MSN5000 Static test airframe rolled-out during a cold night in Toulouse airport.

Airbus’ A350 XWB static test airframe has moved into the facility where it will undergo testing to validate the structural design.

MSN500 roll-out

The airframe rolled out of the A350 XWB final assembly line at Toulouse, Blagnac Airport and was transferred to the L34 static test hall situated across the airport in the Lagardère industrial zone–home to the A380 final assembly line. As there are no operations from 22h in the airport, Airbus had freedom to use it to transfer the MSN5000 aircraft crossing the complete airport.  

This clears the way for the A350 XWB airframe to be integrated into a test rig for a campaign that will submit it to nearly a year of evaluations, including limit load and ultimate load validations, along with residual strength and margin research.

Static Test aircraft arrives L34 static test hall

The L34 static test hall covers an area of 10,000 square meters, and is supported by 200 workers during peak testing activity.  It houses a rig that incorporates 2,500 tons of steel and 240 jacks/loading lines, which are used to induce structural loads.  The testing is recorded by some 12,000 sensors. 

Static Test aircraft has a Dummy-Vertical Stabilizer



Challenges for ramp up: recruitment in Airbus and in suppliers (3)

Airbus’s COO Günter Butschek says production rate increase is Airbus’s single biggest operational challenge, and admits the company’s strong position is creating recruitment difficulties for its suppliers.

Growth for both the biggest commercial aircraft makers, Airbus and Boeing, has created recruitment issues in the aerospace industry.

For example, this year, Airbus UK received 5,000 people to its apprenticeship open day for all apprentice positions. In the 2012 intake, the company wanted to hire 50 undergraduate apprentices – a programme that goes through to BEng level. In fact they took on 28, partly because the standard of applicants’ A Levels was not adequate.

As a desirable company to work for Butschek said that Airbus was in “a luxurious position”, being able to recruit adequately to respond to the current programme ramp up and for longer term succession planning, as many engineering staff face retirement in the next 10-15 years. He said the missing middle tier of trained technical staff between 30 and 50 was not unique to the UK, being a challenge also in other countries with Airbus facilities. 

But he admitted that his company’s popularity meant that its key suppliers could be missing out on new recruits.

“When you talk to undergraduate engineers [about their job requirements] it’s not necessarily the financial offer but the conditions of employment, the company’s reputation, its growth path.  We are safe in this regard and that is not necessarily the case with our suppliers so I can imagine some of them find it very hard to be in competition with Airbus for the same resource .”

Based on the article “Ramp up is a challenge but recruitment is no problem, says Airbus boss” published in The Manufacturer

Challenges for ramp up: capital investment and lean manufacturing (2)

Airbus is committed that lean manufacturing and process improvement will answer as much of the higher output requirement as possible, but capital investment will have to follow in order to reach the company’s rate targets.

For instance, in the A320 program, in October production reached the rate of 42 units a month, while in 2010 these platforms were manufactured at the rate of 36 a month. Airbus would like to increase the rate further.

Airbus is in the process of increasing the production rate of long range aircraft from nine a month to 10 in 2013, with a plan to go to 11 by end of 2014.

“This depends on further developments on the EU-ETS carbon trade system, where a significant number of orders are on hold due to approval by the Chinese government,” said Butschek. “That will determine if we go for further rate increase in long haul aircraft.”

Production of the A380 is ramping up to a rate of three aircraft per month to keep to delivery obligations.

Mr Butschek Airbus COO said it was impossible to define how much of the additional rate could be achieved through further operational efficiency gains but that this was the core focus before further capital expenditure.  

“How much scope there is to improve production processes varies from plant to plant,” he said. “At Broughton [wing manufacture] the factory is already very lean. Yes there is still potential for being leaner here but perhaps there is greater potential in other plants. Of course there is no point in one factory having much higher rates of productivity of main components than another, because they must all come together on time to build an aircraft.”

Before joining Airbus in March 2011, Butschek worked for Mercedes-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and other car manufacturers in global locations covering the Netherlands, South Africa and China.

 

Based on the article “Ramp up is a challenge but recruitment is no problem, says Airbus boss” published in The Manufacturer

Challenges for ramp up: suppliers. Airbus´ different ways to support suppliers (1)

Airbus has cemented closer relationships with its suppliers, “most of which cannot be easily replaced” during the its latest output ramp up, says Mr Butschek, who stepped up to the COO job in June from Airbus head of operations.

In response to the all families order backlog, Airbus has introduced joint improvement programmes with its main suppliers which have technical capacity constraints. Specialists form joint project teams with suppliers, to explore the details of a project to seek “sustainable improved delivery performance”.

A more severe intervention is called a transformation project. “This is launched if we identify major constraints in the supplier’s capacity to respond to ramp up,” said Mr Butschek. “Deeper levels of operational support are provided, and we do make our support mandatory if required. It’s part of risk mitigation.”

There is usually no direct financial support, Mr Butschek said, “because the base assumption is that our suppliers are in a stable financial condition. They are normally in a position to fund their running operations and capacity increase independently.”

But he did not categorically rule out any financial support to key suppliers.

Based on the article “Ramp up is a challenge but recruitment is no problem, says Airbus boss” published in The Manufacturer

Air France set the first half of 2013 to agree with Rolls Royce and Airbus the #25 A350 XWB order

Air France-KLM Group, said it’s seeking to wrap up the purchase of #25 Airbus SAS A350 planes in the first half of 2013 as it pushes back a contract amid arguments over engine maintenance.

The airline had announced plans for the purchase of the wide-body aircraft in September/2011, together with the same number of 787. While the Boeing deal has been signed, Airbus is still waiting as Air France negotiates with engine supplier Rolls-Royce over maintenance.

“It’s reasonable to think that the talks on A350s will be concluded in the first half of 2013,” Alexandre de Juniac, Air France CEO said today at a briefing.

The French carrier is seeking to win work and preserve jobs at its Air France Industries division, one of a shrinking number of in-house aircraft servicing shops.

"The issue is service and maintenance. We have a solid engine maintenance operation and Rolls has a policy of doing the maintenance itself," said Alexandre de Juniac.

Air France-KLM, which is making heavy losses from its airline business, has its own maintenance and support division that is the only profitable part of the company. Air France wants “to be a player in the market of maintenance for these aircraft and their engines” as demonstrated in the recent inauguration of the 5.000 sq.m. new engine test cell facility at CDG-Paris Airport with an investment of €43 million.

“The test cell will enable Air France Engineering & Maintenance to cover the entire maintenance process for engines, such as the GE90-94/115 equipping Boeing 777s, the CFM56 power plants equipping A320/A340, the GP7200 engines equipping the A380, and has been designed to adapt to the engines that will equip future generations of aircraft”. For example, the 787 and A350 XWB.

Air France CEO in the new CDG engine test facility inaguration

 Rolls-Royce, the unique engine supplier for the A350 XWB, has been reluctant to grant third-party repair rights because maintenance contracts are more profitable than building the actual engines.

''Engine suppliers are loath to grant MRO rights to others. Engines are often sold at deep discounts, and in extreme cases, even given to airlines in exchange for the exclusive parts and MRO contracts. This is where the engine makers truly make their profits.''

It's worth remembering that Air France has yet to announce their engine choice for the 787 order and it could be the Rolls Royce choice to get an agreement with Europe’s biggest airline.

Based on the article “Air France Delays Airbus A350 Contract Amid Engine Upkeep Spat” published in Bloomberg and on the article “Air France invests €43 million in new CDG engine test cell facility” published in ATW



Beluga fleet has started preparing the A350 XWB ramp up; from current 5.000 hours per year to 10.000 in 2017

Beluga is the name of #5 modified A300- 600s that have a bulbous main-deck cargo area which enables the loading of complete fuselage sections and wings of all Airbus families aircraft (SA, LR and A350 XWB). A380 parts are transported mainly by sea and by road.

Hamburg,Toulouse, Getafe, Bremen, St. Nazaire, Filton, Nantes and Broughton are the production locations & final assembly lines where the Beluga flights are very familiar. For instance, the deliveries of various wing sets from Broughton take place daily, every week with up to 3 Belugas taking off and landing in each day.

Beluga loading operation in Broughton UK

The landing and also the loading activity are weather dependant and Beluga is limited by 30 knots winds when landing and 35 knots winds when opening the cargo door for the loading activity. The process of loading and unloading takes between 1hr 45min and 2hr with each Beluga currently flies 5000 hours per year.  (3 flights/day/aircraft with 12 hours of operation, 5days/week = 60 flights/week)

Due to the increased production rates a new project Fly 10000 has started implementing a program of 10.000 hours of flying per year. The turnaround time for the aircraft will be reduced to an optimum time of 1hr 30 min across all Airbus sites (5 flights/day/aircraft with 18 hours of operation, 6days/week = 120 flights/week).

courtesy of fo-meaulte

To reduce the effects of weather conditions on the loading process and improve the turnaround time, in all sites a new Beluga integrated line station will be built by 2014 where loading will take place inside a purpose built hangar.

 Each A350 XWB semiwing requires some Beluga flights from Getafe/Stade to Broughton, later to Bremen to finally fly to the FAL at Toulouse.

 This will ensure a ‘just in time’ program for the deliveries of various aircraft components to the FAL. Any delays in this process will have a detrimental effect on the FALs and could have a knock on effect on the FALs and subsequently on customer deliveries.

Vertical Stabilizer loaded in Hamburg in it´s way to the FAL

The Beluga is a large, heavy freight aircraft weighing approximately 150 tonnes. The aircraft's considerable cross section makes it a unique and challenging aircraft to fly. This is reflected by only the handful of Pilots who are sufficiently experienced to fly the Beluga. The large surface area of the cargo hold makes the aircraft particularly susceptible to crosswinds (which are frequent at all 4 sites mentioned especially during winter operations) which means it requires a long and stabilized approach to ensure landing accuracy.

 For a complete A350 XWB #46 flight hours of a Beluga are required while only #25h for a A330.

Special attention in Fly 1000 project is given to maintenance activities (to maximize availability and reliability of the fleet of Belugas), production sites (will be open 6 days/week with new loading stations) and new personnel requirements (pilots, engineers, operators will be allocated, from current 165 to 235 in 2015).

Aerolineas Argentinas considering A350 XWB order to be placed in 2013

Aerolineas Argentinas is in preliminary talks with Airbus and Boeing regarding an order for the A350-900 or 787-9 that could be placed in 2013, say executives in ALTA- Airline Leaders Forum in Panama City.

The Buenos Aires-based flag carrier is looking for a replacement of its A340 and planned A330 fleet by "the end of the decade", says Guillermo Rudaeff, vice-president of business development and alliances at Aerolineas.

Aerolineas Argentinas operates a widebody fleet of seven A340-300s and four A340-200s. Mariano Recalde, president of Aerolineas, said in August that the airline is looking for up to #4 used A330s to add to its fleet, to operate on north-south routes between Argentina and northern Latin America as well as North America.

Discussions with Airbus and Boeing began following a request for proposals (RFP) during the past month for new aircraft, including both widebody and narrowbody variants.

Rudaeff says that Aerolineas Argentinas -SkyTeam alliance member-  received "many responses" to the RFP but is focused on its future widebody fleet at the moment.

Based on the article “Aerolineas considering A350 or 787 order” published in FlightGlobal