Airbus Press Centre - press release

The first wing for an A380, Airbus? new large double deck aircraft, successfully

completed a key milestone in its production yesterday evening.  The port wing

for MSN001, the first flight test aircraft, was removed from its four-storey high

main assembly jig at Airbus? factory in Broughton, North Wales (UK).  It was then

manoeuvred through 90 degrees to be laid in a horizontal position for the first

time.

At this stage this wing weighs around 30 tonnes - including flight test instrumentation.

It measures over 45 metres along its leading edge, is 11 metres wide and nearly

three metres deep at the root-end (where it ultimately attaches to the fuselage).

Workers began loading the major wing components ? spars, ribs, skin panels and

leading and trailing edges ? into the assembly jigs in early June. For the last

five months, a complex programme of assembly of these and many smaller parts has

been underway. This has included thorough testing and evaluation at each stage

as the first wing has taken shape; culminating in the removal from the jig of

the first wing-box, on schedule, yesterday.

The first A380 wing will now spend a week on a transportation ?raft? beside the

assembly jig   whilst detailed measurements and quality control checks are carried

out.  It will then be transferred to the next stage of assembly and placed in

one of three dedicated two-storey bays in the new ?equipping? area.  Here components

such as hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel systems and wiring will be fitted.  This

stage will be followed by cleaning and anti-corrosion painting before a finished

pair of wings is delivered from Broughton to the final assembly line in Toulouse,

France in late Spring 2004.

Three sets of A380 wings are now in the main assembly jigs at Broughton ? including

a set of non-flying wings for static testing. The ?partner? of the wing removed

yesterday - the starboard wing for MSN001 - is due for removal from the main jig

before the end of this month.

To date Airbus has received a total of 129 firm orders and commitments from 11

customers for the A380 ? an unprecedented order level for a new aircraft at this

stage of its programme. The orders cover both the 555 seat and freighter versions

of the new plane.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product

line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities

in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China

and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company

with BAE Systems.