Boeing Begins Assembling 3rd KC-46A Tanker Aircraft

By BA Staff

Boeing is assembling a third KC-46A test aircraft for the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation aerial refueling tanker program at the company’s Everett factory, keeping the program on schedule to complete production of four test aircraft by the third quarter of 2014.

Maureen Dougherty, Boeing vice president and KC-46 Tanker program manager said:

“In addition to the three KC-46A tankers now in production, our System Integration Labs are operational and we’re assembling a second boom. We remain on track to deliver the initial 18 KC-46A tankers by 2017.”

The KC-46A is based on the Boeing 767 commercial jetliner, a proven airframe in service as an airliner, freighter and tanker. Boeing has delivered more than 1,050 767s worldwide.

 Scott Campbell, vice president and general manager of the 767 program said:

"Our teams are maintaining their focus on quality and productivity as we move the first tankers through production."

The first test aircraft will roll out early next year. The first test flight of a fully provisioned KC-46A tanker is projected for early 2015, and the first delivery of a production aircraft to the Air Force is planned for early 2016. Boeing expects to build 179 tankers by 2027 if all options under the contract are exercised.

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Airbus's new US A320 final assembly facility is ready to take shape

Airbus has made marked progress on the construction of its new final assembly line (FAL) in the US at Mobile, Alabama. Find out more details below.

27th August 2013

Approximately 85 per cent of the more than 2,100 pilings of the final assembly line hangar and service building at the new Brookley Aeroplex site have been driven into the earth, providing a foundation that ensures the buildings and hangars   will be strong and resistant – capable of withstanding conditions that include hurricane-strength winds.  Following the completion of this activity, steelwork is planned to begin next month – during which the buildings’ frame, skin and roof will be constructed. 

“That’s when we will see this impressive new facility start to reach to the sky,” said Paul Gaskell, Airbus’ Deputy Project Leader and Head of the Project Management Office. 

In another construction milestone at Brookley Aeroplex, an 84-inch-diameter rainwater outflow drain – which is to carry away excess water gathered at the site, including from its new taxiways and ramp areas – was completed this month. 

Almost half of the construction and design contracts have been placed to date, involving many local companies selected by the Alabama-based Hoar Program Management – which is overseeing the construction for Airbus. The remaining contracts for internal outfitting of buildings, power systems, infrastructure, associated structures, landscaping and other tasks will be awarded by early next year.
For its latest A320 Family final assembly line, Airbus is voluntarily adhering to LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) standards that lower the facility’s environmental impact throughout its lifecycle. As an example of the steps to meet LEED compliance, material from a previously-existing taxiway currently under dismantlement at the Brookley Aeroplex airport site is being broken up for reuse at the new Airbus facility. 

The Mobile final assembly line will become Airbus’ fourth location worldwide where the popular A320 single-aisle family jetliners are built.  It is to join operations at Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany in Europe, as well as Tianjin, China. 

At full production rate, the U.S. site will employ as many as 1,000 high-skilled workers at the assembly line and associated facilities.

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The Airbus A350 XWB journey - behind the scenes videos

by Devesh Agarwal

Ahead of the first flight of the Airbus A350 XWB a set of videos from Airbus which gives us behind the scenes explanations on some aspects of the aircraft design, development, testing, manufacturing, and hand-over to the flight testing crew who will fly the aircraft today.

Like the Boeing 787, the A350 XWB heavily relies on composite materials to lighten the airplane. This video explains the use of composites in the A350. It is largely in French so you will have to follow the sub-titles.



The Final Assembly Line (FAL) is where all A350 airframes are built including the MSN (Manufacturer's Serial Number) 5000 series which were used for static testing on the ground, and MSN001 which will fly later today, god willing, weather permitting.



Prior to any form of flight, the airframe is tortured using special static testing rigs. Observe how the wing is flexed to a deflection of over 5.3 metres (17.38 ft), that is almost two floors of a building.



The first flyable prototype MSN001 is fitted with the Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines, the most powerful engine mounted on any Airbus airframe till date. Even more powerful than the Trent 900 engines on the A380; but then the A380 is powered by four engines, while the A350 is a twin jet.



The A350 XWB MSN001 is painted for flight.



After the first flyable prototype MSN001 is assembled, the manufacturing team turns the aircraft over to the flight test team, which accepts responsibility of the aircraft on behalf of the Engineering Division at Airbus. The flight test team then readies the aircraft and tests prior to the first flight.



MSN001 does not contain much of a passenger cabin. It is filled with mountains of test equipment.



The engines on MSN001 are powered up for the first time.



Fernando Alonso, who shares his name with the world champion Formula 1 Ferrari driver, joined Airbus in 1982 and is the head of Airbus Flight and Integration Test Centre. He will lead the flight test activities for Airbus.



Watch the A350 XWB first flight live.

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Images: Airbus moves complete first to fly A350XWB to next stage of ground testing

European airframer Airbus S.A.S. has released pictures of the first A350XWB – A350-900 MSN001 being moved from Roger Béteille A350 XWB final assembly line (FAL) “Station 30” to the Clément Ader area “Station 18” in Toulouse. These are the first pictures of the structurally complete flying prototype aircraft with its wings which include the new curved winglets. The belly fairing panels and the main landing gear doors are also seen.

Airbus A350-900 MSN001 emerges from the A350 XWB final assembly line. More pictures below the fold.

The aircraft has recently successfully completed a series of indoor ground tests including stability tests on ‘movable’ elements such as rudder, elevators, ailerons and wing spoilers and landing gears extraction and retraction.

The next steps which will take place outdoors at the Clément Ader area Station 18, will include three planned families of tests: Fuel tanks testing – including levels, flows, sealing and internal fuel transfer functions; pressure testing of the fuselage; and radio equipment testing.

Airbus is targeting the first flight of MSN001 by the middle of this year. The two Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines for the prototype have already been delivered to Toulouse and will be podded and installed on to the airframe later.

Earlier this month, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) awarded the Engine Type Certification to the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofan engines which will power the A350-800 and A350-900 variants. The higher thrust version of the Trent XWB for the A350-1000 is currently under development.

Rolls Royce Trent AWB engine on A380 FTB

The Trent XWB engine has been extensive tested on an Airbus’ A380 'Flying Test Bed' (FTB) aircraft since February 2012.

The A350 XWB is the all-new mid-size long range product line from Airbus, with advanced and composite technologies similar the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The A350-800, -900 and -1000 variants will seat between 270 and 350 passengers in typical three-class layouts, thus competing against the Boeing 787-9 and the venerable 777 models.

Airbus still has the A350 scheduled for entry-into-service (EIS) in 2014, though realistically one can expect some delays.

The new curved winglets can be seen on A350-900 MSN001. All images courtesy Airbus S.A.S.

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Photos: First wing for Airbus A350 XWB arrives at Toulouse assembly line

The first wing for the Airbus A350 XWB has arrived at the European airframer's final assembly line in Toulouse, France.

The A350 XWB wings are about 32 metres long and six metres wide, making them the biggest single civil aviation part made from carbon-fibre composite material. This wing, will not fly, but will be assembled on the A350 XWB airframe, which will be used for the ground static structural tests that all new aircraft undergo as part of their certification process.

All Airbus wings, including this one, are manufactured at the consortium's site in Broughton, United Kingdom.

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Photo: A350 XWB static airframe fuselage roll-out at the Airbus Final Assembly Line

MSN 5000 The first Airbus A350 XWB static airframe fuselage roll-out at the A350 Final Assembly Line in Toulouse, France.

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Photos: Airbus A350 XWB enters final assembly line

The first Airbus A350XWB entered the final assembly line at Toulouse earlier this week. Enjoy the photos which are courtesy Airbus S.A.S. Have a great weekend.

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VIDEO: Building an Airbus A330-200 and A330-200F. Time lapse from start to finish

Building an aircraft is the ultimately symphony of supply chain operations, bringing together millions of parts to the right place, at the right time, all the time.

So please enjoy these videos of one of the world's most popular aircraft being assembled. Have a great weekend.

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