MOBILE, Alabama — Airbus said today that it has officially launched production of A220 aircraft at its newly constructed Final Assembly Line hangar at its Alabama manufacturing facility.
Airbus also said its workforce in Mobile has begun production of the first U.S.-built A220 for U.S. airline company JetBlue.
“The team is excited to start working in their new facility and to welcome a new customer. It’s a strong endorsement from JetBlue in this challenging time,” said Paul Gaskell, president of A220 USA and head of the A220 Program in Mobile.
Today’s announcement means the 270,000-square-foot hangar, where both A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft can be assembled, is officially open for business after an 18-month construction project.
The facility houses five primary assembly stations where major airframe component assemblies come together for a completed aircraft in a flowline process.
Airbus initially began producing A220 aircraft in Mobile in August 2019 using space in an existing A320 Final Assembly Line hangar and new support hangars. With the completion of the new Final Assembly Line hangar, the Airbus production site in Alabama has now doubled in size.
“The expansion of our commercial aircraft production in Mobile to a second product line further solidifies Airbus’ standing as a truly global aircraft manufacturer and confirms that Airbus is an important part of the American manufacturing landscape,” Gaskell said.
“This A220 assembly line will help satisfy the U.S. demand for the A220 aircraft.”
Airbus said another milestone was reached as the first component assemblies destined to become an A220 for JetBlue arrived at the new hangar.
JetBlue will be the second customer served by the Mobile team, with its first U.S.-made A220 scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter.
Airbus announced plans for A220 aircraft manufacturing in Mobile in October 2017.
“The opening of Airbus’ A220 Final Assembly Line in Mobile demonstrates the company’s commitment to aircraft production in the United States, and Alabama is proud to be the home of its growing U.S. manufacturing presence,” said Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.
“This marks another significant milestone for Airbus and its Mobile production center, and we look forward to seeing many others in the future.”
Big News! @AirbusInTheUS has just kicked off production in their newly-built A220 Final Assembly Line hangar & have started production of the first U.S.-built A220 for @JetBlue. We’re proud of these significant achievements! @MadeinAL #alpolitics
👉 https://t.co/NJpqUavkmk pic.twitter.com/hpLnX92wr6
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) May 19, 2020
