Supply Chain is still the "very hot topic" for A350 Head of Program D.Evrard.

During the Innovation Days held on 12/June at Toulouse, Didier Evrard Head of A350 Program highlighted the high-pressure on the Supply Chain that Airbus is doing through the "supply chain improvement plan in place".

Source: Premium Aerotec

Most of the issues in terms of A350 production have been linked to suppliers not being ready and  Evrard expects suppliers will be significantly challenged, at least through next year. 

There are 213 suppliers in total over all commodities, including not only tier 1 but tier 2 and other suppliers.


Currently, 90% of the A350 suppliers are under standard surveillance by Airbus and have had some improvement initiatives put in place. 

Joint improvement plans are underway for 7.5% of suppliers, and 2.5% who are deemed as a very high risk to production efforts are undergoing a heavy-duty development and transformation regime. 


For these "very-critical suppliers", resident teams are performing a "very very rigorous process to allow transforming themselves" in terms of maturity.



Based on the article "New World" published in Aviation Week, and based on the presentation of Didier Evrard during the Innovation Days available here.

A350 Industrial Progress

During the Innovation Days held in Toulouse on 12/June, Airbus A350 Head of Program Didier Evrard presented the status of different workpackages and sections of the A350-900 on the pre-FALs in Europe to remark that the target is to be at rate3 by the end of 2014 and that the ramp-up has already started.

 http://theflyingengineer.com/2013/11/06/airbus-a350-msn-5-enters-fal/

Source: FlighGlobal

Considering that in the FAL at Toulouse, the final assembly of the MSN10 has started, this is a summary of the workpackages being assembled in each site:

Nantes                starting MSN39                 centre wing box and keel beam

St. Nazaire          starting MSN18                 centre fuselage and front fuselage

Broughton           starting MSN17                 wing box

Bremen               starting MSN11                 wing equipping

Hamburg             starting MSN18                 forward&aft fus, rear pressure bulkhd install

Stade                   starting MSN29                 aft fus upper shell, wing upper cover and VTP

Illescas                starting MSN38                 section 19, wing lower cover

Puerto Real         starting MSN24                 Horizontal Tail Plane box

Getafe                  starting MSN28                 section 19 assembly and Horizontal Tail plane

http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/a350-xwb-update-smart-manufacturing

Based on the presentation of Didier Evrard during the Innovation Days available here.

A350 Freighter variant and ultra-long-range variant

Currently that the discussion regarding the future of the A350-800 is on the table, here it is an old presentation from Airbus where the A350 family is positioned. 

http://www.fzt.haw-hamburg.de/pers/Scholz/dglr/hh/text_2007_09_20_A350XWB.pdf

Dated on 2007, a freighter variant and an Ultra-long-range variant were mentioned as future developments of the A350 family. Since then, these 2 variants have not been mentioned again.

Where is the A350 MSN4? It is on-ground for the last 30 days and it should be in Farnborough next month.

The MSN4 prototype, painted with Qatar Airways colors, has not flown since last month, on 27/May. It is planned to be the test-flight prototype that will be used to certify the avionics, but it is quite strange that it has been on-ground for one month, when the A350 prototypes have the “highest flying rate over achieved in Airbus flight test: average 80 Flight Hours per month and per aircraft”.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8509543@N03/14283384002/lightbox/

The MSN4 prototype F-WZNW has flown around 200 hours in 3 months, since it´s  first flight last 26/February.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8509543@N03/14257788184/lightbox/

This flight prototype will be next month in the Farnborough Air-Show.

A350 Terminal Servicing & Handling tests

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7272/14018401025_45daef173c_o_d.jpg

During the A350 certification test campaign, the MSN4 flight test prototype has been used to check and confirm typical ramp layouts. Airbus has tested in late-April at Toulouse airport  typical turn round scenarios  showing the various GSE items in position.

These ramp layouts show typical arrangements only. Each operator will have its own specific requirements/regulations for the positioning and operation on the ramp.

The Stand Safety Line -in red- delimits the Aircraft Safety Area (minimum distance of 7.50 m. from the aircraft). No vehicle must be parked in this area before complete stop of the aircraft (wheel chocks in position on landing gears)
  

The Full Servicing Turn Around Time TRT of the A350 is 61minutes as it is shown above.

Based on the Airbus' document "Aircraft Characteristics for Airport and Maintenance Planning"

A350 MSN5's First Flight video.

Airbus has released this video of the MSN5's First Flight where the FF preparation is shown. 

The MSN5 is the fifth flight-test prototype for the Type Certification Campaign.

Cabin fitted, it was airborne on 20/June.

All pictures are videocaptures ©Airbus

A350 XWB family-strategy and the A330neo. Will the A350-900 orders decrease if the A330neo is launched?

Vero Venia analizes in his blog what he called the “A350XWB strategy” now that the rumours about a possible A330neo launch become stronger everyday.

http://www.airbus.com/galleries/photo-gallery/#

Several years ago Airbus was promoting its A350XWB as the unique family that fulfils all kind of airlines’ requirements for the twin aisle market segment. Basically, they say that Boeing needs the 787 and the 777 to cover the same market.

The A350XWB strategy was set in 2006 and has been in execution since that date.

http://www.airbus.com/galleries/photo-gallery/#

 In simple words, if launched, the A330neo is clearly an admission of the failure of the famous “A350XWB strategy”. Finally, Airbus will admit that you can’t cover the twin aisle market with only one aircraft family.

“It does not mean that the A350 cannot sell well, but the overall strategy has just been proved to be a failure.”

http://www.airbus.com/galleries/photo-gallery/#

Vero Venia said: “Deep inside myself, I am still wondering how Airbus will address the 777 problem. The A350-1000 will not become a credible contender against the 777-9, not in its current form. Unfortunately, the A350-1000 itself is already a stretch too long for the A350-900, so stretching it further is only stretching a bad idea.”

If ever Airbus launches another aircraft to address the 400 seater market, then It means that the A350XWB strategy would become a double failure.

The big question is whether the total A350-900 order tally will remain at around 600 units or will it decrease slowly, especially if the A330neo is launched.

http://www.airbus.com/galleries/photo-gallery/#

He finishes the article with this conclusion: “I guess I have to be very patient before I get a clear answer because only time will tell.”

Interesting.

All pictures ©Airbus

Based on the article “Two Families” published by VeroVenia