15 October 2007 – Singapore Airlines today has received its first A380 at the occasion of a dedicated delivery ceremony in Toulouse. On board the new double-decker wide-body plane are various components and systems on the fuselage, wings, engines and in the passenger cabin that FACC AG has developed in cooperation with various EADS partner companies and is now manufacturing using advanced composite technology.
The flagship of the 21st century will take-off for Singapore's Changi International Airport within a couple of days. On 25/26 October the first commercial flight between Singapore und Sydney will take place. It serves a charitable purpose. The A380 will commence official airline-service on 28 October between both large cities.
High Tech from FACC for the Airbus A380
The new trend-setting wide-body plane A380 is of great significance for the leading Austrian aviation supplier, FACC. The company has successfully established itself at EADS as a development partner and tier-1 supplier and has been involved in the new Airbus program since the conception of the program. FACC is working on the A380 aircraft program with altogether eight different customers from five different customer consortia on 10 detail projects. The individual assembly groups are delivered by FACC to the EADS partner companies in Germany, England, France, Japan, Canada and the USA. For one A380, FACC supplies light and high-strength composite components and systems at a value of around $1.5 million.
| Component | Customer |
| Overhead Stowage Compartments | Airbus |
| Flap Track Fairings | Airbus |
| Flap Rips | Airbus |
| Composite Components for Trent 900 | Rolls-Royce, UK |
| APU Inlet Plenum | Pratt & Whitney, Canada |
| Engine Components for GP7200 | Pratt & Whitney, USA |
| Cargo Compartment Door Lining | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Japan |
| Cross Beam Floor Struts | JAMCO, Japan |
| Inner Outer Barrel | Airbus |
| Bathtub Panels | EADS Military Air Systems, Deutschland |
Serial Production Has Begun
FACC has successfully completed a development phase for the Airbus A380 that has lasted several years and has begun serial production of the individual components. By the first quarter of 2008, the production rate will have reached two complete shipsets per month. By the year 2010, the monthly production rate can be raised to four shipsets, depending on customer requirements and the rate of sales. In the next twenty years, an average of 200 employees at FACC will be working on the A380 program.
About FACC
FACC AG is one of the world's leading companies in the development and production of advanced fiber composite components and systems for the aviation industry. Their range of products reaches from structural components for the fuselage and wings to engine components to complete passenger cabins for passenger planes. Last year's sales volume was $182.5 million and as of 28 February 2007, the company had a workforce of 1,282 employees.
10/15/2007
