Airbus - Diverse nyheter - Airbus

April 2020

New aircraft “e-Delivery” process assures health & safety for customers and Airbus employees, and enables business continuity

A new aircraft hand-over and “e-Delivery” virtual process has recently commenced operation, guaranteeing continuation of Airbus’ delivery stream, while integrating the required health & safety requirements during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The first customer to adopt the remote end-to-end process is Pegasus Airlines, which in the last few days received three brand new ‘e-delivered’ A320neo Family aircraft. More airlines will follow likewise in the coming days and weeks. This new e-Delivery approach comprises three main stages: (a) Technical Acceptance Completion (TAC) tasks delegated to Airbus (or to a local third party appointed by the airline); (b) electronic Transfer-of-Title (electronic ToT); and (c) ferry-flight and subsequent reception of the aircraft at the customer’s base.

For the TAC (which is a prerequisite for ToT) the airline can delegate Airbus to perform, on its behalf, all the necessary actions. These include the ‘ground-check’, the acceptance test flight, acceptance manuals and procedures, as well as minor cosmetic rework if needed. Then for the ToT completion, Airbus’ and customers’ teams take benefit from a new secure collaborative platform: “e-SalesContracts”. This brings them all together – wherever they happen to be – into one real-time virtual environment where they can optimise and simplify all the contractual transactions, from the paperless drafting and commercially negotiating the delivery documents up to the remote ToT digital signature. This platform thus obviates the need for any of the customer’s own staff to be physically present at the Airbus Delivery Centre. After the TAC and ToT formalities are complete, the subsequent ferry-flight is also performed in a health-wise safe manner whereby the customer’s own flight crew (or an appointed third party) can pick-up the sanitised aircraft and fly it straight back from the delivery centre to the airline’s home base.

As well as affording a means of safe business continuity during the current COVID-19 crisis, the e-Delivery process, especially its new collaborative digital aspects – which confer enhanced workflow efficiencies, flexibility, transparency, plus a more environmentally-friendly and smoother overall customer experience – could become the blueprint for Airbus and its customers going forward.    Photo1     Photo2    Photo3

Parking and storing aircraft – Special COVID-19 update

Airbus Customer Services teams are working hard to adapt maintenance recommendations and support customers which have fleets partially or wholly grounded during this period. The situation calls for exceptional measures and reactivity to provide pragmatic support to operators during this difficult period, while keeping the highest levels of safety. To this end, Airbus is helping airlines to reduce the huge and sudden maintenance workload, and to ensure a quick return to service of their aircraft when required. In addition to increasing its support teams and giving recommendations to customers, Airbus is providing technical justifications and solutions for maintenance burden reduction. This includes extending calendar intervals for scheduled maintenance tasks and reducing the frequency of periodic ground checks wherever justified by experience and engineering analysis. Airbus has published technical data via Operators Information Transmissions (OITs). Customers can submit technical queries directly to Airbus Customer Services via the AirbusWorld portal. For a comprehensive overview on aircraft storage measures, please consult the latest Airbus online FAST article on this subject:    Link to FAST detailed article on aircraft storage

EASA certifies A330-800 for “beyond 180 minutes” ETOPS

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has approved the A330-800 for ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operations) “beyond 180 minutes” diversion time. This achievement means that operators of this A330neo variant will benefit from the most efficient, reliable and direct long-range routings. In particular it will maximise the A330-800’s exceptional transpacific range capability of up to 8,150nm.

The latest approval for the -800, which includes ETOPS 180 minutes capability in the aircraft’s basic specification, also includes the option for “ETOPS 285 minutes”. This extends the potential air diversion distance to around 2,000nm. The US FAA’s respective ETOPS certification for the A330-800 is expected soon. The similar ETOPS approval for the larger A330-900 took place in January 2019.

The A330-800, which in February 2020 received its joint Type Certification from EASA and the FAA, like the larger A330-900 model incorporates highly efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, a new 3D-optimised wing with greater span and lighter composite materials, plus new wingtip Sharklets.   Link to download hirez A330-800 photo

A321XLR programme development and industrialisation gathers pace

Following its launch at the Paris Air Show last year, the industrialisation of the A321XLR long range single-aisle programme is underway and the aircraft’s design is moving from concept to reality. By early 2020, the first long-lead components for the initial A321XLR flight-test aircraft were already in production – including the main landing gear forgings by Safran and the first parts for the centre wingbox by Airbus in Nantes.

Most recently, in March, Airbus completed its supplier selection for the new major components and systems which are specifically being designed for the A321XLR variant. These suppliers include: Spirit AeroSystems (inboard single-slotted flap); Diehl Aviation (potable water & water waste systems); FACC (modified belly fairing); Premium Aerotec (rear-centre fuel tank primary structure); Collins Aerospace (fuel system); Parker Aerospace (fuel tank inerting system); Vincorion (heated floor panels); Safran (main and nose landing gear); and Triumph Group (landing gear uplock mechanism).

In anticipation of the industrialisation phase, where relevant, the programme is applying Airbus’ new “digital design, manufacturing and services” (DDMS) product lifecycle approach. This enables accurate virtual factory simulations to validate investments and ramp-up planning. A key pillar of the DDMS framework is the 3D “Digital Mock-up Unit” (DMU) database, which will allow concurrent design, assembly simulations, and real-time 3D visibility across the transnational co-design plateaus at Toulouse, Hamburg and Filton. Furthermore, the A321XLR programme brings the benefits of 3D visualisation to the non-engineering community, including programme managers – who can now work in 3D thanks to 3D viewer tools.

In addition to the aforementioned digital environments, the installation of complementary physical demonstrators is also well underway for ‘validation and verification’ (V&V) of the various new structures and equipment of the A321XLR. For example, the Structures Demonstrator programme includes ‘major component assembly’ (MCA) join-up of fuselage sections 15 & 17, fuselage integration of the new rear-centre-[fuel]-tank, plus other modules and detailed parts. In parallel, the Equipment Demonstrator programme features physical trial installation in a full-size wooden mock-up by a multi-functional team representing each installed system, with experts from Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Maintenance and Ergonomics. This approach minimises design clashes, as well as optimising ergonomics. Testing of the cabin comfort for long-range operations has already started, including the use of a climatic test chamber on ground.

To date, 24 customers have ordered a total of more than 450 A321XLRs, validating the market need for the unique capabilities offered by this aircraft. Flight-testing is due to start in 2022, and service entry from 2023. The A321XLR will provide airlines with a range of up to 4,700nm and a 30% lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous-generation competitor aircraft.     A321XLR illustration             A321XLR 1^st metal-cut at Nantes

Airbus trials of new A320 Family cockpit digital audio system

Airbus has recently received certification for a new digital audio cockpit system, “Digital Radio and Audio Integrating Management System” (DRAIMS) for the A320 Family – which replaces the current analogue audio systems. DRAIMS, which features new Audio Management systems and new Control Panels with a large modern digital display, multifunction keys and a numeric keypad, handles all cockpit communication tasks. During a flight, the system facilitates clearer communication between pilots, cabin crew and the ground to ensure safety of flight, answer to air traffic control, or prepare for ground operations. Benefits of DRAIMS include 30% weight saving – compared with the previous analogue architecture. Furthermore, installation lead-time is now reduced due to the much simplified wiring between the cockpit and the avionics bay. It is also more robust, offers advanced back-up capability and improves A/C dispatch capability. Currently being evaluated in-service, DRAIMS will be installed as standard from mid-2021 for the A320 Family. Certification for the A330 Family is planned for around the end of 2020, and subsequently for the A350 XWB.   Photo of new A320 cockpit DRAIMS interface