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Airbus opens Alabama A220 production facility
May 19, 2020 By Wings Staff
Airbus’ A220 production facility in Mobile, Alabama, houses five primary assembly stations where major airframe component assemblies are joined. (Photo: Tad Denson, Airbus) Airbus on May 19 announced the inauguration of its A220 commercial aircraft final assembly line in Mobile, Alabama. The aircraft maker broke ground on construction of the 270,000-square-foot facility back in January 2019.
The new assembly line, which is the company’s second U.S.-based commercial aircraft production facility, is located at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley adjacent to the A320 Family production line – along the Gulf of Mexico.
Airbus began producing A220s in Mobile in August 2019 using available space in its A320 assembly hanger and in newly constructed support hangars. With the start of operations in the dedicated A220 final assembly line, Airbus’ production site in Alabama has now officially doubled in size.
The new final assembly line will be focused on building both the A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft for U.S. customers, with Delta as the first customer for a Mobile-assembled A220. Airbus’ Alabama production team also recently welcomed the first component assemblies destined to become an A220 for JetBlue, scheduled to receive a completed aircraft in 2020.
“The team is excited to start working in their new facility and to welcome a new customer,” said Paul Gaskell, president of A220 USA and head of A220 Program in Mobile. “It’s a strong endorsement from JetBlue in this challenging time.”
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JetBlue in July 2018 ordered 60 Airbus A220-300 aircraft for delivery beginning in 2020, with an option for 60 additional aircraft beginning in 2025. The A220’s primary production facility and program headquarters are still located in Mirabel, Quebec, where dedicated functions like engineering and support also are situated.
