Tag: painting

Airbus Delivers First A350 From China Widebody Completion and Delivery Center

July 23, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Airbus has delivered the first A350 from its widebody completion & delivery centre in Tianjin (C&DC), China, taking additional steps in the expansion of its global footprint and long-term strategic partnership with China.

The A350-900 aircraft was delivered to China Eastern Airlines, the largest Airbus operator in Asia and second largest in the world. At the end of June 2021, China Eastern Airlines operated an Airbus fleet of 413 aircraft, including 349 A320 Family aircraft, 55 A330 Family aircraft and nine A350 aircraft.

Located at the same site as the Airbus Tianjin A320 Family Final Assembly Line and the Airbus Tianjin Delivery Centre, the widebody 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.

The centre was inaugurated in September 2017 with its capability on A330s. Then, during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to China in 2019, a Memorandum of Understanding on the Further Development of Industrial Cooperation was signed in Beijing by He Lifeng, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China, and Guillaume Faury, Airbus Chief Executive Officer, announcing the C&DC would extend its capability to A350 aircraft.

The A350 features the latest aerodynamic design, a carbon-fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these features translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and CO₂ emissions. The A350’s ‘Airspace by Airbus’ cabin is the quietest of any widebody aircraft and offers passengers and crews the most modern in-flight products for the most comfortable flying experience.

At the end of June 2021, the A350 Family had received 915 firm orders from 49 customers worldwide, making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever.

Amtrak Customers Celebrate 90 Years of Empire Builder Service

June 13, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Commemorative merchandise now available

CHICAGO – Amtrak today marked the 90th anniversary of the Empire Builder, which travels across the country’s northern tier, allowing customers to experience the grandeur of the Mississippi River Valley, Great Plains, Rockies and the Cascade Range. Daily service between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest provides a vital intercity travel option connecting more than 40 communities in eight states.

Sleeping car customers received wooden train whistles from Amtrak Guest Rewards and all customers departing Chicago received commemorative certificates signed by Amtrak President & CEO Richard Anderson. Prints of a new Empire Builder painting by railroad artist J. Craig Thorpe are available in the Amtrak store and, for a limited time, other items to recognize the anniversary of the service are also availab le from Amtrak.

Inaugurated by the Great Northern Railway (GN), the first westbound Empire Builder departed Chicago on the evening of June 10, 1929, but it was christened the next day in St. Paul, Minnesota, where the GN had its headquarters and where its mainline to Seattle began. The premier service was named for James J. Hill–the “Empire Builder,” who in the late 19th century founded what became the GN.

The GN and three railroads merged in 1970 to form the Burlington Northern, which continued to operate the Empire Builder until May 1, 1971, when newly-formed Amtrak took it over and changed the route to include Milwaukee by using what is now the Canadian Pacific Railway between Chicago and St. Paul. In October 1979, it became the first overnight train to be assigned bi-level Superliner® railcars, setting a higher travel standard that continues today.

Last year, 428,854 customers rode the Amtrak Empire Builder, Trains 7/27 & 8/28.

Collins Aerospace Celebrates Airbus Nacelle Delivery Milestone

May 30, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

— Delivery of the 1000th nacelle for A320neo program out of Foley, Alabama

— Delivery of the 9000th V2500 nacelle

— Continued support for the A220 nacelle program ramp-up

FOLEY, Ala., May 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Today Collins Aerospace Systems celebrated its 45-year relationship with Airbus by delivering the 1,000th nacelle for the A320neo program, delivering the 9000th V2500 nacelle, and continuing to support the ramp-up of the A220 nacelle program. These milestones were commemorated at a ceremony hosted by Collins Aerospace at its Foley, Alabama facility. More than 900 employees at the facility were joined by leaders from Airbus in the U.S., as well as Alabama Congressman Bradley Byrne, to mark the milestones. Collins Aerospace is a unit of United Technologies Corp. (UTX).

The relationship with Airbus dates back to the A300, the first Airbus aircraft. The milestones achieved are due to the strong collaboration and hard work from both companies.

“This celebration and the work we do with Airbus goes far beyond Foley today. Teams across our worldwide sites are working with pride and commitment to provide on-time delivery and quality, and ensure that our relationship with Airbus remains strong for years to come,” said Jim Pollock, Collins Aerospace Vice President of Airbus Programs. “We’re now integrating A320neo engines with our advanced nacelle systems on three continents and continuing to introduce new manufacturing innovations — such as robotic painting systems and advanced fastening tools — to meet the increasing global demand for air travel.”

In support of the Airbus A320neo program, Collins has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to expand manufacturing capacity at six global sites.

Collins Aerospace’s innovative nacelle system for the Airbus A320neo is performing with 99.99% percent dispatch reliability. There are currently more than 750 Collins nacelles operating on A320neo aircraft with 32 airlines.

“In more than a million fleet hours since the A320neo’s entry into service, there have been less than 10 delays and zero cancellations associated with the Collins nacelle,” said Pollock. “This type of reliability is a testament to the commitment and dedication of the program, engineering, and airline support teams.”

About Collins Aerospace

Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (UTX), is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. Created in 2018 by bringing together UTC Aerospace Systems and Rockwell Collins, Collins Aerospace has the capabilities, comprehensive portfolio and expertise to solve customers’ toughest challenges and to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market. For more information, visit CollinsAerospace.com

Airbus Delivers First A350 From China Widebody Completion and Delivery Center

Amtrak Customers Celebrate 90 Years of Empire Builder Service

Commemorative merchandise now available

Collins Aerospace Celebrates Airbus Nacelle Delivery Milestone

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