Airbus has completed production testing at its A330 Completion and Delivery Centre (C&DC) in Tianjin, China, and begun its operation. This action completes the additional steps in the expansion of its global footprint and strategic partnership with China. At the same time, the first A330 to be delivered from the C&DC was handed over to Tianjin Airlines.
Located at the same site as the Airbus Tianjin A320 Family Final Assembly Line and the Airbus Tianjin Delivery Centre, the A330 C&DC covers the aircraft completion activities including cabin installation, aircraft painting and production flight test, as well as customer flight acceptance and aircraft delivery. Some 150 Chinese staff members at the C&DC were trained by Airbus experts in Toulouse, France.
The new plant is composed of paint shop, weighing hangar and one main hangar with three aircraft positions covering an area of 16,800m2. The A330 C&DC in Tianjin will employ more than 250 people and is ready to deliver two aircraft per month by early 2019.
“The inauguration of our A330 C&DC in Tianjin, together with the first of many deliveries, marks a new milestone for Airbus’s international footprint and underlines the strong spirit of cooperation with our Chinese partners,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus COO and president of commercial aircraft. “Wide-body aircraft completed in China is an Airbus and industry first, which demonstrates our mutual commitment to a strong and growing Chinese aviation sector.”
To celebrate C&DC inauguration, a first A330 aircraft was delivered to Tianjin Airlines. The aircraft, which was assembled and equipped in Toulouse with Chinese and European staff, is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines and is configured in two classes with 260 seats.
By the end of August 2017, the in-service Airbus fleet with Chinese carriers included 1,484 aircraft (1,282 A320 family and 202 A330 family aircraft). The A330 is the most popular wide-body aircraft in China and is operated by nine airlines.
September 20, 2017
