EADS N.V. - Airbus Meets Children In Hospital

Today, the French children's charity Hôpital Sourire and Airbus organised an afternoon tea at the children's hospital in the CHU Toulouse in the presence of Airbus flight test pilots and engineers. During this tea, the sick children met members of the flight crew of the first A380 flight, which took place in April 2005.

Jacques Rosay, Chief test pilot, Fernando Alonso, Head of the flight test division, Jacky Joye, flight test engineer and Gérard Desbois, test flight engineer all accepted the invitation. They took part in a question and answer session with the children, following on from the projection of a film showing the first flight of the A380. They then signed autographs, after which the children were offered presents and souvenirs.

This action took place within the framework of a partnership agreement between Hôpital Sourire and Airbus, intended to finance and organise afternoon tea parties with children in hospital. Three other teas will be organised by the end of 2008, to help these children to forget their everyday reality for a moment.

The Hôpital Sourire is a charity created in 1995 by the C.H.U. of Toulouse, an Association of customers of the Banque Populaire Occitane and the Banque Populaire Occitane itself to support and promote actions to improve the environment of hospital patients, in particular children, babies and their parents. Among the main achievements of the Hôpital Sourire are the creation of a play room, the Salle Philippe Noiret, in the children's hospital, participation in the financing of an internal television network (Télé Tam Tam) in the hospital and the organisation of clown shows in the wards.

Airbus, by its sponsorship actions, marks and reinforces its commitment to themes it judges important such as solidarity, the environment and youth development. These themes are also supported by all the other Airbus European countries.

Airbus is an EADS company.