Airbus Industrie (Airbus) began as a consortium of European aviation firms to compete with American companies such as Boeing and McDonnell Douglas. In the 1960s, European aircraft manufacturers...

Airbus Industrie (Airbus) began as a consortium of European aviation firms to compete with American companies such as Boeing and McDonnell Douglas. In the 1960s, European aircraft manufacturers competed with each other as much as the American giants. In the mid-1960s, tentative negotiations regarding a European collaborative approach began. Airbus Industrie was formally set up in 1970 following an agreement between Aerospatiale (France) and Deutsche Aerospace (Germany) (joined by CASA of Spain in 1971). Each company was expected to deliver different sections as fully equipped 3 such as engines, fuselage, wings, etc.