Commercial Aircraft in the United Kingdom

For over 110 years, Filton has hosted some of the most significant milestones in aviation history. The legacy began in 1910 with the production of England’s first factory-built aircraft, the Bristol Boxkite, which took its maiden flight nearby on The Downs in Clifton. Since then, the site has continuously pushed the boundaries of flight, opening its landmark wind tunnel in 1957 and launching the first British Concorde prototype in 1969.

Today, Filton site is a world-class centre of excellence leading the way in wing technology, landing gear integration, and future fuels development.

Around 2,800 employees, including hundreds of early careers, focus on cutting-edge wing design, wing assembly and gear beam equipping.

Filton is home to two major hubs dedicated to designing these components for the next generation of aircraft. The Wing Technology Development Centre is geared towards researching the wings of tomorrow, emphasising aerodynamics, while the Aerospace Integrated Research and Test Centre (AIRTeC) supports continuous innovation in landing gear, aircraft wings and fuel technologies. 

Alongside wings, Filton is renowned for its fuel systems and landing gear capabilities. Our state-of-the-art test facilities, including a bespoke, high-performance wind tunnel, deliver end-to-end innovation that ensures Airbus aircraft carry passengers efficiently and safely.

Established in 1939, Airbus Broughton carries a rich, eight-decade tradition of British aerospace engineering. 

Before evolving into Airbus’ UK manufacturing hub, Broughton was shaped by pioneering British aviation firms. Its wartime legacy took root under Vickers-Armstrongs, most famously in 1943, when a largely female workforce secured a world record by assembling a complete Vickers Wellington bomber from scratch in just 23 hours and 50 minutes.

Today, the 700-acre Broughton facility is home to around 6,000 employees including hundreds of early careers, specialising in wing manufacturing and British aerospace excellence. Broughton handles everything from the wing skins to wingbox assembly for the A320, A330 and A350 aircraft families.

Seamlessly integrated into Airbus' global supply network via the distinctive BelugaXL transport fleet taking wings to Final Assembly Lines across Europe, Broughton unites its proud industrial heritage with cutting-edge manufacturing.

As the industrial base for the ‘Wing of Tomorrow’ programme, Broughton also develops technologies for its future industrial system, using the Advanced Manufacturing and Research Centre (AMRC Wales).

Belfast holds a special place in the story of human flight. Over a century ago, Short Brothers established the world's first commercial aircraft production facility, crafting landmark designs, from WWII's iconic Sunderland flying boat to the Short Empire that connected the world in the 1930s and the giant Short Belfast freighter. 

Today, Airbus continues that pioneering legacy on the same site in Belfast. Powered by a skilled workforce of more than 1,700 people, Airbus Belfast is a global centre of excellence for advanced aerostructures and composite engineering.

Belfast plays a central role in the A220 programme as the exclusive production site for the aircraft’s wings and assembles the mid-fuselage. The Airbus A220 wing is recognised for pioneering a patented Resin Transfer Infusion (RTI) manufacturing process, making the wing around 10% lighter than its traditional aluminium counterpart. 

The site is also home to A350 engineering teams who play a key role in the ongoing development of this aircraft family. Most recently, they led the development of the central fuselage for the next generation A350Freighter which culminated in some 700,000 engineering hours. 

Prestwick Aerosystems comes to Airbus as an affiliate and brings 90 years of experience, specialising in producing high-performance leading and trailing edges and spoilers for the A320, A330 and A350 families.  

With around 1,300 employees, the Prestwick site excels in manufacturing complex composite aerostructures. By using a cutting-edge technology, called ‘Resin Transfer Moulding’, the Scottish facility commits to reducing energy consumption and optimising material use with an efficient single-step production advanced process.