Spirit AeroSystems ships first composite fuselage section panels for Airbus A350 XWB

Spirit AeroSystems has shipped the first production composite center fuselage panels for the Airbus A350 XWB program out of its Kinston, N.C., facility. The Section 15 fuselage panels are being sent to Saint-Nazaire, France, where final upper shell assembly will occur. Section 15 of the fuselage consists of the center composite upper and forward lower shells manufactured by Spirit. Spirit won a contract with Airbus in May 2008 to design and produce the A350 XWB’s composite center fuselage section. Spirit also designs and builds the spar and fixed leading edge for the A350 XWB.