Spirit AeroSystems confirmed that it had been selected by Airbus to join the A350 XWB programme.

The US group will build part of the new aircraft’s fuselage, namely section 15, at a new plant in North Carolina that will employ up to 1,000 workers. Spirit will also send A350 manufacturing work off to Malaysia and to its Wichita site in Kansas, it declared. Construction of the new plant should start this year for an entry into operations in 2010. The AFP and Seattle Post Intelligencer both comment that this announcement underscores the global nature of the aerospace industry as the US supplier also builds part of the fuselage and the nose for Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

Airbus could lift A330 and A340 production from eight to 12 units a month

Airbus could lift A330 and A340 production from eight to 12 units a month, says Suddeutsche Zeitung, citing chief commercial officer John Leahy. “Even if we build 12 planes, we will sell them all”, reportedly declared Mr Leahy. Besides, the A330 is also the basis for the aerial refuelling tankers to be built for the US Air Force. Suddeutsche Zeitung

Rockwell Collins has been awarded three additional equipment packages for the Airbus A350 XWB

Rockwell Collins has been awarded three additional equipment packages for the Airbus A350 XWB aircraft, reports Air & Cosmos. These packages include communications and radio navigation, the AFDX (Avionics Full Duplex Switched) data network, and landing assistance systems. Rockwell Collins had already been selected to supply the THSA (Trimmable Horizontal Stabiliser Actuator) command system.

EADS and Airbus have to take up several challenges: Power 8, the A380 programme or the weak dollar.

Air & Cosmos chief editor Jean-Pierre Casamayou writes that there is a “storm warning” looming over EADS and its subsidiary. The two latest announcements –additional delays to the A380 and the end of the plant-sale programmesymbolise the failure of a misguided industrial strategy and risk refuelling French-German tensions within the company, explains the editor.

“Insolent health” and “outstanding dynamism” of business aviation.

Air & Cosmos devotes a special report to the “insolent health” and “outstanding dynamism” of business aviation. The year 2007 was exceptional for the business aviation industry: new programmes, delivery growth, order highs and forays into new markets. Indeed, while strengthening its foothold in the US and Europe, business aviation made an amazing entry into younger markets like Russia, India, the Middle-East and Asia-Pacific.

Airbus teams up with US partners to develop biofuel.

Airbus teams up with US partners to develop biofuel. Airbus, US defence group Honeywell, the International Aero Engines (IAE) consortium and US airline JetBlue have joined forces to develop biofuel for air transport, said the European plane maker yesterday. The partners plan to work on fuel types made of plant species and algae that will be cleaner than current kerosene blends, explained Airbus.

Paul-Jerome Evette has been appointed as president of EADS Test & Services,

Paul-Jerome Evette has been appointed as president of EADS Test & Services, part of the Defence Electronics business unit of the Defence & Security division. He succeeds Jean Bultel, who retires. Air & Cosmos

The aeronautical industry must conduct joint efforts to become a more eco-friendly activity

The aeronautical industry must conduct joint efforts to become a more eco-friendly activity, writes Thomas Enders in a comment piece for Cinco Dias. Air transport contributed to making the modern world as it is, while helping emerging countries to develop. The continuous improvements in efficiency also largely participated to reducing the sector’s environmental impact.

EADS will acquire French aircraft dismantling and recycling group Tarmac Aerosave,

EADS will acquire French aircraft dismantling and recycling group Tarmac Aerosave, jointly with French energy company Suez, after the EU yesterday cleared the move. Dow Jones (15/05)