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Continuing the momentum (2013)

Higher production goals, while new aircraft take shape (2012) 
Airbus’ A330 production rate reached an all-time high of 10 per month in 2013.

Airbus carried its high level of programme and commercial activity into 2013 – targeting new milestones that include the start-up of A350 XWB flight testing, a further ramp-up in A330 production, the implementation of deliveries for the A400M military airlifter, and the 100th A380 delivery.

This maintains the momentum of 2012 – during which Airbus outperformed on its internal business goal by winning 914 gross orders for the company’s jetliners (which was 40 per cent above the internal target), and reaching a record number of annual new deliveries by providing 588 aircraft to customers during the year.

The positive results achieved over the past 12 months positioned Airbus at the start of 2013 with a backlog of 4,682 aircraft, marking a new industry-wide record.

The enduring A330 “success story”

As the A330 maintains its popularity with airline customers and lessors around the world, a further production boost to 10 aircraft per month was attained in April.  This ongoing “success story” at Airbus is further bolstered by the increased 242 metric tonne maximum takeoff weight variant – launched by the company in 2012 – which extends the jetliner’s range by 450 nautical miles.

Current production includes the A330-200 and A330-300 passenger versions, the A330-200F freighter, and the military Multi Role Tanker Transport – which is based on the A330-200 airframe, equipped for aerial refueling missions along with troop and cargo airlift.

When the A330’s output reached its rate of 10 monthly in April, the aircraft type already had carried 1.1 billion-plus passengers during its operational career, with a takeoff or landing performed by the twin-engine jetliner somewhere in the world every 25 seconds.

Readying the A350 XWB for flight

Painting of the first A350 XWB was achieved in less than seven days at the Airbus paint shop in Toulouse, France

The A350 XWB programme marked a key milestone in mid-May when the initial aircraft to fly – designated MSN001 in Airbus’ numbering system – was rolled out from the Toulouse, France assembly facility, fully complete and painted in Airbus’ livery. This step continues the A350 XWB’s progress toward its maiden flight in the summer.

It followed the installation of MSN001’s two Rolls-Royce next-generation Trent XWB engines, which were certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) during February – with the airworthiness authority’s approval covering engines for the A350-800 and A350-900 models.

The MSN001 aircraft is an A350-900 version – the jetliner family’s mid-sized member, which will accommodate 314 passengers when configured in a typical three-class airline cabin layout.   Airbus’ longer-fuselage A350-1000 version is to seat 350, while the shortest – the A350-800 – has a capacity of 270 passengers.

MSN001 will be provided to the Airbus Flight Test team, readying the aircraft for its maiden takeoff.

The A400M is prepared for military service

The first production A400M airlifter is shown in French Air Force colours outside of Airbus Military’s final assembly line in Seville, Spain.

Another highlight on Airbus’ 2013 calendar is the upcoming delivery start-up for Airbus Military-built A400M military airlifters – providing a cost-effective, high-speed aircraft designed to meet the harmonised needs of European NATO nations, as well as the requirements of international air forces. 

The A400M programme achieved a key milestone during January with unveiling of the no. 1 production aircraft in colours of the French Air Force, which is the initial customer scheduled to receive this next-generation, multi-role aircraft.  In March, the full civil Type Certification was received, making this airlifter the world’s first large military transport to be designed and certified to civil standards from its inception. 

In 2013, Airbus Military plans deliveries of three A400Ms to the French Air Force, along with one aircraft for the Turkish Air Force.

A380 hits the “century mark”

Airbus’ A380 programme marked a major achievement with delivery of the 100th double-deck jetliner, which was received by Malaysia Airlines on 14 March 2013

The handover of a new A380 to Malaysia Airlines in March represented a new achievement for Airbus’ 21st century flagship jetliner: the 100th delivery to international operators.

This landmark delivery underscored Airbus’ continued global reach with the A380, which demonstrates daily the capability to increase capacity, enhance productivity, generate more revenue and improve profit for its operating airlines.

As of February, the aircraft was operating regularly at more than 30 airports around the world on some 65 scheduled routes for nine operators. The double-deck jetliner conducts nearly 500 services in the Asia-Pacific region, in addition to 250 in Europe and 200 in North America every week.

An A380 takes off or lands every six minutes with 130 flights per day across the entire network carrying around 1.5 million passengers per month as of February.

Supporting the global customer base

With more than 7,200 aircraft in operation around the globe for 500 customers and operators, Airbus remains committed to growing the company’s portfolio of support and services that help operators keep these jetliners flying safely and profitably.

Included in these offerings is Airbus’ Flight Hour Services (FHS) programme, a cost-effective maintenance outsourcing option to secure aircraft technical performance with minimal risk and investment – delivering modular solutions that range from material supply and repair to full maintenance. 

In addition to the more than 100 A330, A340 and A380 family jetliners covered by Airbus Flight Hour Services, the FHS solution was extended to Airbus’ best-selling A320 Family in January 2013 with a 15-year Tailored Support Package contract inked with Thai Airways International (THAI), in support of its THAI Smile subsidiary.

The A320 Family moves forward

The first Wizz Air Ukraine A320 equipped with Sharklets extends the carrier’s colorful livery to these large wingtip devices.

The announcements of three separate agreements covering up to 451 A320 Family aircraft underscored the continued popularity of Airbus’ single-aisle product line with operators around the world – both in its current engine option (ceo) and new engine option (neo) versions. During March, Turkish Airlines signed for up to 117 airliners (25 A321ceo, 4 A320neo, 53 A321neo and options for 35 additional A321neo aircraft), Lufthansa confirmed its acquisition of 100 additional jetliners (35 A320neo, 35 A321neo and 30 A320ceo with Sharklets), and Lion Air rounded out the trio of orders with a milestone 234-aircraft booking – comprising 109 A320neo, 65 A321neo and 60 A320ceo aircraft.

Also during the first half of 2013, an increasing number of airlines received A320s equipped with Airbus fuel-saving Sharklets wingtip devices. These operators included  airberlin group (for its Austrian based airline, NIKI), Avianca, Cebu Pacific Air, GoAir, IndiGo, Jetstar Japan, Lufthansa, Monarch Airlines, Vueling and Wizz Air Ukraine. To meet the demand, Sharklets production has gone global.  Airbus’ Final Assembly Line China delivered its first A320 equipped with the fuel-saving wingtip devices to China Eastern Airlines in May.

As of April, more than 5,500 A320 Family aircraft had been delivered to over 380 operators, while almost 9,500 total orders had been booked by Airbus.

An expanding American presence

Construction of Airbus’ U.S. A320 Family final assembly line in Mobile, Alabama officially began with the groundbreaking ceremony held 8 April.

Airbus underscored its commitment to serving the United State marketplace with the “game-changing” April groundbreaking for the company’s first U.S.-based A320 Family final assembly line at Brookley Aeroplex in Mobile, Alabama.

The facility, scheduled to deliver its first A320 aircraft to JetBlue Airways in 2016, will be the fourth worldwide final assembly line for the best-selling single-aisle product line and is a significant step in Airbus’ global growth. 

At full capability, the $600 million facility will create as many as 1,000 highly-skilled jobs at the assembly line and at associated facilities, producing four A320 Family aircraft per month. In addition, the U.S. is the largest single supplier to Airbus, making Airbus the largest export customer for the American aerospace industry.

Higher production goals, while new aircraft take shape (2012) The narrative 

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