Later this year, Airbus executives expect to see the Final Assembly Line in Mobile hit a target rate of four jets per month. Here's how it all comes together.
By Lawrence Specker lspecker@al.com
Lawrence Specker | lspecker@al.com
All in the Family
The Airbus Final Assembly Line in Mobile was designed to build a family of related aircraft. The A319, A320 and A321 have the same wingspan and fuselage width, but different fuselage lengths. This gives customers a range of options for the capacity of the planes, in addition to choices about engines, seating and entertainment systems. After starting out building A321s, the plant began work in late spring on its first A320. It is due to be delivered to Spirit Airlines this summer. (Courtesy Airbus/AIDT)
Lawrence Specker/LSpecker@AL.com
International Assembly
In Airbus' manufacturing process for A320-family jets, major components such as the fuselage and wings are made at various locations in Europe, then shipped to the Final Assembly Lines (FALs) where the jets are built and tested. A320-family aircraft are assembled in four locations: Toulouse, France; Hamburg, Germany; Tianjin, China; and Mobile. The process of shipping the components has been featured in an episode of the Science Channel program "Mega Shippers." (Courtesy of Airbus/AIDT)
Sharon Steinmann
Once components are offloaded from ships at the Port of Mobile, they are trucked a short distance to the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, escorted by festive Mardi Gras floats along a parade route lined by cheering citizens. (Well, okay, that just happened when the components arrived for the first Mobile-built A321, back in June 2015. But folks probably are still scratching their heads in Toulouse, Hamburg and Tianjin.) (Sharon Steinmann/AL.com file photo)
Lawrence Specker | lspecker@al.com
The Baldwin County connection
Engines bound for the Airbus FAL in Mobile first make a stop across the bay in Foley, where workers at UTC Aerospace fit the multimillion-dollar units with inlet cowls, fan cowls and thrust reversers. A new expansion at the Foley operation is dedicated to New Engine Option (Neo) powerplants that more Airbus aircraft will be using in the future. (Courtesy of UTC Aerospace Systems)
Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com
Fuselage Fusion
As the assembly process gets under way in the FAL’s main building, workers at Station 41 address the major structural task of putting the two fuselage halves together. They install about 3,000 rivets around the circumference of the fuselage. (Tad Denson photo courtesy of Airbus)
Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com
The “flow line” concept calls for an aircraft to move through several fixed workstations. A jet doesn’t gets its wheels (and wings) until it arrives at Station 40 – so getting it there requires the use of a hoist. Some describe this as a “first flight.” (Courtesy of Airbus/AIDT)
Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com
Station 40
At Station 40, an aircraft really begins to take shape. It gains wings, landing gear, engine pylons and onboard computers and systems get electrical power for the first time. In this photo, workers attach a wing. (Tad Denson photo courtesy of Airbus)
Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com
Rolling along
When a jet leaves Station 40, it makes this move with a little more dignity. It may not be able to move under its own power yet, but at least it can roll on its own wheels. (Courtesy of Airbus/AIDT)
Lawrence Specker | lspecker@al.com
Station 35
At Station 35, big things happen inside and outside the plane. The vertical and horizontal stabilizers are attached as well as the tail cone and Auxiliary Power Unit. Other additions include inner flaps, main landing gear doors, nose, radome, antennas, overhead stowage and other cabin fixtures, and testing begins on electronics, climate and control systems. The hydraulic system is powered up for the first time. Shown: Horizontal stabilizers are prepared for installation. (Courtesy of Airbus).
Lawrence Specker | lspecker@al.com
After Station 35, a jet is once more rolled forward, this time to “The Dock,” the final station in the main assembly hall. Shown: Workers gather to move an aircraft to The Dock. (Courtesy of Airbus)
Lawrence Specker | lspecker@al.com
The Dock
In The Dock, workers install engines and engine cowlings, seats and carpeting, and continue to test various systems. Meanwhile, other jets are coming along the line. In this photo, rows of seats (blue) can be seen lined up in the foreground, ready to go into the jet at left. By the time a jet leaves The Dock, it’s ready for final testing. (Lawrence Specker/LSpecker@AL.com)
Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com
Painting
A lot happens after a jet leaves The Dock. It goes to a gauging shed where its fuel tanks and gauges are checked, to “Final Phase” assembly for detail work on its cabins. And it’s painted, a process that involves skilled workers and less automation than you might expect. (Courtesy MAAS Aviation)
Lawrence Specker | lspecker@al.com
At the Airbus FAL in Mobile, longtime Airbus partner MAAS Aviation handles the paint operation. Here, an American Airlines jet sits enclosed in scaffolding that gives painters access to its surface. MAAS also decided to build a separate twin-bay paint facility at Brookley, so it can serve other customers in Mobile. (Courtesy of MAAS Aviation)
Lawrence Specker | lspecker@al.com
The Flight Line
After painting, a jet goes to the flight line, where it undergoes more testing and makes its first flight. (Sharon Steinmann/AL.com file photo)
Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com
Delivery
When it’s time to hand a finished jet over to its new owner, the aircraft is moved to the delivery building. It’s not always accompanied by the whole FAL workforce in matching jerseys, accompanied by music from the University of South Alabama band, but it’s still a big deal. (Sharon Steinmann/AL.com file photo)
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