Overview onstructural assembly

Each aircraft arrives in six sections on six trucks: front fuselage,

central fuselage, aft fuselage, tail-plane and both wings. The

components are then unloaded by self-propelling vehicles and

taken to the assembly line.

Shear rib and flange area to be riveted

The A380 assembly process takes place on a single combined station (a section of

the assembly line dedicated to performing a specific task) where all operations

except for engine installation are carried out. Representing over one third of an

aircraft’s value, engines are among the last components to be fitted to the A380

in order to reduce inventory cost.

When all sections have been positioned, a tool jig - an enormous scaffold -

surrounds the aircraft for the assembly process: junction of the three fuselage

sections, the wings, the horizontal and vertical stabilisers, engine pylons, landing

gear and electric racks.

The aircraft is entirely assembled at this first station, apart from the engines

which will be installed at the second work station, known as Station 30. Once

assembly is complete, the aircraft is towed outside of the hall and back into one

of the three modular stations to undergo a series of general tests.

Four-panel approach

Major fuselage sections are created by the assembly of four large panels each,

The A350 XWB’s major fuselage sections are created by the assembly of four large

panels each, which are joined with longitudinal riveted joints. One advantage of this

approach is a better management of tolerances when the jetliner’s composite fuselage

sections come together on the A350 XWB final assembly line in Toulouse, France.

The four-panel concept also provides considerable weight savings, as longer panels

require fewer circumferential joints – which are relatively heavy – relying more on

lighter longitudinal joints. This weight saving also results from enhanced optimisation

of each panel for its application and the use fewer joints overall – which are placed

for load and weight optimisation.

Another benefit is improved reparability in operational service, as an individual panel

can be replaced in the event of significant damage – avoiding major repair work that

could require extensive composite patching.

A series of general tests are carried out at three identical ‘Station 30s’: electric and

hydraulic systems; on-board computer; mobile parts; and landing gear. Fuel tanks

are also tested for leaks; finally, the A380’s four engines are put in place. Airbus

offers customers a choice of two engine types.

The aircraft is towed to the south of the Lagardère assembly hall for engine testing

at the run-up facility. Then it performs its first test flight.

GENERAL TESTS

cabin furnishing and painting takes place in Hamburg, and the

completed A380 is delivered from one of Airbus’ two delivery centres:

Hamburg (for European and Middle-East customers) or Toulouse (for

Africa, Asia and the Americas).

Approximately 10 days – nine days of preparation and one day for the

actual painting – are needed to paint the A380’s surface area of about

3,150 square metres. Five hundred kg. of paint are needed for an

aircraft that is painted in white alone!

PAINTING AND CABIN FURNISHING

The paint on an aircraft has a thickness of approximately 120 µm (120/1,000 mm)

To check paint colour, there are 4,200 fluorescent lights installed in each paint hall

It takes about 30 people to paint an A380

The cabin of every Airbus jetliner is designed and fitted in line with exacting

customer specifications. Cabin configuration varies from airline to airline, from the

luxury of the Airbus Corporate Jet, or an all-business class layout on strategic

routes, to all-economy seating for low-cost carriers.

Paint pros