Aviation

Emirates Engineering executes first complete landing gear change for Emirates A380 aircraft

Dubai, UAE, 29 May 2018– Emirates Engineering has successfully accomplished the first complete replacement of landing gear on A6-EDF, the first Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft to have its entire landing gear system replaced at one time.

Comprising five sets of landing gear – two under the wings, two under the body, and one nose landing gear, the work was planned and executed in-house, at the Emirates Engineering hangars in Dubai.

Every Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft has a landing gear system with a total of 22 landing wheels. In addition to the wheels, the landing gear mechanism of the aircraft includes the gear extension and retraction systems, braking and steering controls, and other monitoring systems. The landing gear of the world’s largest commercial aircraft can support a weight of close to 570 tonnes on take-off and over 390 tonnes on landing.

The process of changing all the landing gears was completed in 14 days with the Emirates Engineering team clocking thousands of man hours during this period. For the duration of the work, the entire aircraft was lifted on jacks to support the body of the aircraft.

Watch a video of the Emirates Engineering team completing the landing gear replacement on A6-EDF.

“The first complete replacement of landing gears on our Airbus A380 aircraft is an important milestone for us. This and other similar achievements by the Emirates Engineering team reflects the degree of planning, preparation and expertise that go behind the successful execution of complex projects such as this one,” said Mohammad Jaffar Nasser, Emirates Senior Vice President, Engineering Maintenance. “By extending our services to third party airlines, we share our expertise and enhance engineering procedures globally,” he added.

Two additional Airbus A380 aircraft from Emirates’ fleet are scheduled to undergo a complete change of landing gear systems over 2018. In addition to investments in infrastructure and facilities including specialised tools, the Emirates Engineering team worked closely with a team of suppliers – Airbus, Field International, UTAS and Safran to plan and execute the landing gear replacement.

Emirates Engineering operates modern and extensive facilities in Dubai, including six heavy maintenance hangars capable of conducting C-Checks on the Airbus A 380 and the world’s largest dedicated aircraft painting facility, to maintain Emirates’ fleet of over 260 Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. Emirates Engineering also offers Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services to external parties leveraging off its experience of being the world’s largest operator of the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 777 aircraft.

Related Topics:Airbus A380 Emirates landing gear

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.