In a bid to prepare suppliers, the airframer has issued an update to its production plans
European aerospace giant Airbus has issued an update to its expected production levels for its four main commercial aircraft programmes.
The airframer says it anticipates the market to recover to pre-COVID levels between 2023 and 2025, led by the single-aisle segment.
“The aviation sector is beginning to recover from the COVID-19 crisis”, said Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO. “The message to our supplier community provides visibility to the entire industrial ecosystem to secure the necessary capabilities and be ready when market conditions call for it. In parallel, we are transforming our industrial system by optimising our aerostructures set-up and modernising our A320 Family production facilities. All these actions are set in motion to prepare our future.”
The company confirmed that it is aiming for a production rate of 45 A320 Family jets per month in Q4 this year. This is set to increase to 64 by Q2 2023. In anticipation of a continued recovery, Airbus is also asking suppliers to enable a scenario rate of 70 by the first quarter of 2024. Longer term, it is investigating rates as high as 75 per month by 2025.
Meanwhile, the A220 Family currently sits at around five aircraft each month from the Mirabel and Mobile production facilities. The rate is confirmed to rise to around six by early next year. The aerospace giant is planning a monthly production rate of 14, “by the middle of the decade”.
Within its widebody division, the A350 Family are being produced at an average production rate of five per month, this is expected to increase to six by the autumn of next year.
Its A330 Family is expected to remain at two per month.
