Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. (TAI) is a long standing supplier of Airbus and other EADS business units. Today TAI manufactures the Single
Aisle fuselage section 18 skins at a rate of nine per month and due to the outstanding success of this aircraft Airbus is looking to further increase the production rate within TAI up to 15 sets per month. This represents a contract extension and value of business pproximately $30 million over the next three years. Also Airbus is looking to build on the
cooperation from A400M project and utilize the TAI design Capability to support it in the A350 XWB development with and design and build contract that will be defined over the next
twelve months. This will ensure continuity
of TAI excellent Aircraft design capability for the next five years, employing up to 200 design engineers on the latest state of the art aircraft
development. “This agreement is a further proof of the capacity of TAI to not only manufacture
on specification, on-time and at a competitive cost but also to contribute in commercial aerospace design. Airbus is offering us the opportunity to grow our business and development
while creating new employment in Turkey and consolidate our position in the international market and we will use this opportunity to
develop further”, said Muharrem Dortkasli of TAI.
“Since 2006, the turnover of Airbus work in Turkey has doubled from $19M to $40 million in 2008. This agreement will further increase this
figure and provides further opportunities for the Turkish Aerospace industry to continue to consolidate and grow it’s role, not only in manufacturing, but also in commercial aerospace design It clearly reflects the growing capability
in commercial aerospace manufacturing in Turkey and the strong support from the Turkish government given to the growth of this important export industry”, stated Simon Ward, Head of
Operations for International Cooperation at Airbus. The successful working relationship
between TAI and Airbus started originally
in 1998 with a first contract for 200 deliveries of Section 18 side panels for the A320 family of Airbus. This then expanded over the years up to
650 panels by 2007. In 2004, a contract for A380 component production was concluded with production starting in 2005 and running up to 2009. TAI is also shareholder of Airbus Military and an A400M industrial partner responsible for approximately five per cent of the airframe design and production. TAI is responsible for the
Forward Centre Fuselage, the Paratrooper Doors, the Rear Fuselage Upper Shell and the Tail Cone plus Ailerons and Spoilers. In addition the
Turkish industry (TAI, TEI, Selex, Aselsan) also supplies equipment and systems parts for the A400M. The Turkish Air Force has ordered ten
A400M, which will be delivered between 2010 and 2014