GKN Aerospace wins USD multi-million contracts for A350 XWB landing flaps

GKN Aerospace has won two new contracts for detailed parts for the inboard and outboard landing flaps of the Airbus A350 XWB. The inboard flap contract has been awarded by Airbus (Bremen) whilst the outboard flap contract has been awarded by Fokker Aerostructures. These contracts cover the manufacturing development and production of all composite components for both flaps. First components for developmental flaps will be delivered early in 2011.

GKN Aerospace is already contracted to provide the rear spars and fixed trailing edge assemblies for the A350 XWB wings – also complex composite structures.

Phil Swash, President and CEO, Aerostructures, Europe at GKN Aerospace comments: "These new contracts extend our growing reputation as a key tier-one supplier of major composite and metallic wing structures and assemblies to the aerospace primes. They also grow our global partnership with Airbus and extend our developing and very promising relationship with Fokker Aerostructures."

Development and production work for these flaps will take place at the GKN Aerospace facility in Munich, Germany where a second Automated Tape Laying (ATL) machine has been installed to support A350 XWB production in the coming years. The Munich team already supplies the composite components for the A330/A340 landing flaps and a range of flap products for A320 and A380.

GKN Aerospace has been supplying composite products for wings to Airbus since the development of the A320 family of aircraft. The Company supplies items such as the full set of composite flap components for the A330/A340, the large and complex wing trailing edge for the A380 and the pioneering all-composite wing spar and wing trailing edge for the A400M.