Last summer, Mr. Pierson, the president of Airbus Industrie, the European aircraft consortium, seemed to be raging at the world.

The European aircraft consortium has captured 30 percent of the world market and is gunning for close to 40 percent.

Airbus Industrie declined to comment on a French newspaper report that the European aircraft consortium had sharply cut its losses in 1989.

Airbus Industrie, the four-nation European aircraft consortium, expects its sales to rise about 66 percent this year, to $4.5 billion, an Airbus spokesman said.

Last month, President Clinton vowed to take a tougher approach toward Airbus Industrie, the European aircraft consortium, because of what he considered unfair government subsidies.

Even more important is the threat posed by Airbus, the European aircraft consortium.

Jean Pierson, administrator of Airbus Industrie, the European aircraft consortium, said the 40 firm orders were valued at $3.1 billion.

Aerospatiale, which is completely state owned, has a 37.9 percent stake of Airbus, the European commercial aircraft consortium.

He criticized government subsidies for Airbus, the European aircraft consortium.

Airbus Industrie, the four-nation aircraft consortium, is probably the best example of how government aid to a manufacturer has clipped the wings of American competitors.