Teamwork: Keeping Airbus’ jetliner production and deliveries on schedule

Airbus relies on a full range of skills to meet its production and delivery schedules, backed by dedicated teams that work behind the scenes. One of these is the Final Assembly Line Support BLXS team at Airbus’ Toulouse, France location – the company’s main industrial site where jetliners from the A320, A330, A350 XWB and A380 product lines are built and provided to international customers. 
This team can rework, repair, and even create parts on request, with the capability extending to both metallic and composite components. It also is capable of manufacturing customized components for prototypes and responding to specific testing requirements in the framework of Airbus flight trials. Such activity may take place on an aircraft or in the workshop, with turnaround times ranging from a few hours to a maximum of two days. 
In 2017, more than 13,000 work orders are expected to be handled by the Final Assembly Line Support BLXS team – a volume that is up 10 per cent from 2016, with its processes becoming increasingly industrialized as Airbus’ jetliner production output continues to grow. 
“Eighty operators work within the department, and they are all truly committed to providing the best service and the right solution,” said Christian Vergnes, who leads the Final Assembly Line Support BLXS workshop. “Our job is very diversified. Most of the time, we cannot foresee what our day will be made of.”