Front page

Korean Air Aerospace to manufacture new A320 Family "Sharklets"

Korean Air Aerospace Division, the aerospace manufacturing division of the Korean Air Group, has been selected by Airbus as sole supplier of the new Airbus-designed "Sharklet" wingtip devices for the best-selling A320 Family of Single Aisle aircraft.

Under the terms of the agreement Korean Air Aerospace will manufacture the new composite wingtip devices and supply them to the A320 Family final assembly lines in Toulouse, Hamburg and Tianjin. The first A320 fitted with Sharklets will be delivered from the end of 2012.

Launched for development in October last year, the new wingtip devices, which are around 2.5 metres tall, will further enhance the efficiency of the popular A320 Family by replacing the current wingtip fence on the A320 Family. Offered as an option, the devices will reduce fuel burn particularly over longer sectors. As well as increasing payload-range and improving take-off performance, the devices are expected to result in around 3.5 percent reduced fuelburn over longer sectors, corresponding to an annual CO2 reduction of around 700 tonnes per aircraft.

Korean Air Aerospace is a long-term partner of Airbus, with a relationship dating back more than 20 years. The manufacturer is currently participating in a wide range of programmes for various Airbus aircraft, including elevator sections for the A320 Family, fuselage skin panels and floor assemblies for the A330/A340 Family, and the cargo doors for the new A350 XWB.

The A320 Family is recognised as the benchmark in the single-aisle aircraft category. Over 6,500 aircraft from the Family have already been sold and more than 4,200 delivered to some 300 customers and operators worldwide. The development of the new wingtip devices is part of the larger continuous improvement programme for the A320 Family which is supported by an annual investment in excess of 100 million euros each year.

Press release issued by Airbus S.A.S. on May 31, 2010

Enhanced listings:

ND Industries, Inc. - Western Fastener Processing Division ND Industries Ð your trusted supplier for AN, MS, and NAS parts, since 1987

Mecmesin Limited Mecmesin, leading supplier of competitively priced tensile, compression, materials and torque testing systems for ensuring the quality of aerospace raw materials, sub systems and components

Elaire Corporation Elaire Corporation is a leading USA manufacturer of air tool collets, drill collets, grinder collets and air tool components

Precision Metal Products, Inc. Precision Metal Products is a world class manufacturer of close-tolerance and near Ðnet metal forgings and precision machined components

See our advertising tariff.