Eurocopter delivered the first A350 XWB jetliner passenger door produced at its Donauwörth, Germany facility. This represents a further milestone in a program that underscores synergies between helicopter production and the construction of carbon fiber aircraft components. As prime contractor and system supplier, Eurocopter is providing a full set of door systems that will equip this latest widebody member of Airbus’ jetliner family. The A350 XWB passenger doors are the first for a commercial aircraft to be made entirely of carbon fiber reinforced plastic – an ideal material for modern aircraft construction, which is characterized by its combination of lightness and rigidity, as well as its outstanding fatigue properties and corrosion resistance.
Benefits of Eurocopter’s technical innovation in the A350 XWB aircraft doors include a reduction in parts, the application of advanced mechanical systems and equipment that are easier to maintain, and additional safety features. Series production is handled at the company’s Donauwörth site in a new building designed to meet the requirements of automated production methods and quality control at high production rates.
