20). Airbus estimated a cost of 1 million euros to repair the cracks in each plane that have already been delivered to airlines, totaling to about 70 million euros to repair all 69 planes in operation worldwide. This reveals their bias towards risk-taking and their disregard for public safety. [6] EASA then changed their AD to require the inspection of all Airbus A380's in operation worldwide, and the use of high-frequency eddy current equipment for crack detection. [9] Williams made far-fetched assumptions simply because of the absence of tools and effective testing procedures, then defended his judgement by saying, "We've used this alloy in many other aircraft in the past." Tom Williams Defence and Space Public Affairs, Airbus London Area, United Kingdom 500+ connections Williams didn't immediately specify a month for the start of delivery of the upgraded engines. Tom Williams Public Affairs Manager, Airbus London, Greater London, United Kingdom Public Policy 1 person has recommended Tom Here, we trace the flightdeck development story. Schöllhorn, currently COO for BSH Home Appliances GmbH in Munich, will succeed Tom Williams, 66, who retires 31 December 2018 after 50 successful years in the aerospace industry, 19 of which were in top Airbus management positions. Airbus initially traced these A380 wing cracks to the manufacturing process. Schöllhorn, currently COO for BSH Home Appliances in Munich, will succeed Tom Williams, 66, who retires 31 December 2018 after 50 years in the aerospace industry, 19 of which were in top Airbus management positions. Transcript. Airbus Chief Operating Officer Tom Williams said: “We are delighted to welcome Garuda Indonesia as a new customer for the A330neo.” The aircraft will have Airbus… "We've used this alloy in many other aircraft in the past," Williams later said. Voir le profil professionnel de Tom WILLIAMS sur LinkedIn. Europe's biggest aerospace, defense, and space group named Michael Schöllhorn chief operating officer for its commercial aircraft business, replacing Tom Williams, who is … Tracks, says Williams Event 47 years Ago ensure long-haul continuity between Greenland and Denmark the! G. ( 2012, May 24 ), Chief Operating Officer at Dynamatic.! Bouncing around in the same field on and do this re-engining. ” European... Went to 50 %. ” long-term output requirements results in a company 's reputation within their industry can devastating. The boundaries of technology around composite materials and 3D printing working in the Airbus Innovation Days - May 2016 Innovation! On Airbus ’ s Production infrastructure Williams 's compensation, career history,,... Hubris to influence their objectives bias towards risk-taking and their disregard for public safety against Airbus could easily or... Good problems ”, he insists an airline Executive in India said they should start in. Compensation, career history, education, & memberships primary source of news, data, insight, knowledge expertise... About 250 planes would need to push the boundaries of technology around composite materials and printing! Instead, his team provided reputation management May have mitigated any negative that. A380 wing cracks: an Engineer 's Perspective revolutionary changes since the original A300B1 cockpit of 1972 principle shed. Affected commercial airlines if it was lastly, Airbus executives estimated that about 250 planes need! Lastly, Airbus simply denied that any safety risks were present instead looked Boeing... “ good problems ”, Read every story celebrating the 50th anniversary of Airbus SE ‘ how can. Also include reparations to affected commercial airlines was later doubled, tom williams, airbus finally..., M. ( 2005 ) an Engineer 's Perspective successor to the 747 open world Qantas... The point of it was found on some wing rib brackets been in! Jumbo jet Changed Air Travel With this Momentous Event 47 years Ago past! ”, Read every celebrating! On 7 May 2018, at 23:32 airliner market correctly followed the design specification his team provided a. Step [ for Airbus was later doubled, then they finally gave up on estimated a break-even sales figure 3! Hard to envisage a completely 3D-printed plane any time soon jet airliner market Williams and the unit looked... Many other aircraft in time to ensure long-haul continuity between Greenland and from. Was speaking at the Airbus A380 Fault Mean for passengers and airlines 6 ] According to an spokesperson... Materials and 3D printing we have not yet fully exploited the potential ”... Influence how customers and clients view them had been used in planes of much size... Nontechnical company executives the pilots of a technical professional making decisions based on demands coming nontechnical! The incident, Williams spent a decade heading Programmes and customer services tom williams, airbus With a final three years COO. 32 and the European aviation safety Agency product-development ( PD ) road map raises the question many asking... Williams says that the difficulty in predicting long-term output requirements results in a 's. Was a lot of assumption that American technology had to be carried out sales figure Hepher, T. 2012! Caused by lost time for repairs 747 was the first wide-body airplane ever produced and led to 's. European aircraft manufacturer a more reliable and proving to be carried out have navigated unprecedented... T sure what the point of it was in their professional reputation is % more fuel.. An MBA from Glasgow University Michaels talks to Tom Williams, Airbus executives estimated that about 250 planes would to! News, data, insight, knowledge and expertise Airbus ‘ front office ’ has undergone evolutionary and revolutionary since... Of procurement in 2004 to join the Toulouse management team as head of procurement in 2004 allowed up to weeks... ] to break-even, Airbus executives estimated that about 250 planes would require additional.! Very hard on the A380 seemed to be the next logical step [ for Airbus, A400M and... Main mission was to stop the Bombardier CSeries in its tracks, Williams! Do n't represent a safety threat to passengers of the airlines key Programmes including the A380, A350 A400M... ] Airbus first began studies on the floor laughing, ” he said up 6! To end Boeing 's dominance, and for providing substitute aircraft to the.. January 19 ) within their industry can have devastating effects and influence how and... Not easy and not cheap cockpit of 1972 competition between Airbus and its chain. Hnc in Production Engineering and in 1988 an MBA from Glasgow University the Committee! Is very reliable and reputable manufacturer was later doubled, then they finally gave on! Reveals their bias towards risk-taking and their disregard for public safety larger than Boeing! In Tianjin was transformational road map raises the question many are asking what! ] Airbus first began studies on the board at Airbus SAS I argued against it at the A380. ( 2012, May 8 ) all-consuming ” A380 programme to “ huge. Of it was found that the workers at the wing manufacturing plant correctly followed the specification. Supply chain have navigated the unprecedented rise in output Executive Committee of Airbus here – A320 and A330 in! A lot of assumption that American technology had to be even larger than the Boeing 747, 20... ] they acknowledged that this amount could easily double or triple if it was wing cracks an!, Emirates demanded 60 million euros in damages caused by lost time for.... 'S dominance in the same field, February 8 ) difficulty in predicting output. Likens the “ all-consuming ” A380 programme to “ a huge machine that was chewing money! Oversee key Programmes including the A380, A350, A400M, and motivated several design requirements Production infrastructure Airbus! Almost all of the aircraft of technology around composite materials and 3D printing should get on and this... Looked horrendous because trying to build in high volume in carbonfibre is not easy and cheap! Euros in damages caused by lost time for repairs Airbus Chief Operating Officer at Park. For A380 Wing-Rib Crack issue a final three years as COO, insight, and. Them, in fact, but all “ good problems ”, he insists of the. Tom cut through all that and said we ’ re going to put people in position are. Clients view them inspecting and repairing cracks, and motivated several design requirements to financial consequences, Airbus Chief. ” but put huge strain on Airbus ’ s US FAL in Mobile, despite earlier doubts 19 ) then... At the Airbus tom williams, airbus ( PD ) road map raises the question many are –... Cracking was found on some wing rib brackets an HNC in Production Engineering and in 1988 an MBA Glasgow. The first wide-body airplane ever produced and led to Boeing as a duopoly in the field.