Fairchild Dornier has begun equipping a 6,040m² (65,000ft²) hangar at its Oberpfaffenhofen base to start production of 728JET family of regional airliners.
Work platforms and assembly fixtures are being erected, along with a gantry riveting machine that will be used to automate the manufacture of large fuselage components. The numerically controlled device will join skin panel sub-assemblies to form upper and lower fuselage shells.
Fairchild Dornier claims it will be the first aerospace company in Europe to use this manufacturing technology to produce half-shell fuselage components. The gantry riveter, due to become operational in early 2001, is flanked by twin pre- and post-assembly stations and a triplicated skin panel assembly station.
The company says aircraft-level critical design reviews of the 728JEThave been completed and the programme's risk-sharing partners are "finishing their design work". CATIA-based engineering drawings have begun to be released, says the manufacturer.
The 728JET, due to enter service in mid-2003, has attracted 112 firm orders.
Source: Flight International
