Construction begins on Airbus US A220 Manufacturing Facility
Airbus manufacturing growth in the United States advanced another step today in Mobile, Alabama, as construction of the companys A220 Manufacturing Facility officially launched with a groundbreaking ceremony.
The assembly line will meet the strong and growing US demand for the A220 aircraft, the newest offering in Airbus’ commercial aircraft product line.
Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus, and Guillaume Faury, President Airbus Commercial Aircraft, led the celebration and welcomed approximately 700 attendees including Airbus and other industry executives, Airbus manufacturing employees, state and national dignitaries, and local community leaders.
The new assembly line, which is the company’s second US-based commercial aircraft production facility, will be located at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley adjacent to the A320 Family production line and will facilitate assembly of A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft for US customers. Aircraft production is planned to begin in Q3 2019; with first delivery of a Mobile-assembled A220 aircraft scheduled for 2020. The new A220 production facilities will be complete by next year.
Airbus has strong and longstanding ties to the United States, with Airbus aircraft being operated by the largest airlines in America. Additionally, Airbus is a major partner of US aerospace companies and workers. In the last three years, Airbus spent $48 billion in the United States with hundreds of US suppliers in more than 40 states, translating into Airbus support of more than 275,000 American jobs.
Among its facilities in the US Airbus has: engineering centres in Kansas and Alabama; a major training facility in Florida and soon one in Colorado; materials support and headquarters in Virginia; an A320 Family assembly line delivering aircraft in Alabama; an innovative think tank (A3) in California; a drone data analysis business (Airbus Aerial) in Atlanta, Georgia; helicopter manufacturing and assembly facilities in Texas and Mississippi; and a satellite manufacturing facility (OneWeb) in Florida.