New challenges for Saab in the A380 program
The world met Airbus’ latest venture, the A380, for the first time during a grand ceremony in Toulouse, France, on January 18. Saab has now delivered over a dozen Mid and Outer Fixed Leading Edge, MOLE. The next challenge is development of the MOLE for the cargo version, A380F, which is now in full swing.
The cargo version of the A380 has always been part of the long-term development plan for the A380 family and thereby considered in the development of the base version.
Saab has made great efforts to ensure that the manufacturing tools and jigs would be able to produce various MOLE variants. Right now intensive development work is going on at Saab’s factory in Linköping to strengthen the aircraft structure, so that it can withstand the greater weight load placed on the cargo version. The cargo version shall be able to carry loads up to 150 tons.
Production of components for the A380F will already begin at Saab this spring. The assembly of the large MOLEs will begin in December with the first delivery to the Airbus wing factory in Broughton estimated to be made in the beginning of February next year.
“For Saab the A380F project means that the structure must be strengthened to bear the increased load on the wings. We will re-dimension the majority of the components based on the new requirements”, says Hans-Peter Magnusson, Project Manager for A380.
Saab Aerostructures will manufacture the MOLE for both the passenger and cargo versions of the aircraft in parallel. Considering the proportion of cargo aircraft sold, approximately every fifth unit will be the cargo version.