Will Build Wing Box Assemblies For JCA Winner
AERO
Vodochody a.s. (AERO) announced Friday it has completed the
assembly line for production of the C-27J military transport
tactical aircraft center wing box for Italy's Alenia Aeronautica.
The first center wing box should be completed in Vodochody in this
year’s 3rd quarter.
"The production of the center wing box for the Italian customer
represents a delivery with high value added as well as high labor
input, which exactly corresponds to the potential of AERO and its
development aims. We expect that this program will be as important
as the dominant Sikorsky S-76 production regarding revenue and
profit," said AERO president Peter Ondro.
AERO tells ANN the production line was completed just days after
Finmeccanica won an important contract in the US. As ANN reported
Friday, the C-27J Spartan has been selected by the US Army and Air
Force as the new tactical transport aircraft for the Joint Cargo
Aircraft (JCA) program. In a 10-year period, Finmeccanica should
deliver up to 207 units of this aircraft in a total value of $6
billion.
"For AERO, such volume of deliveries will represent an increase
in the originally planned production capacity by 100%, in some
periods even 200%," stated Monika Vajnerova, AERO Vice-president
for Aerostructures.
From September 2006 to May 2007, individual workplaces were
dismantled at Piaggio Aero in Genoa, Italy -- the original supplier
of the center wing box -- and subsequently installed in Vodochody,
all the tools having been adjusted and thoroughly
checked.
The first two units will be assembled out of parts fully
delivered from Alenia Aeronautica. AERO has already started part
production for further six center wing boxes out of material
delivered from Alenia. Starting with the ninth center wing box,
which should be delivered in August 2008, AERO will take over
complete production, including material purchase.
The center wing boxes will be delivered from AERO to the final
assembly line of the C-27J aircraft in Turin-Caselle, Italy. "AERO
has already started the production of the center wing boxes during
the assembly of the production line and our experience shows that
we will get to the original production duration (delivery times) a
lot earlier than we estimated,” added Ludek Viteznik, AERO
C-27J Program Manager.
The contract on delivery of the C-27 center wing box was signed
on September 2, 2006. AERO obtained the first order for two units
on September 27 and further six units on November 20, 2006.
The Aerostructures Programs currently represent approx. 75% of
the Company revenue. The production of practically complete S-76
helicopter for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation remains the key
aerostructures program in AERO.
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.15.24)
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