The A380 took to the skies at the Farnborough Air Show yesterday with Alcoa products and solutions that set new standards in performance in advanced aerospace metallics and fastening systems:
• New alloys that add strength and durability to the wings and fuselage;
• Multi-material lockbolts for assembly of the plane’s center wing box; and
• Wing spar and landing gear forgings that will hold up under the pounding of a lifetime of takeoffs and landings
The A380 features more of our solutions than any other platform in Alcoa’s 100-plus years of aircraft history. Our products are literally used from nose to tail, from the forward landing gear support structure to forgings for the horizontal and vertical stabilizers. Alcoa is considered a “partner, not a supplier” by Airbus for its significant contributions to the A380.
According to Airbus North America chairman Allan McArtor, “We gave Alcoa a challenge, and Alcoa gave us engineered solutions. That’s what partners do. They solved complex manufacturing problems, and they reduced our costs.”
At the show, Harry Kiskaddon, global commercial director, Alcoa Rolled Products, described the significance of Alcoa’s partnership with Airbus on the A380.
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