MARCH 10, 2006
WICHITA ENGINEERS PARTICIPATE IN OPTIMIZING THE A380’S WING
Airbus North America’s Kansas-based design and engineering team joined an international effort to develop and produce a large A380 wing component manufactured with more cost-effective material.
The Wichita team – working with Airbus engineers in Filton, England – applied advanced stress analysis methods that allowed A380’s underside skin panel to be manufactured from advanced, lightweight aluminum. This material costs less than the metals normally used for such a large component.
During the past year, engineers from Wichita and Filton established the viability of utilizing less expensive metal on the A380, applying advanced analysis techniques to enable its properties to be better understood and, therefore, exploited.
Korea Aerospace Industries manufactured the wing component to Airbus’ specification. This improved underside wing panel originally was developed for use on the A380 freighter, and now will be applied to the A380 passenger aircraft. The first wing pair of components is now on its way to Airbus’ wing manufacturing site at Broughton, England.
The Airbus North America Engineering in Kansas was established in 2002, bringing together some of country's top talent to work on the 555-seat A380 and other long-range Airbus programs. This facility has grown to employ some 210 engineers, and will be joined by in 2007 by a second U.S. engineering facility in Mobile, Alabama – which will be responsible for various interior elements of Airbus' new A350 aircraft.
Filton & Wichita working on the super jumbo -- - imagine that
However, for general public, it might look as an embarrassment.
Several industry rags also had huge headlines of "Airbus wing fails " or similar
some with no mention of the fact that the wing was expected to fail - - - - typical media I suppose.........