The European planemaker Airbus announced Tuesday that it delivered 271 aircraft in the first nine months of 2005, compared with 224 in the same period of the previous year.

Airbus' new chairman Gustav Humbert said he expected deliveries of 360-370 planes in 2005 and more than 400 in 2006.

Airbus is 80 percent owned by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) and 20 percent by the British BAE Systems.

Airbus' arch-rival, American Boeing Co. said Tuesday that it delivered 62 commercial aircraft in the third quarter and 217 for the first nine months of the year. It expects to deliver 320 planes this year and 395 in 2006.

Source: Xinhua