Airbus and XAC sign wing agreement
02 / 02 / 2009
AIRBUS has signed an agreement with the Xian Aircraft Industry Company (XAC) of China to equip the wing for its A320 family. The wings will be assembled and tested in Tianjin. Assembly will be at the Final Assembly Line in China (FALC), tested at a new facility nearby, specially built by XAC, and then sent back to FALC for final assembly.
Wing equipping operations are expected to start at the end of 2009, followed by the first delivery of a fully equipped set of wings in the first quarter of 2010. The production rate will then be increased to two units per month by the end of 2010 and four units per month by the end of 2011.
“With this project, Airbus is fulfilling its support to the co-operation agreement regarding A320 China wing manufacture,” said Brian Fleet Airbus Senior Vice President, Wing and Pylon Centre of Excellence. “Having this facility so close to the FALC is the most efficient industrial solution. It will save transportation costs, reduce lead-time and risks in handling, and ensures quicker response time to our customers.
XAC is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Aviation Industry Corporation.
