Airbus wing production takes off with air transporters

Citation

(1998), "Airbus wing production takes off with air transporters", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 70 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.1998.12770aaf.010

Airbus wing production takes off with air transporters

Airbus wing production takes off with air transporters

BAe Airbus Ltd, Chester-based manufacturer of wings for the Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft, is using Hovair air transporters to manoeuvre the 50 tonne aircraft components during construction.

Hovair Systems' air film technology allows loads of up to 600 tonnes to be moved with minimal effort in any direction on a film of air, making them ideal for floating such heavy and unusual loads. The Airbus wings are 98 feet long, 20 feet wide at their widest point and four feet deep at their deepest. They are built on their side, sitting on a special steel "raft", which weighs around 20 tonnes. Following assembly the units are floated on the transporters to another part of the factory to be finished before being flown to the main Airbus assembly plants in Hamburg and Bremen, Germany and Toulouse, France.

BAe Airbus Ltd, Chester-based manufacturer of wings for the Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft, is using Hovair air transporters to manouevre the 50 tonne aircraft components during construction

Hovair has supplied ten sets of air film equipment to BAe, all of which are fitted to the steel construction rafts. Each set features a quantity of polyurethane air bearings on its underside. A unique air distribution system connected to a standard air supply is used to inflate the air bearings.

As they inflate, small amounts of air escape through circular holes to create a 0.1mm air film which enables the virtually friction-free movement of the raft.

Each bearing functions independently so that transporters can handle off-centre loads where weight is unevenly distributed. An additional element of safety is provided by a "deadman's handle" that allows a "fast drop" for quick and safe control.

The Airbus wings are built in a special dock and held in place by a jig the size of a small block of flats. Once work in the dock is completed, air is applied to the air film equipment to raise the rafts off the ground. "Moving the wing out of the jig is a bit like driving a large car out of a small garage," said Mervyn Thomas, maintenance engineer at BAe Airbus. "We still need a couple of people to guide it out into the open area of the factory but steering the rafts using the Hovair Tugger has made the operation much easier."

The manoeuvrability of the transporters has been central to their success, according to Mervyn Thomas. "The point of load is spread over the entire base of the raft instead of on four or eight small wheels," he said. "Moving loads is also safer with air film equipment because at no time is the wing very far off the ground."

Details from Hovair Systems, a division of Air-Log Ltd, North Lane, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU12 4QH. Tel: 01252 319922; Fax: 01252 341872.