Airbus Delivers 153 Planes, Beating Boeing

Airbus, the world’s biggest aircraft maker, delivered 153 airliners in the first five months of this year, beating competitor Boeing Co. Airbus trailed its Chicago-based rival on new orders.

Boeing delivered 127 aircraft in the same period, according to its website. Airbus’ new-order tally for the first five months of the year was 196 planes; that compares with 255 for Boeing.

This is the first year since 2000 that the U.S. company appears likely to sign more contracts for new planes than Airbus, which is based in Toulouse, France.

Airbus is aiming for deliveries of as many as 360 aircraft for 2005, the company has said.