Elbe Flugzeugwerke

Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH (literally: Elbe aircraft works, commonly abbreviated as EFW) is a subsidiary of Airbus (65%) and ST Aerospace (35%) in Dresden. It is located at Dresden Airport and concentrates on freighter and tanker aircraft conversion. It also supplies Airbus with fibre composite sheets for aircraft interiors.HistoryEFW was founded in 1955 when Ilyushin Il-14 aircraft were built under license in Dresden. At the same time, EFW started development and testing of the Baade B-152, the GDR's own passenger jet. Up to 8000 personnel were employed and the programme invoolved some 25,000 further jobs in supplying industries, which were bundled in a combined Volkseigener Betrieb in 1958.The second prototype of the B-152 crashed on 30 April 1958 and development of the aircraft was delayed. When the GDR stopped its entire aircraft program in 1961, the VEB Flugzeugwerft Dresden became a maintenance facility for MiG combat planes and Mil Helicopters of Warsaw Pact air forces. It also maintained the Interflug Airbus A310 fleet which was delivered in 1989.Airbus and EADSAfter the reunification of Germany, VEB Flugzeugwerft Dresden was supported by Deutsche Airbus, Hamburg. Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH was founded at 27 April 1990 by DASA and Airbus. When DASA, Aérospatiale-Matra and Construcciones Aeronáuticas merged, EADS became EFW's only owner.