Nitrohelper From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 463 posts, RR: 5 Posted (6 years 6 months 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 6748 times:
Since the announced delay things have been quiet about the solution to the wiring problems.
Anybody know if any new harnesses have been built? Have the new airframes continued to be assembled ? If that stopped, what are the employees working on now?
Where are all the parts for the stalled airframes being stored?
A one year delay would have to cause huge logistics headaches for suppliers. With the "just in time" method, I don't think there are warehouse capacities left at manufacturers sites for finished products. Is Airbus forced into double handling of the supply stream?
And the last question, Is there a bigger assembly problem than the harnesses that hasn't been announced?
Scouseflyer From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2006, 3254 posts, RR: 10 Reply 2, posted (6 years 6 months 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 6448 times:
Quoting Nitrohelper (Thread starter): And the last question, Is there a bigger assembly problem than the harnesses that hasn't been announced?
As far as I know the wiring is the only problem. My source in North Wales tells me that they've stopped making wings as there's nowhere left to store them I guess everyone will be doing the same (RR definitely are).
Wasn't the plan with the wiring to get it right on one of the test planes - using that as the 3d prototype? I'm guessing by the number of A380s about at TLS anf Hamburg that any new airframes are not going to be delivered until 2009 now anyway
WingedMigrator From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 2025 posts, RR: 56 Reply 3, posted (6 years 6 months 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 6392 times:
Evidently. Stuff is going into the factory, and stuff is coming out of the factory.
There is a road convoy to Toulouse scheduled for next week, which will include a horizontal tailplane, a rear section, a mid section and a pair of wings. Also, F-WWSC had its maiden flight last week, the eighth frame to fly and the third for Singapore Airlines.
Leelaw From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (6 years 6 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 6359 times:
Quoting WingedMigrator (Reply 3): F-WWSC had its maiden flight last week, the eighth frame to fly and the third for Singapore Airlines.
F-WWSC (MSN006) at TLS on January 13, 2006. The photographer's remark was: "Towing in progress to "Lagardére" plant. Looking like a cathedral in construction!" I'd add that the time necessary for construction is similar to a cathedral as well, since the projected delivery of this aircraft won't be until sometime in early 2008.
[Edited 2006-11-24 01:40:19]
Jacobin777 From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 14968 posts, RR: 61 Reply 5, posted (6 years 6 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 6323 times:
Interesting read:
"Keith Stonestreet, product marketing director of the Airbus A380 Marketing Division, says 26 superjumbos have been assembled as per the delivery plan."
"He said the aircraft is performing much better than expected. "It has the quietest cabin developed ever, with fuel efficiency 17 per cent better than the B747-800," he added."
Nitrohelper From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 463 posts, RR: 5 Reply 6, posted (6 years 6 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 6292 times:
Thanks for the update, I'm happy to hear that people are still working. The area around the assembly halls should produce some photos that will look like the desert storage in the USA. A large group of A380s will give us a look into the future of an Emirates hub, or LHR at rush hour !
Leelaw From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (6 years 6 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 6193 times:
Quoting Jacobin777 (Reply 5): "Keith Stonestreet, product marketing director of the Airbus A380 Marketing Division, says 26 superjumbos have been assembled as per the delivery plan."
Interesting. Have the wing set and fuselage sections necessary to assemble the twenty-sixth airframe even arrived at TLS yet? As of June 2006 (when the assembly line was paused), two forward fuselage sections – MSN013 (second for Emirates) and MSN015 (second for Qantas) – and three wing sets had also been delivered to Toulouse and were being worked on ahead of assembly.
WingedMigrator From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 2025 posts, RR: 56 Reply 8, posted (6 years 6 months 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 5779 times:
Quoting Leelaw (Reply 7): Interesting. Have the wing set and fuselage sections necessary to assemble the twenty-sixth airframe even arrived at TLS yet?
No. Since June 2006, when FI's data was valid, the following road convoys have occurred or will soon occur:
Departing 10 July, a front section, a rear section, a horizontal tailplane
Departing 04 September, a mid section, a rear section, a horizontal tailplane
Departing 27 November (this coming week), a mid section, a horizontal tailplane, and a pair of wings
Tallying the various section totals, as of now they have enough pieces to assemble MSN013, and next week they will have enough to assemble MSN015.
I am keeping a close watch on the convoys and first flight events, which allow one to know a) the production rate and b) how many frames are in assembly. Unfortunately I do not have enough money to send my own auditors to Toulouse.
Nitrohelper From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 463 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (6 years 6 months 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 5600 times:
Obviously the 26 number is a misunderstanding by someone, I don't think A-bus could have misplaced a few 380s around the shop!
My questions are:
#1 How many WhaleJets can they work on inside at one time?
#2 Will they do the wiring inside ,or could the installation be done outside the assembly halls?
#3 As frames are assembled will they have to be moved in and out of the same final assembly space as wiring harnesses and other parts (engines) are delivered?
#4 Will the winter weather in France impact this procedure to any great extent?
Thinking about moving all that metal around, I could see why there is a years delay.The logistics department must be working overtime!
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