A350 XWB Photo: Airbus

Spirit AeroSystems and Airbus officially open high-tech composite manufacturing facility in Kinston, N.C.

1 July 2010

Spirit AeroSystems Inc., (NYSE: SPR) the world’s largest independent supplier of commercial airplane assemblies and components, today formally opened its new 500,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Kinston, N.C.

A350 XWB and Spirit AeroSystems manufacturing facility in Kinston, N.C., USA. Courtesy of Airbus

Employees at the facility will design and manufacture the composite center fuselage upper and lower shells (section 15) and front wing spar for the Airbus A350 XWB aircraft using state-of-the-art technology and processes.
Design work has been underway for approximately two years, and the manufacturing process will begin immediately.

Spirit announced in May 2008 that it would expand its operations in the United States and build this new facility in Lenoir County, North Carolina. The company broke ground for the facility on Sept. 15, 2008. Photo: Spirit AeroSystems

The ceremony was hosted by Spirit President and CEO Jeff Turner, and Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders.
Other special guests included Governor Beverly Perdue, along with numerous community partners from around the region and state.

Tom Enders, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. Photo: Airbus

“We are proud of what Spirit has achieved over the last two years and honoured to have been invited to Kinston to witness the opening of this high-tech facility. Here at the Kinston plant an important part of our all new A350 XWB will be manufactured,” said Tom Enders, Airbus president and CEO.
“Our cooperation with Spirit is an example of how Airbus is growing its partnerships in the United States, both supporting jobs and contributing to the American economy,” he added.

Spirit AeroSystems formally opened its new 500,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Kinston, N.C., on July 1, 2010. Employees at the facility will design and manufacture the composite center fuselage section and front wing spar for the Airbus A350 XWB aircraft using state-of-the-art technology and processes. Photo: Spirit AeroSystems

“The Kinston community has been more than welcoming to Spirit,” said Dan Wheeler, vice president/general manager, North Carolina Business Unit.
“From the announcement and groundbreaking in 2008, to the occupancy ceremony in April, to the grand opening today, it’s been a challenging yet rewarding experience for everyone involved. We can’t wait to begin producing quality components for Airbus at this site.”

Jeff Turner, Spirit president and CEO. Photo: Spirit AeroSystems

“We’ve been anticipating this day for quite some time,” said Jeff Turner, Spirit president and CEO.
“I’m proud of our team for many reasons, including staying on-track with the development of this facility as well as reaching critical milestones for this program. The innovative design/build process we’ve created will undoubtedly bring value to our customer.”

Photo: Airbus

Initial employment is on track to exceed 200 by the end of the year, and will grow to about 700 over the next few years on the Airbus work statement alone.
Reaching the total employment goal of 1,000 will require placing additional work at this site.

Photo: Spirit AeroSystems

Spirit won a contract with Airbus in May 2008 to design and produce the A350 XWB’s composite fuselage structure, known as Section 15, which will be approximately 65 feet long, 20 feet wide and weigh nearly 9,000 pounds.

Photo: Spirit AeroSystems

The company also will produce the front spar for the aircraft’s wings at the Kinston plant.
The spar is a wing structure made of nearly 100 percent composite material, weighs more than 2,000 pounds, and measures approximately 105 feet long.

The front spar will be shipped to Spirit’s UK operations in Prestwick, Scotland, for integration into the wing leading edges before being shipped to Airbus for final assembly. Photo: Spirit AeroSystems

Fuselage components designed and manufactured in North Carolina will be shipped across the Atlantic, received at Spirit’s new facility in Saint-Nazaire, France, and assembled before being transported to Airbus as “Section 15.”

The front spar will be shipped to Spirit’s UK operations in Prestwick, Scotland, for integration into the wing leading edges before being shipped to Airbus for final assembly.

The front spar will be shipped to Spirit’s UK operations in Prestwick, Scotland, for integration into the wing leading edges before being shipped to Airbus for final assembly. Photo: Spirit AeroSystems

The A350 XWB Family is Airbus’ response to widespread market demand for a series of highly efficient medium-capacity long-range wide-body aircraft. With a range of up to 8,300nm / 15,400km, it is available in three basic passenger versions.

Photo: Spirit AeroSystems

Moreover, it has the widest fuselage in its category, offering unprecedented levels of comfort, the lowest operating costs and lowest seat-mile cost of any aircraft in this market segment.

Powered by new-generation Rolls-Royce Trent engines, the A350 XWB Family is designed to confront the challenges of high fuel prices, rising passenger expectations, and environmental constraints.

Courtesy of Airbus

Firm orders for the A350 XWB now stand at 530 from 33 customers worldwide.

Airbus is the largest export customer of US aerospace.
With an investment of over $10 billion per year, Airbus spends over 40 percent of its aircraft-related procurement in the U.S and supports over 180,000 jobs.


http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/press-release/?tx_ttnews%5BpS%5D=1278080353&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=4252&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1683&cHash=159e513019  

A350 XWB: Shaping Efficiency

The A350 XWB (eXtra Wide-Body) is an all new family of midsized wide-body airliners to shape the efficiency of medium-to-long haul airline operations from 2013 onwards, overcoming the challenges of volatile fuel prices, matching rising passenger expectations and addressing increasing environmental concerns.

A350 XWB Project Photo: Airbus

The A350 XWB Family consists of three passenger versions with true long-range capability of flying around 8300nm/15,380km. In a typical three-class configuration, the A350-800 will offer 270 seats while the A350-900 and the A350-1000 will offer 314 and 350 seats respectively.
All members of the family can be configured for higher density layouts of up to 440 seats.

The baseline, the A350-900 design, was frozen in December 2008 and remains well on track for entry-into-service in 2013.
The smallest member of the family, the A350-800 will enter service in 2014.
Completing the family, the A350-1000 is the largest of the three models and will enter service in 2015.

A350 XWB Project Photo: Airbus

The A350 XWB Family is the ideal replacement for like-size current generation aircraft and an attractive solution for any 747 operator seeking to consolidate future long-range services around a single aircraft family.
Airbus forecasts a demand over the next 20 years for some 5,800 new twinaisle passenger aircraft.


Efficiency by design


The A350 XWB brings together the very latest in aerodynamics, design and advanced
technologies to provide a 25 per cent step change in fuel efficiency compared to its current long-range competitor.

A350 XWB Project Photo: Airbus

Over 70 per cent of the A350 XWB’s weight-efficient airframe is made from advanced materials combining composites (53 per cent), titanium and advanced aluminium alloys.

The aircraft’s innovative all-new Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) fuselage results in lower fuel burn as well as easier maintenance.

A350 XWB Project Photo: Airbus

The A350 XWB benefits from Airbus’ high level of expertise in incorporating composite material into its aircraft which is based on a methodical and evolutionary approach and the consequent experience gained over many years.


Efficiency in motion


The A350 XWB offers a very quiet and extremely comfortable cabin.
At 220 inches/5.58 meters from armrest to armrest, the cabin provides the widest seats in its category, being five inches/12.7cm wider compared to its nearest competitor.

A350 XWB Project Photo: Airbus

With up to 35 more seats than their closest competitors, the A350 XWB offers, across all models, a potential revenue advantage of up to 10 per cent.

Passengers will enjoy more headroom, wider panoramic windows, and larger overhead storage space. Crews will be able to relax when off-duty in extremely comfortable crew rest compartments located in the crown area, well outside the revenue generating cabin space.


Efficiency by Nature


Airbus recognises the need for the sustainable development of air travel. The environment will benefit from the efficiency inherent in the A350 XWB Family.

A350 XWB Photo: Airbus

Next generation Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines and state-of-the-art aerodynamics help reduce emissions well below current and anticipated future regulatory levels.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per passenger will be up to 25% lower than with current generation aircraft in this category and exterior noise levels will be as much as 16 EPNdB (Effective Perceived Noise Decibel) below ICAO Chapter 4 requirements.

The A350 XWB Family will shape the future of air travel.


http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/  

About Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.

Based in Wichita, Kan., Spirit AeroSystems is the world's largest independent supplier of commercial airplane assemblies and components.

In addition to its Kansas facility, Spirit has locations in Tulsa and McAlester, Okla.; Kinston, N.C.; Prestwick, Scotland; Samlesbury, England; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and is developing a new manufacturing facility in Saint-Nazaire, France.

Photo: Spirit AeroSystems

In the U.S., Spirit's core products include fuselages, pylons, nacelles and wing components.

Photo: Spirit AeroSystems

Additionally, Spirit provides aftermarket customer support services, including spare parts, maintenance/repair/overhaul, and fleet support services in North America, Europe and Asia.

Spirit Europe produces wing components for a host of customers, including Airbus.

About Airbus

Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer whose customer focus, commercial know-how, technological leadership and manufacturing efficiency have propelled it to the forefront of the industry.

With revenues of over 28 billion euros in 2009, Airbus today consistently captures about half of all commercial airliner orders.
The company also continues to broaden its scope and product range by applying its expertise to the military market.

Photo: Airbus

Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is owned by EADS.
It is a truly global enterprise of some 52,000 employees, with fully-owned subsidiaries in the United States, China, Japan and in the Middle East, spare parts centres in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Washington, Beijing and Singapore, training centres in Toulouse, Miami, Hamburg and Beijing and more than 150 field service offices around the world.

Airbus also relies on industrial co-operation and partnerships with major companies all over the world, and a network of some 1,500 suppliers in 30 countries.

Airbus draws together the skills and expertise of 15 sites in France, Germany, Spain and the UK. Each site produces a complete section of the aircraft, which is then transported to the Airbus final assembly lines in Toulouse, Hamburg or Tianjin.

Airbus’ industrial network has been expanded to include a regional design office in North America, a joint venture engineering centre in Russia and further engineering centres in the People’s Republic of China and India.


http://www.airbus.com/en/aircraftfamilies/a350  


ASTROMAN Magazine – 23.01.2010

Airbus achieves record aircraft deliveries in 2009

http://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=648