Canadian aircraft structures supplier Magellan Aerospace has extended an agreement to provide Airbus with the A350's centre wing boxes and related components.
The six-year contract extension calls for Magellan to continue delivering the components from its UK facility to Nantes, France, where Airbus assembles A350 centre wing boxes, says Magellan vice-president of new business development Haydn Martin.
The aluminium-lithium wing boxes, which consist of several ribs, beams and struts, hold the wings to the fuselage, Martin says.
Magellan also makes the A350's keel beam, which runs down the centre of the wing box, and, in Poland, makes structures that hold up luggage bins inside the A350's fuselage.
Magellan pegs the value of the A350 work at C$140 million ($107 million).
Airbus delivered the first A350 – an A350-900 variant – to Qatar Airways in 2014. Airlines worldwide currently operate about 210 A350s, and Airbus holds outstanding orders for another 678 of the aircraft, according to Flight Fleets Analyzer.
News of Magellan's extended A350 contract came as the company announced a third quarter net profit of C$18.6 million, largely flat year-on-year.
But Magellan's revenue from European operations slid 14.8% in the third quarter due largely to declining widebody production rates.
Martin specifically cites steeply slashed A380 rates and a dip in A330 production as Airbus transitions to A330neo production.
Magellan makes machined parts for A380 and A330 wing ribs, and wing spars, ribs and other components for A320s, Martin says.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
