PLASTICS. THEY REALLY are the future. More precisely, the carbon-fiber-re-inforced plastics known as composites are reshaping the rivalry between Airbus and Boeing Co., and the European planemaker has a lot of catching up to do. With oil prices soaring, airlines are flocking to Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner, which promises to burn 20 percent less fuel than conventional planes. The 787 is made mostly of composites, which weigh half as much as aluminum, but are stronger so that wings and other parts can be made slimmer and more aerodynamic. Airbus is countering with the A350, a planned aircraft with one-third less composite content than the 787. But most carriers are snubbing it. Small wonder, then, that Airbus Chief Executive Gustav Humbert confirmed at the Berlin Air Show on May 17 that the company will unveil a revamped design for the A350 by July. "The game is not over," he said.
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