Airbus SE is a multinational aircraft manufacturing company that began in 1967 as a collaboration between various European aircraft manufacturers. Based in Blagnac, near Toulouse in France, it builds a wide range of passenger, cargo, and military aircraft. The rich history of the company is reflected in the evolution of its iconic logo. The Airbus logo has undergone a few transformations over the years. However, the overall style of the logo has remained the same with subtle changes made to the colour scheme and typeface. The article explores the various logo changes that took place as part of the branding exercise of Airbus.
The Genesis of the Airbus Logo (1970-2010)
In the early days of Airbus, the logo featured a stylised symbol of a turbine in orange and yellow. It looked like an orange circle with yellow swoosh and curved lines covering each half of the circle. This design was used by Airbus Industrie GIE, the consortium formed in 1970 to develop and produce a wide-body aircraft to compete with American-built airlines.
(1986-2010)
In the logo redesign of 1986, the yellow and orange colour scheme gave way to deep blue and white. Divided into two halves, the circle repeated the dynamic pattern of swoosh and curved lines. Further, in addition to representing the symbol of a turbine, it could be interpreted as the fastest way to get from one place to the other worldwide, represented by the swoosh and curved lines. The circle represented the world. The brand name was executed below the symbol in a bold, italicised, and modified Manderley typeface.
(2010-2014)
In 2010, the Airbus logo received a 3D effect through the addition of a gradient to the background. The word “Airbus” featured alongside the logo in a modified Manderley font with distinctive details, such as gaps in the crossbars of “A” and “R.”. The lettering also had a 3D look due to the gradient.
(2014-2017)
In the 2014 logo iteration, the gradient in blue was removed, and the symbol appeared in solid blue colour. And the white swirl, curved, and swoosh lines were shown within two halves of the circle. The brand name on the right was similar to the 2010 style and executed in a modified Manderley typeface. However, the brand name appeared in a dark blue colour instead of the gradient effect in the previous iteration.
(2017-Present)
Introduced in 2017, the most recent iteration of the Airbus logo features a flat logotype without the swoosh and curved lines emblem. The logotype is set in a modified Manderley font with massive, sharp terms, and straight lines of the bars. The colour palette is based on a deep and intense shade of blue, which symbolised professionalism, quality, and security.
The Elements of the Airbus Logo
Font
The bold geometric lettering of the main Airbus logo features a modified Manderley typeface with strong, sharp angles and straight lines. Fonts similar to this design include Avalors Regular and HWT Republic Gothic Solid, though the “A” and “R” letters have been notably altered—gaps were given in the crossbars.
Colour
The Airbus visual identity primarily uses a deep, rich blue, which is a colour often associated with professionalism, quality, and security—key attributes for any company involved in transportation.
The History of Airbus
The history of Airbus began in July 1967 when the transportation ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom met to discuss the creation of a large passenger aircraft to compete with those made in the United States (notably Boeing). This decision was driven by the need to elevate the position of the European aviation industry in the global aircraft market. Consequently, Airbus Industrie was officially established on December 18, 1970, as a partnership of European aerospace companies. The founding partners were Deutsche Airbus from Germany and Aérospatiale from France. Later, Spain’s CASA and the British company Hawker Siddeley also joined the consortium.
The first aircraft of the collaboration, the A300, made its maiden flight on October 28, 1972. This groundbreaking design became the world’s first twin-engine wide-body aircraft. Airbus entered the commercial aviation market when Air France began operating the A300 in May 1974. The company quickly expanded its product range during the 1980s. For instance, the A300B4 variant was introduced in 1983, and the A320, a narrow-body aircraft that went on to become one of the most successful in aviation history, had its first flight in 1987.
In 1991, Airbus entered the long-haul aircraft market with the introduction of the A340, its first wide-body long-haul aircraft. The company then began working on the superjumbo A380 in 1994, which was to become the largest passenger aircraft ever built. In 2000, Airbus underwent a restructuring and became Airbus SAS, a single entity aimed at improving management and operational efficiency.
The A380 made its maiden flight on April 27, 2005, and became the world’s largest passenger aircraft. In 2010, Airbus started developing the A350 XWB, a wide-body aircraft designed to compete with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. The A350 XWB’s first flight took place on June 14, 2013, which ushered in a new era in wide-body aircraft production.
On October 14, 2016, Airbus delivered its 10,000th aircraft, which cemented its status as a leader in the global aviation industry. On February 14, 2019, Airbus announced that production of the A380 would end in 2021 due to insufficient demand for such a large aircraft. Like the entire aviation industry, Airbus faced immense challenges in 2020. The pandemic forced the company to adapt its production plans and operations to new market conditions. Post-pandemic, Airbus has recovered its dominant market position and has secured large orders from various airlines.
Interesting Facts About Airbus
- Airbus came into existence as a consortium of the European Aerospace Industry. Various parts of the aircraft are manufactured in different European countries. For instance, the cockpit and central fuselage in France, wings in the UK, other sections of the fuselage in Germany, spoilers and flaps in Holland, and the tailplane in Spain.
- The first commercial aircraft built by Airbus, the A300, was a twin-engine widebody aircraft. It flew in 1972.
- Airbus has a global workforce of 135,000 employees.
- Airbus uses a proprietary numbering system to identify its aircraft. It has a system to distinguish the various aircraft models, engines, and spare parts from each other.
- The cockpit of every Airbus aircraft is similar in terms of its layout.
- Airbus gave the world the concept of a fly-by-wire commercial airplane. In other words, pilots are allowed to use computer-controlled systems to operate the aircraft instead of the previous manual hydraulic controls. This reduced workloads for the pilots and made the aircraft more fuel efficient.
- Airbus is credited with manufacturing the biggest commercial aircraft: the A380. It is 72.7 meters in length, weighs 560 tonnes, and has a takeoff weight of 1,235 kilopounds. The massive aircraft can seat 853 passengers in two decks.
- Airbus uses carbon fibre-reinforced polymer composites to build its aircraft to reduce weight and emissions and improve fuel efficiency.
- Airbus also manufactures military helicopters and aircraft.
- The A320 sold more aircraft than the Boeing 737.
- Airbus operates one of the biggest cargo aircrafts in the world—the BelugaXL. It has a fuselage space of 2,209 cubic meters compared to the Boeing Dreamlifter’s 1,840 cubic meters.
- The Airbus A320neo, or “new engine option,” is quite popular among passengers and airlines because of its reduced noise levels and improved fuel efficiency.
- Airbus aims to launch a hydrogen-powered zero-emission aircraft by 2035.
Finally
The Airbus logo has evolved alongside the company and reflects its growth and technological advancements. From the early days of Airbus Industrie GIE to the current Airbus SE, the logo has undergone several transformations, each capturing the essence of the company’s mission and values. The Airbus logo is more than just a brand symbol; it represents the company’s commitment to innovation, quality, and global connectivity.