An aviation milestone: Safran Nacelles delivers its 100th nacelle for Airbus A320neo jetliners

Meeting its delivery challenge for the fastest and largest production ramp-up in civil aviation history, Safran Nacelles this month delivered the 100th nacelle for Airbus A320neo (New Engine Option) airliners powered by CFM International LEAP-1A jet engines.

The milestone nacelle was provided from Safran Nacelles' Colomiers, France integration facility to the A320 family aircraft final assembly line at nearby Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, where the unit was installed on an A320 for Indian carrier Air India.

Safran Nacelles attained the "century mark" only 11 months after it began deliveries of A320neo nacelles – once again validating the company's ability to achieve an unprecedented nacelle production ramp-up for the best-selling Airbus single-aisle jetliner family.

-- Decades of expertise makes Safran Nacelles the nacelle specialist --

This accomplishment is the result of Safran Nacelles' experience in jet engine nacelles that covers everything from design and development to production and integration, according to A320neo Program Director Eric Lecossais.

"The success comes directly from the heads and hands of every member in our teams, who contribute decades of expertise that goes into each nacelle we deliver," Lecossais said. "Modern nacelles are complex integrated systems. Creating, producing and supplying them is something that cannot be invented overnight."

Safran Nacelles' commitment to the unprecedented ramp-up in A320neo deliveries has included nearly $100 million in investments for processes, innovation, supply chain management and employee skills across all its production sites.

-- Production output to double from 2018 to 2020 --

Lecossais said production output is targeted to reach 264 A320neo nacelles in 2017 (a delivery rate of one nacelle per day), then nearly doubling from 2018 to attain a record 690 nacelles in 2020.

In addition to meeting the output numbers, Lecossais noted the nacelles being delivered by Safran Nacelles are robust, reliable and meet the performance specifications.