Airbus
WAS
FORMED
(
form
)
in
1970
when
the
French
company
Aeropostale
and
the
German
company
Daimler
-
Benz
aerospace
agreed
to
work
together
to
manufacture
large
passenger
planes
.
The
two
companies
____________________
____________________
(
join
)
by
the
Spanish
company
Casa
in
1971
,
and
British
Aerospace
became
part
of
the
consortium
in
1979
.
The
first
aircraft
,
the
A300
,
____________________
____________________
(
Produce
)
in
1972
.
The
first
planes
were
very
successful
,
and
55
planes
____________________
____________________
(
order
)
by
different
airlines
,
mostly
European
.
However
,
in
1975
,
the
company
had
serious
problems
,
and
no
orders
____________________
____________________
(
receive
)
for
sixteen
months
.
The
problems
____________________
____________________
(
solve
)
when
the
American
company
Eastern
Airlines
leased
four
A300B4s
in
1977
.
The
planes
were
very
popular
.
The
following
year
,
23
A300s
____________________
____________________
(
sell
)
to
Eastern
Airlines
,
and
46
more
planes
____________________
____________________
(
buy
)
by
other
US
Airlines
.
This
let
Airbus
into
the
American
market
,
which
at
the
time
____________________
____________________
(
dominate
)
completely
by
Boeing
.
In
2000
,
Airbus
began
work
on
the
A380
,
the
biggest
passenger
plane
in
the
world
.
It
____________________
____________________
(
design
)
to
have
555
seats
,
two
shops
,
bars
,
and
even
a
gymnasium
.
When
the
A380
____________________
____________________
(
launch
)
in
January
2005
,
45
of
the
new
planes
____________________
____________________
(
order
)
by
Emirates
of
Dubai
at
a
cost
of
$19
billion
,
making
this
the
biggest
deal
in
aviation
history
.
