Automatic stringers placement on the A350 fuselage section with Six Degrees of Freedom laser trackers.

Within the last decade, laser trackers have improved greatly in functionality. One of the most significant improvements is the ability for a laser tracker to measure in a full Six Degrees of Freedom, or 6DoF. This capability allows robot manufacturers to correct the end effector of the robot during a calibration cycle with less poses, but it has also opened up new possibilities. 

http://www.hexagonmetrology.com/Premium-Aerotec---Nordenham_1543.htm

In the past when using a traditional 3-D laser tracker, multiple positions had to be measured to calculate the tooling center point (TCP) in 6D space. Now by using a 6DoF laser tracker, it is possible to know the exact location of the end effector in 6D space in real time. This innovation removes the need for robot calibration completely as the tracker can monitor and correct the position of the end effector in real time without the need to worry about what the robot is doing in “joint space.”

http://www.automationspraxis.de/automotive/-/article/33568397/38718972/Airbus-Montage%3A-Laser-Tracker-korrigiert-exakte-Roboter-Position/art_co_INSTANCE_0000/maximized/

This advanced technology was recently applied at Premium Aerotec (Nordenahm, Germany) to automate the process of placing stringers for the fuselage section of the Airbus A350 XWB. Because the stringers were up to 18 meters long, the specified absolute accuracy of the robots being used still were not accurate enough to place them correctly. The team was only able to meet their stringent accuracy requirements by correcting the robots in real time based on feedback from the 6DoF Absolute laser tracker.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47086222@N03/13974028596/lightbox/

Automated cells based on robots and mobile measurement systems are no longer viewed as futuristic, and these implementations have grown substantially in a worldwide scale. As a result of this intelligence, a variety of manufacturers and industries are investigating their processes with fresh eyes, setting their sights on areas where measurement and inspection automation can play a vital role. In the midst of a paradigm shift, manufacturing history is changing right before our eyes. 

Based on the article “Metrology Automation is Here and Now” published in Quality magazine.

Qatar Airways plans Doha-Perth (Australia) ultra long-haul route with A350s in 2015.

Qatar Airways will fly its new Airbus A350 to Perth in early 2015 as one of the launch routes for the next-generation jetliner, according to airline CEO Akbar Al Baker.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47086222@N03/14005004923/lightbox/

Speaking at a press conference at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai last week, Al Baker said that the current daily Perth-Doha Boeing 777 service would be upgraded to the new Airbus A350 "in early 2015, I hope."

Al Baker said that Perth was chosen both for being an "ultra long-haul route" from Qatar's Doha hub as well as for its importance as Australia's "mineral resources capital."

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47086222@N03/14061036142/lightbox/

"Perth will not be the launch route for the A350 but it will be one of the first ultra long-haul routes that we will operate" he added.

Qatar previously intended to run a Boeing 787 Dreamliner onto the Perth-Doha route from 1/February/2013, but cancelled those plans just 2 weeks shy of the launch when the Boeing 787 was grounded around the world.

https://www.facebook.com/PerpignanSpotting

However, Al Baker admitted that the long Perth-Doha flight would have been towards the edge of the operating range of the early model Boeing 787-8s which were ordered without the necessary crew rest.

By comparison, he said, the flight "can comfortably be flown by an Airbus A350 which is designed for these ultra long-haul routes."

Based on the article “Qatar Airways CEO promises Airbus A350 for Perth in early 2015” published in Australian Business Traveller

Spirit AeroSystems preparing for A350 ramp-up. 2nd autoclave and 440 employees in Kinston.

Spirit AeroSystems Composite Center of Excellence in Kinston has boosted its employee base to 440 people in recent months with more prospective hires in training.

http://www.kinston.com/news/local/bike-to-the-future-1.303934

Spirit AeroSystems builds the composite center fuselage section and front wing spar for the A350 XWB. Those assemblies are then to be shipped to Spirit’s facilities in St. Nazaire, France, and Prestwick, Scotland for assembly and delivery to Airbus.

At build-out, the Kinston plant is expected to employ more than 1,000 workers.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/63651768@N08/6419451199

Spirit also recently confirmed that it is building a second big autoclave at the Kinston facility that will be used to cure large aerostructure components. “The autoclave was added to support increased production rates for our customer,” says Jarrod Bartlett, a spokesman for Wichita, Kan.-based Spirit Aerosystems. “The addition represents a significant investment in the Spirit Kinston facility and continued strong demand for commercial airplanes.”

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47086222@N03/14018858854/lightbox/

 

Based on the article “Spirit AeroSystems invests in more people, equipment in Kinston for Airbus orders” published in Triangle Business Journal

A350 certification by EASA looking at the end of the summer.

Airbus is on track to get safety certification for its A350, by "the end of the summer" as planned, Europe's top air safety regulator said on Wednesday last week.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47086222@N03/13981833131/lightbox/

Airbus has said tests are going well on the A350.

"We are still looking at the end of the summer," said Patrick Ky, executive director of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47086222@N03/14015198641/lightbox/

EASA is seen likely to certify the jet at the end of August or in early September so that Airbus can deliver the A350 to its first customer, Qatar Airways, around the end of the year.

 

Based on the article “Airbus set for A350 safety approval in late summer: EASA” published in Reuters.

A350 makes a big splash

Airbus has successfully performed certification testing to demonstrate the A350’s ability to operate on wet runways. During these tests at Istres, France, the MSN4, travelled through troughs containing at least 22mm of water depth, at a variety of speeds, starting at 60kts, and successively increasing to around 140kts.

pic.twitter.com/rY5nk6taHg

This test validates how the aircraft would behave on a very rain-soaked runway, and verifies that neither the water under the aircraft nor the spray generated by the nose landing gear will enter the engines or APU.

For the test, the “water trough” was created by applying to the runway’s surface grooves and rubber strips inserted in the grooves to retain the water. This pool measured 100m long by 29m wide.

 pic.twitter.com/BEhe7x7LBN 

The aircraft performed several runs as planned in order to test various cases, including the use of reverse thrust. The results will be analysed by the Airbus Design Office, which will extrapolate them to predict a variety of typical operational scenarios.

Based on the press release “A350 XWB MSN004 successfully undertakes water ingestion tests at Istres”

A350 fifth flight-test aircraft goes to the paint-shop.

The MSN5 prototype has entered the paint shop in order to be painted in the same black&white scheme as the MSN2, that is fitted with cabin interior too.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49477547@N04/13955904400/lightbox/

This prototype has the engines not installed yet and it is planned that will airborne in one month more or less.

Philippine Airlines evaluating A350

After the lifting of flight restrictions to the United States, Philippine Airlines is now considering its options for the expansion of its long-haul fleet. According to PAL President Ramon Ang, expanding the fleet would enable the carrier to launch new destinations and switch to more fuel efficient aircraft.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Philippine-Airlines/Airbus-A319-112/2422290/L/&sid=cf6c7752ea8a4a1df2323a91a356eb3c

In a text message with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Ang confirmed that Philippine Airlines was currently studying whether to lease or acquire additional Boeing 777 aircraft, which has enough capacity and range to serve both Europe and the United States. The carrier is also evaluating the long-range Airbus A350 aircraft.

Philippine Airlines already has 6 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in its fleet that are set to replace the ageing Boeing 747-400 aircraft that currently travel from Manila to Los Angeles and San Francisco. PAL's flights to the United States usually have strong load factors except during off-peak months as the country is home to the largest population of overseas Filipino workers with an estimated 3 million currently residing in the country.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Philippine-Airlines/Airbus-A340-313/2410693/L/&sid=9d1ee0563367082387c1c17140fa686e

The Philippines was downgraded in 2008 by the United States to the Category 2 air safety rating preventing PAL from launching new routes or switching aircraft types on its existing routes.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Philippine-Airlines/Boeing-777-3F6-ER/2410143/&sid=9d1ee0563367082387c1c17140fa686e

This forced the airline to use the Boeing 777 fleet on routes to Canada, Australia, and Japan instead of its original plan to fly to the United States. However, now that Category 2 status has been lifted, the airline can now continue with its original plan to deploy its Boeing 777 fleet to the US.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Philippine-Airlines/Airbus-A340-313/2410446/&sid=9d1ee0563367082387c1c17140fa686e

Philippine Airlines placed a $9.5 billion order with Airbus in 2012 to acquire 64 new aircraft. However, the aircraft do not have the range capability to serve destinations in the United States and most of Europe. PAL currently has 9 A340 aircraft in its fleet that can handle long range routes. However, the aircraft are considered dated and fuel inefficient with poor in-flight entertainment.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Philippine-Airlines/Airbus-A330-343/2385675/L/&sid=9d1ee0563367082387c1c17140fa686e

According to the Centre for Aviation, although PAL is debating between the A350 and Boeing 777, the airline would need to wait longer if it chooses the newer A350 as delivery slots are hard to attain. "The acquisition of additional 777-300ERs through leases or new orders becomes more likely as it remains the preferred type for US routes," said CAPA.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Philippine-Airlines/Boeing-747-469M/2406479/L/&sid=9d1ee0563367082387c1c17140fa686e

Meanwhile, the restoration of Category 1 status has created new opportunities in South Korea for PAL Express as the carrier can now use the 3,000 weekly seats that was originally allocated to it. Category 2 status prevented the expansion of local carriers in South Korea, the largest inbound tourist market for the Philippines.

Based on the article “Philippine Airlines explores long-haul fleet options” published in Philippine Flight Network