Airbus Chinese venture delivers A350 XWB rudders

Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Center (HMC), a joint venture between Airbus and its Chinese partners, began delivering locally manufactured rudders for the wide-body Airbus A350 XWB this week.

The rudders manufactured at HMC will be delivered to an Airbus site in Germany, where they will be fixed to the A350 XWB vertical stabilizer, and then delivered to the A350 XWB Final Assembly Line in France, said the company.

Rudders are one of the major components that HMC manufactures for the Airbus A350 XWB program. Airbus and Chinese authorities signed an agreement in 2007 for five percent of the A350 XWB airframe to be manufactured in China.

"This is an important milestone for the manufacturing center and for our long-term partnership with the Chinese aviation industry as well. Airbus is delivering the first A350 XWB this year on track. HMC will play an important role in contributing to the ramp-up and the success of the program," said Rafael Gonzalez-Ripoll, Airbus China chief operating officer.

HMC was put into production in 2009. It mainly produces components for Airbus A320 series and A350 XWB.