Etihad installs UAE manufactured Airbus ailerons

The Al Ain based aero structures facility wholly owned by Mubadala, have celebrated the delivery of their first four fully assembled Airbus A330 ailerons during a ceremony at Airbus' Bremen facility in Germany. This delivery marks a significant turning point in Strata's relationship with Airbus SAS, elevating the company to a tier-one or direct supplier to Airbus for A330 assembled ailerons. It is also an important step for Strata towards becoming a competitive and reliable supplier to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) for primary structures of increasing complexity. Designed to control roll and facilitate turning, the new critical wing structures will be mounted onto an A330 aircraft scheduled for delivery to Etihad Airways, in May. As Etihad Airways prepares to celebrate its tenth anniversary, the installation of the ailerons marks another first for the airline, whereby one of its aircraft will now operate with primary components manufactured within the UAE. All A330 aircraft require four ailerons; an inboard and outboard aileron mounted onto each wing. Each aileron measures five metres in length, weighs approximately 85 kilograms and is manufactured and assembled by specialised technicians using over 400 parts. Last year, Strata sent a group of sixteen technicians to Nantes, France for a five-month intensive training program, while a second group of technicians have recently returned from Nantes to implement the skills they acquired throughout their training. The aileron panels are already being manufactured at Strata with a skilled team of technicians including Emirati women from Strata's successful apprenticeship schemes. With this delivery, Strata is now a tier-one supplier of the A330 assembled ailerons to Airbus, and in December 2012, Strata also delivered its first ATR Vertical Fin to the Italian aerospace company, Alenia Aermacchi. This progression puts Strata in a favourable position to achieve its ambition of designing and manufacturing entire wing and empennage structures in the future. ?