Thu, Oct 05, 2017
Rising Customer Demand For Company's Nacelle Systems Helps Bring 260 New Jobs To Foley Site
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey recently toured the recently-expanded facility of UTC Aerospace Systems' Aerostructures business where nacelle systems will be assembled and integrated with the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engine for the Airbus A320neo. The Aerostructures business celebrated completion of construction of the 80,000-square foot expansion to its existing facility with a ribbon-cutting in late August.
The industrial ramp-up for the Airbus A320neo is a major driver for the addition of up to 260 new jobs at the Foley site, which will bring total employment at the facility to more than 1,000 employees. The integrated propulsion systems for the A320neo will be delivered to the Airbus final assembly line in Mobile, Alabama, about an hour away from the Foley site. The expansion features advanced manufacturing technologies such as an automated material movement to index large nacelle component platforms down the assembly line, an overhead rail system with vacuum lifts and an automated painting system.
"We are delighted to provide the governor an opportunity to tour this state-of-the-art facility," said Marc Duvall, president of UTC Aerospace Systems' Aerostructures business. "The Foley expansion is part of an incremental investment of more than $500 million that Aerostructures has made to build or expand six company sites around the world in support of the A320neo nacelle industrial ramp-up for the life of the airplane program."
Aerostructures was selected by Airbus at program launch to supply the complete nacelle system for the A320neo family of airplanes powered by Pratt & Whitney's Geared Turbofan engine for the life of the airplane program. Over the next several years, there will be thousands of Aerostructures nacelles flying on A320neo airplanes, offering airlines and lessors a compelling value proposition through commonality and high in-service reliability. Since entry into service, the airplanes with UTC Aerospace Systems' nacelles have performed with 99.99% dispatch reliability.
(Image provided with United Technologies news release)
More News
Hold Procedure A predetermined maneuver which keeps aircraft within a specified airspace while awaiting further clearance from air traffic control. Also used during ground operatio>[...]
Altitude Readout An aircraft’s altitude, transmitted via the Mode C transponder feature, that is visually displayed in 100-foot increments on a radar scope having readout cap>[...]
Aero Linx: European Hang Gliding and Paragliding Union (EHPU) The general aim of the EHPU is to promote and protect hang gliding and paragliding in Europe. In order to achieve this>[...]
Also: Skydio Chief, Uncle Sam Sues, Dash 7 magniX, OR UAS Accelerator US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall was given a turn around the patch in the 'X-62A Variable In-flight>[...]
"The need for innovation at speed and scale is greater than ever. The X-62A VISTA is a crucial platform in our efforts to develop, test and integrate AI, as well as to establish AI>[...]