The UK cuts first metal for the Airbus A380 superjumbo wing

The first 'cutting of metal' in the UK for the Airbus A380 superjumbo took place today. Marking the start of manufacturing in the UK for the new large airliner, machining began of a wing component at the Airbus factory in Filton, near Bristol.

This component will form part of the first set of wings to be delivered from the UK to the aircraft final assembly line in Toulouse in Spring 2004 and is one of the furthest outboard ribs for the wings of the aircraft which has a wingspan of 79.8 metres. The machining follows several months of intensive work on test components for the A380 at a new £16.5 million (26 million Euro) rib manufacturing facility at Filton.

Made for the first time from weight-saving high tensile strength aluminium alloy, the rib is 2.2 metres long and 0.5 metres wide. It is one of 124 ribs which form part of the interior skeleton of the set of wings (which also contain the fuel). The Filton site is responsible for manufacturing 40 of the ribs for each aircraft, its largest being 3.1 metres by 2 metres. Completed rib sets will be delivered to its sister factory in Broughton, North Wales for final assembly into the wings and then delivery to the final assembly line at Airbus' facility in Toulouse.

The A380 superjumbo is the most advanced, spacious and efficient airliner ever conceived and is proving very popular. Ninety-seven aircraft have already been ordered and committed by nine major customers (80 passenger and 17 freighter versions). The first version, the 555 seat passenger aircraft, is scheduled to enter airline service in 2006.

A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is a joint EADS Company with BAE SYSTEMS.