DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa) is stepping up its campaign for A3XX final assembly to be located at its Hamburg Airbus plant with claims that Aerospatiale Matra's proposals for Toulouse production would load the programme with "unnecessary" transport and production costs.
Dasa's bid hinges on what it considers to be a "prerequisite" for the A3XX line - the availability of sea transport for the delivery of completed major subassemblies.
Aerospatiale Matra proposes to move A3XXwings to Toulouse "piggy-back" on a modified A340. A300-600ST Belugas would carry upper and lower fuselage sections (Flight International, 21-27 July).
"This is an unnecessary increase in complexity for us," argues Gerhard Puttfarcken, Dasa Airbus vice-president product management A3XX. "The piggy-back solution is unnecessary for the production system - only for Toulouse.
"It's a single-use transportation system that will cost [the Airbus partners] a lot of money," he adds.
Puttfarcken says the "light" assembly concept being proposed by Dasa would represent only 5%of overall A3XX workshare, while Aerospatiale Matra's concept would represent "about 10%".
Wings for the A3XXwill be manufactured by British Aerospace in Chester, but fuselage work has yet to be allocated. Dasa makes the forward and rear fuselage sections on the existing A330/A340 widebody programme, while Aerospatiale Matra is responsible for the centre portion.
Dasa argues that if Toulouse is chosen for A3XX final assembly, fuselage barrels would have to be transported in artificially small pieces rather than as fully equipped and tested subassemblies as for other aircraft programmes.
"Our philosophy is to dedicate the work to the existing 'centres of excellence' to reduce the complexity of the final assembly line," says Puttfarcken.
Dasa says a single "roll-on, roll-off" ship costing around $30 million could make weekly-round trips between Aerospatiale's factory at St Naizare in France, Chester and Hamburg, delivering the subassemblies required for production of each aircraft. This would allow the planned production rate of four aircraft a month to be met.
Dasa would construct a 140Ha (345 acres) factory on reclaimed land at Hamburg for assembly of the A3XX.
A decision on location of the assembly line is expected in November. Formal offers to airlines are to be made during the first half of next year.
Source: Flight International
