4 years of engineering hard work using the “DMU as master” to close the A350 XWB MSN1 Digital Mock-Up before the first flight.

One month and a half before the first flight, the DMU (Digital Mock-Up) for the first flyable A350 XWB (MSN1) was closed. During 4 years since the first drawing -the pylon- was produced in April 2009, MSN1 definition has been generated using DMU as a unique master, shared by all teams at Airbus and suppliers.

More than 50.000 Definition Data Sets for airframe and additional 4.000 for Flight Test Installation has been produced from January/2012 until April/2013.

click in the picture to watch the video

The MSN1 DMU has allowed detecting and solving a very important number of design issues well in advance, drastically reducing the number of non conformities and corrections at the FAL, saving significant time.

In the DMU reviews of the different teams and workpackages during the development phase, a special focus on Zone Safety Analysis has enabled teams to reach a high level of design quality regarding safety.

phisical mock up in the past.

A mature DMU is the base to be prepared for the ramp up.

Etihad Airways buys 1 Airbus A350 FFS-Full Flight Simulator

Etihad Airways is doubling the capacity of its training academy by purchasing 7 full flight simulators, in a $200 million deal.

The deal with Canadian manufacturer CAE will see Etihad Airways take delivery of its first Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 FFS, and will support the airline’s growing training requirements.

In total Etihad Airways has ordered 3 Boeing 787 FFS, 1 Airbus A380 FFS, 1 Airbus A350 FFS, and 2 Airbus A320 FFS. All are CAE 7000 Series models. The airline currently has 4 CAE FFS: 1 Boeing 777, 1 Airbus A320 and 2 Airbus A330/340s.

The A350 Full Flight Simulator will arrive in 2014, in parallel to the EIS of the aircraft with the launch customer Qatar Airways. Etihad has an order for 12 A350-900 (plus options for additional 10) and an order for 42 Boeing 787-9; this is the reason they buy 3 FFS for 787 and only 1 for A350 XWB.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ president and CEO said: “The pilot training requirements for Etihad Airways, as well as members of our equity alliance, continue to grow and these new full flight simulators will ensure we are ideally placed for the next phase in our expansion. We place great emphasis on the efficiency of our operations and the safety of our passengers and this deal means we will be using the most advanced training technologies for the broadest range of aircraft types.”

The construction work at the training academy will double its size and eventually house 11 full flight simulators and be among the best in the world. The deal with CAE includes update services for the FFS and an exclusive 10-year agreement for training equipment and services. The flight training devices include CAE Simfinity Airbus Pilot Transition trainers and CAE Simfinity Integrated Procedures Trainers.



CAE will continue to update Etihad Airways’ existing four CAE-built FFS to the latest aircraft configurations and technology. The technology includes the latest generation CAE Tropos 6000 XR visual system.

Based on the article “Etihad Airways buys seven flight simulators for $200m“ published in Khaleej Times

A350 XWB maximun production rate of 13 aircraft / month.

Airbus plans to produce the A350 at a rate of at least 13 per month. “This confirms a long-reported rumor we’ve heard but which Airbus would never acknowledge.” wrote Leeham News. The confirmation came from presenter ElectroImpact, which is headquartered in Everett and has a major facility in Broughton, Wales, where it makes wings for the A380 and A350. The A350 facility was built with a capacity for 13 A350s per month.

Airbus has only acknowledged its production plans call for 10 per month within four years of entry-into-service (2H2014). Consideration to creating a second A350-1000 production line is underway and has been publicly promoted by John Leahy, COO Customers. No timeline for the decision has been specifically set, though it may come by year end.

With current orders-ratio of the 3 members of the family (A350-800; 89 orders. A350-900; 444 orders and A350-1000; 145), the 13 aircraft maximun production rate per month splitted by models should be:

• A350-800; 1 aircraft per month
• A350-900; 9 aircraft  per month
• A350-1000; 3 aircraft per month

Airbus parent EADS is pushing for more U.S. sourcing to take advantage of the fact that it sells aircraft in dollars, to diversify its own risk away from over-reliance on Europe, and to tilt the U.S. political calculus in its favor.

Currently Airbus buys directly from at least 25 aerospace suppliers in Washington, including big names like Exotic Metals, Fatigue Technology, Panasonic and Electroimpact, all of which have significant technological skills to offer Airbus. “Airbus isn’t just looking for inexpensive parts, but also for better ways of building aircraft. Our primary role is to find technologies and suppliers we feel can add value to the EADS supply chain,” said Keith Ellis, director of procurement quality and supplier development and the unique Airbus´s representative living in Washington. “We need to know you have the capacity to do the work, and define the risk levels,” he said in a meeting attended by 125 representatives of aerospace supply companies. “We’re very key on risk management. We're very interested in how you manage your supply chain.”



Based on the article “Airbus comes to Washington offering work to Boeing suppliers” published in the Puget Sound Business Journal.

Differences when repairing the fuselage of the 787 (barrels) and the A350 XWB (panels)

Boeing may be breathing a sigh of relief that a fire onboard an empty Ethiopian Airlines 787 Dreamliner in London had nothing to do with the jet's lithium ion batteries, but now it faces a new challenge.

The Dreamliner is the first commercial plane with a composite fuselage, and the company is learning that the design — considered a boon because it makes the plane lighter and more efficient — could also make it more difficult to repair.

The company would not comment on the specifics of damage and repairs to the Ethiopian 787, citing the ongoing investigation, but a spokesperson told us it has "demonstrated designs and processes for composite repairs making it no more difficult than similar size repairs on metal airplanes."

Those processes are about to be put to the test, putting the plane maker in new territory.

In a post for Composites World, Jeff Sloan writes that the Ethiopian aircraft will require "possibly, one of the largest composite repair projects in aerospace industry."

He adds: “And because the fire burned from the inside out, repairing the fire-damaged fuselage is not as simple as cutting away the damaged skin section and fashioning a patch. Stringers and other sub-skin structures must be assessed, replaced and tested — all a first for Boeing.”



Barrels versus panels.

Things are further complicated by Boeing's decision to manufacture sections of the fuselage as full barrels, instead of the usual way, in panels that are joined together. That choice, Boeing has said, reduces the number of parts on the plane and improves aerodynamic performance.

Jon Ostrower at the Wall Street Journal notes that during the early days of 787 manufacturing, Boeing suppliers sometimes had to throw out entire barrels that were flawed, when repairs cost too much money.

787 fuselage barrels

For the Ethiopian aircraft, he adds, the full replacement of the damaged barrel may require "new tools to remove the entire tail of the jet and reattach and align all the parts."

Airbus, which is currently testing its own jetliner with a composite fuselage, the A350, stuck with the conventional panel method. Last month, we asked A350 communication manager Eric Ezell why Airbus didn't follow Boeing's example. He explained that using panels gives workers more room to maneuver during the construction process, and makes the plane easier to repair if necessary.

A350 XWB fuselage panels and barrel in the section 19

Considering Boeing's current predicament, it was a prescient decision.

Boeing, however, is adamant that the benefits of composites outweigh this sort of difficulty. Asked if this latest problem makes Boeing reconsider their use, a spokesperson said "Not at all."



Based on the article “Here's Why Damage To The 787 Dreamliner Is So Difficult To Repair” published in Business insider.

John Leahy attacks the 787: “it is obvious the 787 is not reliable and it´s systems are not mature”

The Boeing 787 "Dreamliner", which recorded several incidents since the beginning of the year, is not "reliable", said last Friday John Leahy, interviewed by the press.

Airbus has abruptly changed tone on the setbacks of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to its American competitor. "It seems obvious that this aircraft is not reliable and that its systems are not mature," said on Friday the COO Customers John Leahy, on the sidelines of the ceremony of delivery of the 1000th A330 to Cathay Pacific.

"What they have is an architecture that is not mature. This will take lots of time, lots of money and many flight cancellations. And maybe the rethink a few systems on board", he added.



Incidents are multiplying on the Boeing 787, which are the subject of media attention special since they took over the service end of April.

(The artist wrote Airbus in the Boeing aircraft)

Last week, a 787 operated by Ethiopian Airlines caught fire at Heathrow Airport (Great Britain). It was parked and empty. Since they started to fly off their devices after almost four months of interruption, Japanese Japan Airlines and ANA (the largest user of 787) have experienced a dozen incidents that were sometimes forced to cancel flights.





Based on the article “Un responsable d'Airbus envoie un scud sur le Boeing 787, un avion pas fiable" published in L'Expansion

The second flight test aircraft MSN3 will join the test campaign from 30/Sep

While the MSN1 is now undergoing a routine maintenance and its flight test equipment is being upgraded, the MSN3 is completing it´s stage in the station 30.

In parallel to the MSN1 resuming the flight tests in the first weeks of August, the second flight test aircraft—MSN3—will be moved to the painting shop and to the station 20 for the engines installation.

MSN1 in the painting shop

MSN3 will be fitted with heavy flight test instrumentation and will be used for performance, high altitude, hot and cold weather testing, as well as systems and powerplant tests.



Based on the article “Airbus A350 XWB clears flight envelope trials” published in Routes Online

Kuwait Airways signs initial agreement with Airbus for 10+5 A350 XWB.

Kuwait Airways chairman and managing director, Sami Abdullatif al Nesif, said that the company has signed an initial agreement with Airbus to purchase 25 new aircraft, reports Muscat Daily.



The agreement will include purchasing 10 A350- 900 with an option to select purchasing 5 additional aircraft of the same type or A350- 1000 as well as 15 small size aircraft A320Neo with option to select purchasing five additional aircraft of the same type or A321Neo.

The delivery will start in 2019. Analyst Saj Ahmad said: “Kuwait Airways long awaited plans to procure new narrow and wide bodied jets is a step in the right direction. The leased A330s coming on stream will certainly aid the airline in dispensing with its ageing and gas-guzzling A300, A310 and A340 fleets, which frankly are the biggest fuel bill burn the carrier has.

“Alongside that, Kuwait Airways is no doubt acutely aware that its regional rivals have left it in the shade and for them to gain momentum, let alone parity is a tall ask. Having new airplanes doesn't mean you will automatically makes money - just ask the likes of Air India.”



Ahamad added: “Kuwait Airways has it all to do - with pressure from the big Arab Three, the likes of Air Arabia and flydubai destroying its market share and Jazeera Airways continuing to grow their presence at Kuwait Airport, Kuwait Airways has to match its new fleet with a new strategy to ensure long term stability and financial strength."



Based on the article “Kuwait Airways signs initial agreement with Airbus for 25 aircraft” published in Arabian Aerospace.