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Final Assembly and tests

Transport of major aircraft sections Test programme and certification 

A bit of history

The milestone A300 jetliner was produced at Airbus’ Toulouse, France final assembly line
The milestone A300 jetliner was produced at Airbus’ Toulouse, France final assembly line

Airbus’ initial final assembly line (FAL) was established in Toulouse for the A300/A310. In addition to hosting the company’s headquarters, the southern French city was home to a readily available, skilled aerospace workforce.  Production flexibility designed into the final assembly line from its inception enabled Airbus to build on the success of the  A300 version by using the same assembly jigs and tooling to build the shorter-fuselage, longer-range A310. It enabled slots on the same assembly line to be assigned to either the A300 or A310, depending on market demand. 

This built-in flexibility became the foundation for Airbus’ approach of developing families of aircraft that incorporate significant commonality and can be built on a common assembly line.

building on success: the A320 FAL

A320 Family jetliners are produced at three Airbus final assembly lines: Toulouse, France; Hamburg, Germany and Tianjin, China.
A320 Family jetliners are produced at three Airbus final assembly lines: Toulouse, France; Hamburg, Germany and Tianjin, China.

Toulouse also became home to Airbus’ initial assembly line for the A320 Family, which was later supplemented by a second facility in Hamburg to meet high output demand for Airbus’ best-selling aircraft. The two single-aisle lines were joined in 2009 by a third in Tianjin, China – the first Airbus assembly line to be located outside of Europe.  The Toulouse FAL builds A320s; Hamburg has responsibility for the A318, A319, A320 and A321, while Tianjin assembles A319s and A320s.

A final assembly line is organised by stations, each performing a specific task in the aircraft’s assembly and systems testing. A320 fuselages arrive at the line in two segments, which are joined at station 41, beginning the aircraft build-up sequence.  The completed, joined fuselage is lifted into duplicated positions, designated stations 40 and 35, where the two wings are mated and engine pylons and landing gear fitted.

A320 Family jetliners then move to a multi-purpose bay for system tests, and the aircraft is readied for cabin installation.  This clears the way for the final operations: engine installation, fuel and pressurization tests, painting, engine run-up and flight testing, followed by aircraft acceptance and delivery.

Assembling the Long-range A330/A340

A330/A340: Learning from experience. Airbus applied its experience with the A300/A310 and A320 to create a technically advanced, streamlined final assembly line for the A330/A340 long-range family of aircraft, located in a purpose-built facility in Toulouse. Only two final assembly jigs are needed to build up either the twin-engine A330 or the four-engine A340. 

The A330/A340 FAL also is built around the ‘station’ principal. Station 40 the aircraft's outer wings are joined to the centre fuselage and wing. This activity is highly automated, using eight robots that are situated on either side of the fuselage and above/below the wing.  At Station 35, the jetliner’s three fuselage sections are riveted together, along with installation of the horizontal and vertical stabilizers, landing gear with wheels, and engine pylons.  This process is assisted by four robots which move around the fuselage on orbital railways. 

The aircraft are then transferred on their own wheels to a large area called Station 30, where four long-range jetliners can be accommodated simultaneously.  This is where systems are connected and tested, with ground mechanics conducting some 85 system validations.  The mechanics go from aircraft to aircraft in Station 30, rather than having the aircraft move to different positions. 

Next, completed A330/A340s are moved outside the final assembly hanger for fuel and pressurization systems testing. The aircraft’s engines are then installed and its cabin are fitted before painting, engine run-up and flight testing, all of which precede aircraft acceptance and delivery,

Toulouse is the home as well for Airbus’ A380 FAL – a massive facility that provides 150,000 square metres of assembly area for the flagship double-deck jetliner. 

Airbus’ newest final assembly line, for the A350 XWB, is now taking shape in Toulouse.  Designed with eco-efficiency in mind, this 74,000-square-metre facility will house the initial stages of final assembly, involving the join-up of fuselage and wings. 

A streamlined aircraft assembly process for the A350 XWB will allow teams to work in parallel, reducing the time from start of final assembly to aircraft delivery by 30 per cent.

Focus: how is an A380 assembled?

The A380’s industrial process at final assembly in Toulouse follows a north-south axis. Aircraft sections arrive at the north of the Jean-Luc Lagardère plant from Langon by road.

Each aircraft arrives in six sections on six trucks:  front fuselage, central fuselage, aft fuselage, tailplane and both wings. The components are then unloaded by self-propelling vehicles and taken to the assembly line.

Click on the image to play the time lapse video that condenses the A380’s final assembly process into just minutes in this clip, which provides a unique look at how the world’s largest passenger airliner is built and painted.

A380 general assembly

Airbus’ final assembly lines are organised by stations, with each performing a specific task in the aircraft’s production and systems testing
Airbus’ final assembly lines are organised by stations, with each performing a specific task in the aircraft’s production and systems testing

The A380 assembly process takes place on a single combined station (a section of the assembly line dedicated to performing a specific task) where all operations except for engine installation are carried out. Representing over one third of an aircraft’s value, engines are among the last components to be fitted to the A380 in order to reduce inventory cost.

When all sections have been positioned, a  tool jig  - an enormous scaffold - surrounds the aircraft for the assembly process: junction of the three fuselage sections, the wings, the horizontal and vertical stabilisers, engine pylons, landing gear and electric racks.

The aircraft is entirely assembled at this first station, apart from the engines which will be installed at the second work station, known as Station 30. Once assembly is complete, the aircraft is towed outside of the hall and back into one of the three modular stations to undergo a series of general tests.

General tests for the A380

A series of general tests are carried out at three identical ‘Station 30s’: electric and hydraulic systems; onboard computer; mobile parts; and landing gear. Fuel tanks are also tested for leaks; finally, the A380’s four engines are put in place. Airbus offers customers a choice of two engine types.

The aircraft is towed to the south of the Lagardère assembly hall for engine testing at the run-up facility. Then it performs its first test flight.

Painting and cabin furnishing

At the eco-efficient A380 paint shop in Hamburg, Germany, electrostatic guns keep paint mist to a minimum while exhaust air is cleaned and treated.
At the eco-efficient A380 paint shop in Hamburg, Germany, electrostatic guns keep paint mist to a minimum while exhaust air is cleaned and treated.

Cabin furnishing and painting takes place in Hamburg, and the completed A380 is delivered from one of Airbus’ two delivery centres: Hamburg (for European and Middle-East customers) or Toulouse (for Africa, Asia and the Americas).

Approximately 10 days -  nine days of preparation and one day for the actual painting - are needed to paint the A380’s surface area of about 3,150 m². 500kg of paint are needed for an aircraft that is painted in white alone!

Paint pros

  • The paint on an aircraft has a thickness of approximately 120 µm (120/1,000 mm) 
  • To check paint colour, there are 4,200 fluorescent lights installed in each paint hall
  • It takes about 30 people to paint an A380

The cabin of every Airbus jetliner is designed and fitted in line with exacting customer specifications. Cabin configuration varies from airline to airline, from the luxury of the Airbus Corporate Jet, or an all-business class layout on strategic routes, to all-economy seating for low-cost carriers.

Transport of major aircraft sections How is an aircraft built? Test programme and certification