Charles Gee & Co. provided the Project Support & Logistics Services integration to the Alcas project as a design, build and operate solution working in partnership with the Airbus UK Alcas Project Team Filton UK, Hyde Group Tooling in Manchester UK, Airbus France Alcas Project Team at Toulouse and the Alcas Test Team at DGA Techniques Aéronautiques in Balma France.

The overall objective of the ALCAS project (Advanced Low Cost Aircraft Structures) is to maintain and enhance the competitive position of the European aerospace industry, in the face of significant challenges from strong global competition. The specific objective is to contribute to reducing the operating costs of relevant European aerospace products by 15%, through the cost effective full application of carbon fibre composites to aircraft primary structure, taking into account systems integration. The target product range is from business jets to large civil airliners.

Alcas Airliner Wing WP 1 – Aims of the project 20% weight saving in the wing structure, with zero increase in recurring cost against the reference state-of-the-art metallic wing. The Charles Gee & Co. solution involved the design and manufacture of a transport fixture that could be used for the several transportation requirements during the life of the Alcas WP1 project. The Charles Gee & Co. turnkey Project Support service provision was led by South West based Project Manager Martin Barnes and involved drawing upon experience, services and assets throughout the Charles Gee Group of Companies, whilst working in partnership with the Hyde Group, the project manufacturing partner, and other suppliers.

Phase 1 of the Alcas project involved manufacture of the transport fixture, collection, transport & delivery of the 4.8m wide 16m long Alcas Lateral Wing from Airbus in Filton Bristol, to Airbus FAL in Toulouse France for integration with the centre wing. The Charles Gee Project Support team using 3 mobile cranes removed the Lateral Wing from the manufacturing facility in Bristol and secured the lateral wing to the transport fixture for road transport to Toulouse. Two French mobile cranes were used in the Toulouse FAL to remove the Alcas Lateral Wing from the transport fixture and install into the integration jigs. The Charles Gee & Co. responsibility ended when the Airbus France Alcas team accepted the Lateral Wing had been delivered in to the integration jig.

Phase 2 of the project involved transport of the integrated Alcas specimen at 6.8m wide 16m long from Airbus FAL Toulouse to the DGA Techniques Aéronautiques test facility in Balma France. The Charles Gee Project Support Team using 2 French mobile cranes operating a tandem lift, removed the Alcas Specimen from the integration jig in the Airbus France Toulouse FAL and reinstalled the enlarged wing on to the transportation fixture for the road journey to the DGA facility in Balma France.

At 6.8m wide, the permit process included the removal of trees and sign posts for a 200m section of the route in Balma, involving coordination with the local authorities and police for the night time move.

Phase 3 of the project involved the Charles Gee Project Support team assisting the DGA Techniques Aéronautiques Test Team to unload the Alcas Specimen from the road transport fixture using overhead cranes in the DGA test facility.