News

SABCA is selected by Airbus on the A350 XWB

Apr 2009

SABCA [Euronext : SAB], a major supplier of commercial and military aircraft assemblies and components, has the pleasure to announce that it has been selected by Airbus to design, develop and build the Flap Support Systems for the new long range Airbus A350 XWB airliner. For more information on the A350 XWB, please refer to the Airbus website www.airbus.com.
    
The Flap Support Structure (FSS) consists of :

• The Flaps Supports, which are the mechanical devices connecting the flaps to the trailing edge of the wing and allowing their movement during take-off and landing phases. There are four Flap Support mechanisms on each wing, i.e. two per flap.
• The Flap Support Fairings, which are aerodynamically shaped bodies, made from CFRP composite materials that cover and protect the Flap Supports. One fixed fairing and one moveable fairing are foreseen at each wing station.

Today’s success has been made possible thanks to SABCA’s twenty years experience with Airbus on most of their aircraft models, especially with the design and production of similar Flap Track Fairings on the A340-500/600 and Flap Mechanisms on the A400M. SABCA’s selection for the A350 XWB FSS elements thus perfectly confirms the excellence of the Company with these core products.

The new program will ensure three million engineering and production work-hours.

The participation in that risk sharing program requires an investment in engineering to design the Flap Support Structure, develop new technologies and new processes, and test and certify the product.

New production lines and specific tooling will be implemented at both SABCA and SABCA LIMBURG nv, a fully-owned subsidiary that is specialized in composites for aerospace. During the production phase, the various elements of the FSS will be delivered to Airbus in Bremen (Germany) and Filton (UK) for integration on the aircraft’s wing.

The financing of the program development is a key element in the Aerospace business and the Belgian Federal Government will support the program by providing SABCA a reimbursable loan in line with the European Commission Regulations.

The award of the A350 XWB FSS contract to SABCA is a major recognition by our client of the company’s capability in designing and developing complex structural elements, and bringing them into series production in a tough competitive environment.

SABCA is a leading Belgian Aerospace company since 89 years, employing 1000 highly trained persons. SABCA is active in civil aircraft design and manufacture (Airbus, Dassault), military aircraft overhaul and upgrades (F16, F5, Mirage, helicopters, etc…) as well as in space programs (Ariane and Vega). These activities cover structural work as well as Thrust Vectoring Control systems and systems integration. SABCA has plants in Brussels and Charleroi, and a fully owned subsidiary SABCA LIMBURG specialized in aerospace composites.

For more information, write to:
Marketing & Sales Director SABCA
Fax +32 2 729 5896 or sales@sabca.be