As the Airbus A350 progresses through its test program toward first delivery, Airbus is facing a crucial decision about the aircraft it is ultimately designed to succeed: Will the A330 get a new engine and, if so, which one? The answer to the first question is almost certainly "yes." Without a new engine, the most successful Airbus widebody to date likely would face a serious production decline, perhaps as soon as year-end. But Airbus is also close to an agreement with one of the three engine makers to provide a powerplant that could extend the life of the program by several years.
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