OREANDA-NEWS. June 06, 2011. The joint venture Airbus Freighter Conversion GmbH (AFC) was established in 2007 by Russian and West-European partners to convert passenger A320/A321 to freighter.

Founders of the joint venture are:

- JSC UAC and JSC IRKUT Corporation from Russian side;

- EADS EFW and Airbus from West-European side.

Russian share of 50% in the JV was divided equally between JSC UAC and JSC IRKUT Corporation. An engineering plateau was set up in Dresden (Germany) where specialists from IRKUT, Airbus and EADS have been working together. More than 100 specialists from Russia took part in the project. The plateau gathered a team of planners, designers, engineers, logisticians, representatives of all participating enterprises. Such technology is now employed within the А350 and А380 Airbus projects.

In March, 2010 IRKUT Corporation’s engineers received the signatory authority of the Airbus project documentation and drafts. This right covers fuselage and frame elements, interiors and systems installation.

Major tasks accomplished by June 2011:

-        A digital model of the conversion kit is developed, as well as full layout of necessary units and systems;
-        The correlation of the digital model and the existing passenger aircraft is completed;
-        The design work, strength calculations and development of certification documentation are at the final stage – documentation is ready to be transferred to production.

IRKUT’s specialists obtained real experience in determining the configuration of the basic product according to European requirements, as well as in co-designing with Airbus from concept to draft design.

Components manufacturing for the Airbus aircraft family

For the accomplishment projects within the Russian-European International Industrial Cooperation Program (IICP), in December 2004 the Airbus Company signed an agreement with the JSC IRKUT Corporation on manufacturing of components for the A320 Family in Russia. In particular, it is the Nose Landing Gear Bays, Keel Beams and Flap Tracks.

Within the IICP a manufacturing center of components for the mass-produced A320/A321 passenger aircraft was established on the basis of IRKUT Corporation.

Irkutsk Aviation Plant (IAP) - a subsidiary of JSC IRKUT Corporation provides the bulk of Russian deliveries for Airbus.

The normative basis of the Corporation was adjusted in accordance the Airbus standards while implementing the IIP program. More than 2500 international and national standards were interpreted and mastered, including the Airbus corporate standards. IAP became the first Russian company to receive certificates of conformity to the EN9100 and Airbus standards.

Mastering the manufacturing of new products, IAP implemented and certified a number of advanced technological processes.

Staff at all levels had experienced teamwork with colleagues from Western Europe. Training of personnel at partners factories in Germany, France and Austria were conducted.

In 2010 66 keel beam kits and 96 nose landing gear bays kits were delivered at a total sum of USD 5.6 million.

By the end of 2011 the production of the keel beam components is planned to be raised to a level of 90 kits, nose landing gear bays kits - more than 120 kits, flap tracks - over 60 kits. Estimated total production volume in 2011 - more than USD 9 million.

Cooperation with the Airbus Company on the manufacturing of components will be continued.