Airbus factory in Hamburg sets new standards in aerospace innovation

Airbus's facilities on the outskirts of Hamburg produce every second aircraft from the A320 family. Until recently, the world's largest passenger aircraft, the A380, also left this facility. The plant resembles a small town with its airport.

For decades, Airbus remained in the shadow of American Boeing. However, for another year running, it significantly outperformed Boeing in terms of the number of new aircraft orders. Over half of the most popular aircraft from the A320 family are produced in the Airbus factory on the outskirts of Hamburg.

The history of these facilities began in the 1930s when seaplanes, small aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water, were produced here. Today, the factory resembles a small town with its road, foot, and bicycle traffic. It covers an area of approximately 3 square miles and employs 16,000 people. It also has an airport with an exclusive runway.

Sections of the A320 and A321 aircraft fuselage produced in Hamburg are transported by container ships to Airbus factories in China (Tianjin) and the USA (Mobile, Alabama). Logistics are facilitated by the location on the River Elbe, which connects the port of Hamburg to the North Sea, and its dedicated runway used by transport aircraft such as the Airbus Beluga XL.

Airbus is a truly European project - various elements for aircraft production are made in many locations across the Old Continent. For example, the cockpit, front section of the fuselage, and engine pylons are made in France. The middle and rear sections of the fuselage, flaps, and vertical stabilisers are made in Germany. The horizontal stabilisers and tail are made in Spain, while the wings are made in the United Kingdom.

There are four assembly lines here. For the production needs of the A320neo aircraft, which has become a sales hit for Airbus, a former hangar used for the production of the A380 - the world's largest passenger aircraft - was adapted. The last produced A380 in Emirates colours took off from Hamburg in January 2022. In the space that was reserved for producing one A380, three A320 family aircraft can now be produced.

In this hangar, fuselage sections are equipped with windows, insulation, cables, and piping - everything that is hidden from passengers' view under the floor and cabin wall panels. At the same time, work is underway below deck - in the cargo hold, with water tanks, and air conditioning systems. At this stage, the fuselage is painted green, which ensures corrosion protection.

The aircraft paint shop in Hamburg operates three shifts. Daniel Werdung, who guided journalists around the Airbus factory, said that the painting process could not be interrupted and would have to be completed the next day. The difference would be visible to the naked eye.

Although most aircraft in the world are painted white, airlines have a lot of freedom in choosing colours.

An example is the A321neo, which, as the 132nd aircraft of this type, joined Wizz Air's fleet on Thursday. The classic pink, blue, and white "candy" colours are complemented by a graphic design chosen in a competition for the airline's 20th anniversary, which is associated with sustainable development.

The Airbus A321neo is now the European manufacturer's flagship in the narrow-body aircraft segment. It can carry up to 244 passengers, depending on the airline's chosen configuration. Compared to the previous generation, it boasts more flexible cabin layout options. It consumes 30% less fuel per seat and generates half the noise.

Aircraft from the "neo" family have replaced the older generation in production. According to the latest Airbus data, only two A319ceo and four A320ceo are left in the order book. The total number of older-generation aircraft delivered reached 8,100. On the other hand, the order book for new-generation aircraft includes 10,500 machines, of which 3,400 have already been delivered. Of the orders for narrow-body aircraft from the "neo" family, 61% were for the A321neo.

The list price of one Airbus A321neo is about 120 million dollars. However, very few customers pay that much. Lessors and airlines can get discounts of up to 50% off the list price, depending on the size and conditions of the order.

Between the banks of the Elbe and the hangars is a small "museum," an exhibition of historic Airbus aircraft models. One particularly notable exhibit is the Super Guppy, which resembles the Airbus Beluga. However, it is an American design from Boeing's facilities. The aircraft first flew in 1965, and only five units were built. Only one is still in service as a transport aircraft for NASA.

In the same hangar where A380 aircraft were produced, a pilot assembly line for A321XLR aircraft has recently been operating. This is a much-anticipated variant of the A321neo "flagship," capable of flying long-haul routes. While the A321neo can fly routes up to 4,600 miles, the A321XLR can cover nearly 5,600 miles, which corresponds to even an 11-hour flight. This will open up the possibility of serving routes between Europe and the eastern coast of the USA or India with smaller aircraft.

As explained by Airbus representatives, having an additional fuel tank changed the fuselage production process compared to the assembly of the A321neo. Currently, A321XLR production occurs in a dedicated hangar, while "regular" A321s are being produced at the pilot line site. The market debut of the A321XLR is expected this year.