Airbus starts production on first composite barrel for A350

Published 9:53 am Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Airbus has started work on producing its first carbon fiber composite barrel for its new A350 XWB jet, the company said Tuesday.

Work on the composite section is underway at the company’s production plant in Illescas, Spain, and expects to complete the section in a few weeks.

For most of the fuselage, Airbus is using composite fuselage panels rather than an all-composite barrel, as Boeing did with its 787. Airbus said the panels are easier to manufacture and assemble than the barrels are.

However, Airbus is using one composite barrel at the rear part of the fuselage. The company expects to deliver its first A350 XWB in 2013.