Airbus will not hold a demonstration of its A380 superjumbo at the Paris International Air Show after the wing-tip of its test aircraft was damaged in an incident Sunday, the company said.

“During ground maneuvers with the Airbus A380 flight test aircraft MSN 004, the aircraft’s right hand wing-tip touched a structure near the taxiway,” at Le Bourget airport on Sunday afternoon, Airbus said in a statement.

“Airbus experts are currently inspecting the aircraft, but it is already confirmed that the A380 MSN 004 will not perform the flying display at the Le Bourget Air Show 2011,” it said.

It was the second setback for Airbus ahead of the show, which starts Monday, after it announced earlier Sunday that its A400M military transport plane will not make any flight demonstrations because of a problem with its engines.

The A380 — the world’s largest passenger jet with capacity for up to 853 passengers — entered into service in 2007, breaking US rival Boeing’s more than three decades of dominance of the jumbo jet market with the 747.

Source: Airbus
Photo: Rob Vogelaar, ZAPP