Aircraft

By Max Kingsley-Jones in Broughton

Airbus UK has slowed production of A380 wings to allow time for the rewiring effort that is being undertaken on aircraft that have already been assembled in Toulouse. “We were moving beyond a rate of one aircraft a month towards the ‘steady-state’ target level of four a month, but have now slowed down,” says Airbus UK senior vice-president Brian Fleet.

As a result of the slowdown, Fleet says A380 workers have been redeployed to other areas of Airbus UK’s Broughton site, and recruitment plans have been put on hold. “We’ve transferred labour to the single-aisle line, which is at 32 a month and going to 34,” he says. “We also have the opportunity to embody any modifications that have come out of A380 flight testing a lot earlier than if we were at a higher rate.”

Airbus UK also produces Hawker 850XP wings and fuselages for Raytheon under a subcontract, and Fleet says workers have been redeployed to this line as the production rate is increasing. “Planned recruitment for this year has also been deferred,” he adds.