First A400M in assembly

Interavia Business & Technology, Autumn, 2006

Airbus has started assembly of the first fuselage for the A400M airlifter at its factory in Bremen, Germany. A ceremony held in Bremen launched the beginning of the Integrated Fuselage Assembly (IFA) process for the first A400M airlifter. The start of IFA also marks the commissioning of the brand new facility at the Airbus Deutschland manufacturing site in Bremen.

Representing a 95 million [euro] investment, the 10,600 sq m assembly plant is capable of producing a complete A400M fuselage, excluding the nose section, in eight working days.

The 32m-long fuselage assembly, made up of four major elements delivered from facilities in Germany, South Africa and Turkey, is joined together using state-of-the-art semiautomatic riveting machines.

The complete process also includes the installation of electrical, hydraulic and air-conditioning systems as well as the cargo door, cargo loading ramp and the cargo handling system. Some cabin linings, insulation and seats will also be installed in Bremen before the complete assembly is transported to the A400M Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Seville, Spain.