The production rate of the Airbus A220, produced in part at Mirabel, has been slowed by supply chain difficulties in 2022. The French aircraft manufacturer estimates that the program, 25% owned by the State Québec, will still be able to achieve profitability around the middle of the decade.
In 2022, Airbus delivered 53 A220 aircraft, the former Bombardier CSeries, according to data released by the company on Tuesday. This is an increase of only three devices compared to the year 2021.
Airbus executive chairman Guillaume Faury acknowledged that the number of deliveries has not lived up to the company’s expectations. “Supply chain difficulties prevented us from reaching our targets,” the leader explained during a telephone press conference.
The big boss of Airbus does not believe that these difficulties will delay the moment when the program will reach profitability, scheduled for the “mid-decade”, around 2025. “We are working to maintain the trajectory of the program. Yes, there are difficulties. We are working hard to catch up and maintain our forecast. »
On average, Airbus delivered 4.4 A220 aircraft per month during the year 2022. It aims to reach a monthly rate of 14 aircraft by 2025. In March, President and CEO of Airbus Canada, Benoît Schultz, said that the company had reached a production rate of 6 devices per month.
The Quebec government has invested nearly $1.68 billion in the CSeries and A220 since 2016. Quebec will be able to buy out its stake in 2030, about five years after Airbus believes it will reach profitability.