Strata delivers first set of A350-900 inboard flaps to Airbus

Strata Manufacturing, the advanced composite aerostructures manufacturing facility wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company, has completed delivery of its first set of A350-900 inboard flaps to Airbus.

Airbus selected Strata to manufacture the A350-900 inboard flap in 2015. Located along the trailing edge of the wings, the inboard flaps are positioned next to the airplane’s body, enabling it to secure greater lift during the most critical part of take-off and landing, when the angle of the aircraft is high and the speed is relatively low.

Ismail Ali Abdulla, CEO of Strata, said, "The impending delivery of inboard flaps to Airbus Final Assembly Line in Toulouse, reinforces Strata’s status as a tier-one supplier to Airbus. Today, we mark nine years of a close relationship between our two organizations – an association driven by shared values and a sustained global demand for commercial airplanes.

"We are investing in innovative techniques to produce these components, including processes like automatic tape layering and adaptive machine fixtures, in line with global best practice in this industry," he continued.

Strata-produced inboard flaps will be incorporated into A350s from January 2018, and the UAE-based company expects to ramp up production of these important components in 2018 and 2019.

Franck Martin, Head of Airbus Procurement Aerostructures, said, "The delivery of the first shipset of A350 inboard flaps to Airbus is a major milestone in the Airbus and Strata relationship, building on our significant achievements over the last nine years. Airbus is proud to be a premier partner of Strata and the UAE and we look forward to continuing our relationship into the next decade."