One great benefit of the Airbus A380’s gigantic size is the number of parts, components and services it needs. Many exhibitors at the show wear their A380 participant badge with pride, but more than most, Goodrich is enjoying involvement all over the project.
Goodrich is one of the world's largest suppliers of landing systems and provides both the main body and wing landing gear for the A380. Though Goodrich was already a major supplier for Airbus, it was the first time the company had been selected to provide landing gear for an Airbus aircraft.
The components for the landing-gear system are produced by Goodrich’s Landing Gear division and involve manufacturing facilities in Oakville, Canada; Cleveland, Ohio; Tullahoma, Tennessee; and Krosno, Poland. The final gear integration takes place at the Goodrich facility in Toulouse, France before delivery to Airbus’s final assembly line.
Along with providing state-of-the-art landing gear for the A380, Goodrich is also launching the next generation of evacuation systems with its A380 work package. Goodrich will supply 16 evacuation slide systems per aircraft.
The company is also supplying innovative high-density discharge (HDD) and LED-based exterior lighting, award-winning variable frequency technology for the aircraft’s power generation system (through its Aerolec joint venture with Thales) and flight controls that take advantage of the latest power by wire technology. And Goodrich will provide the primary and standby air data systems.
The automatic ice-detection system also comes from Goodrich, as will the development of the aircraft’s cargo system. Most recently, Goodrich was selected by Airbus to provide the aircraft’s cockpit occupancy and cabin attendant seating.
The Goodrich Aerostructures team will also provide the sail fairing, or rear secondary structure, an aerodynamic surface that serves to reduce drag associated with the trailing edge of the A380’s pylon. It also encloses a number of aircraft systems that must be easily accessible through various doors and removable panels. The company will provide the aft pylon fairing, which also reduces aircraft drag and protects the primary and secondary pylon structures from temperature extremes. In addition, Goodrich will provide the centre and rear fan case sections for the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine.
And if that was not enough, Goodrich personnel on their booth in Hall A say that as the A380 enters service its component support network and maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities are being equipped to provide the aftermarket services necessary to keep the ultra-large aircraft in the skies.
Source: Flight Daily News
