Airbus has today announced that the very first A220 to be assembled in the United States has been delivered to Delta Air Lines. This narrowbody was being worked on at the manufacturer’s facility in Mobile, Alabama.
The first of its kind
According to a press release seen by Simple Flying, Airbus shares that this completion highlights its role as a global aircraft producer, and it heralds the arrival of a new era in Airbus aircraft production in the US.
There were many pivotal moments leading up to this landmark delivery. Airbus first broke ground with its Final Assembly Line (FAL) at the site in January 2019. Production at the 270,000-square-foot facility then began later last year. Additionally, the inaugural flight of this jet was performed this June.
The premises produces both the A220-100 and A220-300 variants of the type. It also houses five primary assembly stations where major airframe component assemblies come together for a finished product. Moreover, staff members teamed up with a team in Mirabel, Quebec, for an effective completion across North America.
Altogether, around 400 workers within the US have been trained on A220 production. Other employees also work in Quebec, where the A220 program and primary FAL are.
An exciting moment
Notably, Delta is presently the largest A220 customer. The Atlanta-based carrier holds a total of 95 units of the jet on order. Moreover, it will become the first operator in the US to fly both the -100 and -300 variants.
Airbus Americas CEO and chairman C. Jeffrey Knittel said the following about the A220 delivery, as per the press release:
“The delivery of the first U.S.-built A220-300 is a historic moment that highlights Airbus’ growing industrial footprint in North America and makes us all extremely proud. We look forward to seeing passengers delighted by the experience of travelling on board this brand new A220-300 proudly built in Mobile, Alabama.”
A220 program lead Philippe Balducchi added the following statement:
“Handing over the first U.S-assembled aircraft to a U.S.-based customer is a real point of pride for the A220 programme. This delivery is the first of many to come and shows the strong collaborative spirit between the A220 Programme teams globally.”
The progress continues
JetBlue is set to become the second airline to receive US-built A220s later this year. The low-cost carrier will join plenty of other operators across Asia, America, Europe, and Africa that hold a total of 123 units of Airbus’ latest family member.
What are your thoughts about Delta Air Lines taking delivery of the first Airbus A220 assembled in the United States? Are you looking to fly on this aircraft in the future? Let us know what you think of the move in the comment section.