BAE Systems yesterday delivered the first Airbus A380 inner outboard fixed leading edge wing assembly to Airbus UK. It will be assembled, together with the other A380 wing components, into complete wings and then transported to the aircraft final assembly line in Toulouse, France.
The contract, awarded in 2002, is the first major design and build contract for BAE Systems Aerostructures. In less than 24 months the wing assembly structure has been designed and manufactured using a global supply base including partners in Indonesia, North America, Malaysia and the UK.
Through collaborative partnerships with Altair in the UK, the software was developed, and with INBIS, also of the UK, the design skills were applied to produce an innovative rib design. This resulted in an optimised weight saving of over 500kg (1,100lb) per aircraft.
Source: Flight Daily News
