Airbus in Türkiye
Airbus and Türkiye have a long history of partnership with successful projects realized in civil and military aviation for Türkiye. For nearly 40 years, Airbus has been an important partner for Türkiye, working closely with Turkish Airlines, the Ministry of Defence, the Presidency of Defense Industry Agency (Savunma Sanayii Başkanlığı), Turkish Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard. Looking back into the past, Turkish National Flag carrier Turkish Airlines first began operating Airbus A310 in 1985, and the Turkish Air Force received the former EADS Casa CN-235 in 1991. Türkiye also became a partner of the Airbus A400M Atlas project in 2003.
Airbus is committed to long-term, mutually beneficial industrial cooperation through the placement of work packages that include the transfer of technology, and which help to build skills and competencies in the Turkish aviation industry.
Airbus Commercial Aircraft
Today, Türkiye is the 3rd largest Airbus market in Europe, with some 300 Airbus passenger and freighter aircraft in service with nine operators. In total, more than 120 aircraft remain in the order book to be delivered to airlines in Türkiye.
Airbus A320, A330, and A350 families share a unique cockpit and operational commonality, allowing airlines to use the same pool of pilots, cabin crews, and maintenance engineers, bringing operational flexibility and resulting in significant cost savings. Several airlines in Türkiye exploit this unique advantage by operating more than one Airbus aircraft type in their fleet.
Turkish Airlines is the largest Airbus operator in the region with 191 Airbus aircraft comprising 119 Single Aisle, of which 35 last generation A321neos and 72 widebodies. The airline has a further 69 Airbus aircraft to be delivered, of which 54 A321neo, the new generation Airbus single-aisle aircraft, and 15 A350-900, the world's most modern and eco-efficient widebody aircraft, selected by the carrier in March 2018. Turkish Airlines took delivery of their first A321neo in July 2018 and first A350 in October 2020.
Another important operator, Pegasus Airlines, became a new Airbus customer in December 2012 when placing an order for 75 A320neos (57 A320neo & 18 A321neo), becoming the first airline in Türkiye to order the eco-efficient A321neo and the launch customer for CFM powered version. The total order increased to 106 following a firm contract for 25 A321neo in December 2017, and later in 2021, Pegasus added 6 more A321neo aircraft to its previous order. Pegasus already operates an Airbus fleet of 74 A320 family aircraft.
Other Airbus operators in Türkiye are Freebird Airlines, BBN Airlines, Southwind, MNG Airlines, ULS Airlines Cargo, Air ANKA, and Turkish Cargo.
Airbus Defence and Space
Airbus Defence and Space has been positioned in Türkiye as liaison offices since 1990 as a key partner of Türkiye in military aviation and space.
Airbus Defence and Space Turkey (ADSTR) was established in November 2013 as a 100 percent Airbus subsidiary. The primary founding purpose of ADSTR is to fulfil the in-service support responsibilities coming from the main sales contract of A400M. Ever since the first delivery of the A400M, ADSTR personnel have been operating at the heart of the Turkish Air Force A400M main operating base in Kayseri.
Airbus has become even stronger in Türkiye with this new establishment providing sales & marketing, contractual, material, and services support.
Airbus Defence and Space Türkiye is actively taking a role in Turkish Air Force (TurAF) A400M services, modernization, and material support to CN235. TurAF operates the brand new A400M Atlas (10 ordered and delivered) and, with 58 aircraft in operation, owns the largest fleet of CN235 transport aircraft.
With the material and services support of Airbus Defence and Space, a high fleet availability of 85% was reached for the Turkish Air Force A400M fleet and 80% for the CN235 fleet. Turkish Air Force holds the highest fleet availability amongst A400M nations; Airbus Defence and Space is ready and willing to keep providing in-service support in the long term.
TurAF is fully capable of providing maintenance services to its own CN235 aircraft; thus, technical cooperation is prepared between Airbus Defence and Space and TurAF to make use of these capabilities. With Airbus Defence and Space engineering and certification support, it is aimed to provide not only third countries CN235 aircraft maintenance but also to provide mid-life upgrade services. Project KARUM was launched to transform Kayseri 2nd ASMC into an MRO Hub and MLU centre of excellence for the region. For this purpose, a Letter of Intent was signed with the Turkish MoD Military Factories General Directorate in May 2017.
In 2017, Airbus was awarded the contract for TURKSAT 5A & 5B telecommunication satellites. First Turksat 5A was delivered in the last months of 2020 and launched in January.
TURKSAT 5B telecommunication satellite is delivered to TURKSAT with a ceremony held in Airbus Defence and Space facilities in France in November 2021. Both satellites are now successfully operational.
Airbus would like to become part of the Turkish space industry as a long-term partner for the future by supporting space projects today. Airbus is the only partner who can open the door to the future Turkish Space Agency to the European Space Agency (with commercial and R&D perspectives). Airbus Defence and Space is ready and willing to partner with Türkiye not only for telecommunication satellites but also for the upcoming military intelligence satellite projects such as the replacement of the Göktürk-1 EO Satellite of the Turkish Air Force.
Airbus Helicopters
Türkiye is an important partner for Airbus Helicopters. Significant military contracts were signed in the 1990s for the delivery of helicopters. Türkiye is the world's largest Cougar operator with a fleet of 46 Cougar helicopters that are operated by the Turkish Land Forces and the Air Force for general purpose and Search-and-Rescue missions. Several Turkish firms were involved in the project, and most of these helicopters were produced at the Turkish Aerospace plant near Ankara.
Airbus Helicopters has started to support studies for the modernization of the Turkish Forces aging Cougar helicopter fleet.
Airbus Helicopters has a strong presence in the Para public Emergency Medical Services segment in Türkiye. Thirteen EC-135 helicopters are operated by the Turkish Aeronautical Association for the needs of the Turkish Ministry of Health all around the country.
10 civil Airbus Helicopters models are also flying in Türkiye, such as the single-engine H130 and the twin-engine H145, for various purposes, including private and business aviation in addition to passenger transport.
The Civil and Para public helicopter market is expected to grow in the near future, and Airbus Helicopters is well positioned to meet this demand with its large product range.
Airbus Industrial Cooperation in Türkiye
Türkiye has been an integral part of the Airbus supply chain for more than 20 years, being a partner in main Airbus aircraft programs, from the A320 to the prestigious A350 and previously to the world's largest commercial airliner A380. Turkish aeronautical industries progressively embarked on high capabilities and skills in the last 10 years, and Airbus is focused on the continued development of long-term cooperation projects with the Turkish aviation industry. The production increase for Airbus single-aisle aircraft as well as Airbus widebodies will create further jobs in the future, and Turkish aeronautical industries will benefit with additional responsibilities from the continuous development of its strategic skills. In the course of cooperation, Airbus generates more than 3000 direct jobs in the Turkish aeronautical industry and continues to develop its sourcing in Türkiye to procure a cumulative volume of $5 Billion turnover from Turkish suppliers between 2020 and 2030.
In January 2018, Airbus signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the SSB (Savunma Sanayii Başkanlığı) for the further development of industrial cooperation in Türkiye.
Airbus has seven major industrial partners and subsidiaries in Türkiye.
Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ) in Ankara is the single source supplier for Section 18 Fuselage Panels of the A320Family. In 2014, Airbus and TUSAŞ signed a contract to supply Section 18 shells for the full production rate of all A320 family aircraft. As part of Airbus' commitment to long-term partnerships and skill development, TA was awarded in 2008 with the A350 Aileron work package, including full design and build responsibility. To be noted that Airbus' selection of TUSAŞ as a 'Risk Sharing Partner' for the A350 dated 2008 was made in the presence of the Prime Minister of the time, Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN. In this respect, Airbus is the only manufacturer who has entrusted TUSAŞ with not only the production but also the design of certain sub-assemblies, such as the ailerons of the A350. The Aileron is a high-technology wing component, one of the primary flight controls of the aircraft. The first A350 Aileron was delivered by TUSAŞ to Airbus in May 2012, and the first set of A350-1000 ailerons was delivered in early November 2015.
In June 2013, TUSAŞ was awarded a contract covering the build and supply of composite rudders for the A330-200 and A330-300 long-range commercial aircraft.
Another contract to TUSAŞ, signed in April 2015, gives the company the responsibility to deliver panels and assemble partial rates of section 19 of the single-aisles family, reinforcing TUSAŞ's position in fuselage manufacturing. TUSAŞ delivered the first shipset of Section 19 shells to Premium Aerotec at the end of 2016 and the first Section 19-barrel production in 2017.
Based on this experience on the fuselage, TUSAŞ was awarded in 2021 for the Single aisle Section 18/19 joining in dual source, offering TUSAŞ the opportunity to become a major Aerostructure supplier outside Europe delivering complete sections assemblies to Airbus.
TUSAŞ is also a key industrial partner on A400M, responsible for the forward-center fuselage, emergency exit and paratrooper doors, rear fuselage upper shell and tail cone plus ailerons and spoilers, water/waste systems, and lighting systems.
During the Istanbul Airshow in September 2018, Turkish Aerospace and Airbus signed a collaborative agreement to co-develop and engage in research and experimentation in secondary structures such as movable parts for Airbus aircraft programs.
In 2022 during Farnborough Airshow, Turkish Aerospace was awarded three contracts by Airbus: A350F Barrier Wall, A320 Family – Section 18/19 Joining, and A220 Center Mid Lower Fuselage Panels.
PFW (Hutchinson) - Havacılık Sanayi (HS) in Izmir assembles aerostructure components for the A320 Family aircraft, including pressurized floor frames, auxiliary centre tanks, and ram air turbine housing. PFW also produces thousands of different tubes per month for the majority of Airbus aircraft types. In 2008, PFW was awarded the contract for the A321 inboard flap assembly. All auxiliary fuel tanks for the A320 Family are now manufactured and assembled in Türkiye. It is also in the plan of PFW to assemble A220 additional centre tanks in Türkiye in the future. KaleAero in Istanbul machines the centre tank walls, and PFW HS assembles them to an entire unit. In 2015, PFW was awarded for the Single Aisle after belly fairing assembly providing further growth to the Izmir facility.
Fokker Elmo is an Airbus industrial partner for harnesses. Since 2005, Fokker Elmo's subsidiary in Izmir has manufactured the A400M wing electrical harnesses as a single source supplier and produces the A330neo pylon harness. In 2021, Fokker Elmo transferred A220 harnesses production from their Chinese plant to Izmir.
LISI, based in Izmir, produces fasteners for Airbus commercial aircraft. Approximately one-fourth of LISI Izmir production volumes are dedicated towards Airbus programs reinforced by a contract renewal till 2020, allowing LISI Group to build a solid manufacturing strategy from its Izmir plant. For more than 15 years now, LISI contracts' renewal on fasteners with Airbus lead to work allocation to their manufacturing plant in Izmir.
In 2012, the worldwide Airbus Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) Network welcomed Turkish Technic as a new member. Turkish Technic, based at Istanbul Ataturk International Airport, has decades of experience in maintaining commercial aircraft, and their new HABOM maintenance facilities at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport will further enhance the customers' choice of services in one of the fastest-growing aviation regions in the world. Airbus and Turkish Technic signed a long-term component pool agreement for the A350 aircraft fleet of Turkish Airlines in April 2021. Under the agreement, Airbus will provide A350 aircraft parts with guaranteed availability facilitated by pool access service, on-site stock at Turkish Technic's main base in Istanbul, and component repairs.
TSI and TCI received full support from Airbus to develop, respectively, seats and galleys for the Turkish Airlines fleet. Seats from TSI and galleys from TCI are installed in the A330s and A321 ACF (Airbus Cabin Flex) version. On the basis of the experience and know-how developed by TSI and TCI, in 2019, Airbus qualified TSI as a catalogue supplier for seats for new airline customers. TCI is providing monuments for A350 business class through Airbus subsidiary Airbus Atlantic.
The 2nd Air Supply and Maintenance Base (FASBAT) for A400M was opened in Kayseri in July 2021. Operations called "retrofit "of the strategic transport aircraft A400M, which increases the tactical and transport capabilities of the Turkish Armed Forces, are carried out in Kayseri. Türkiye is the only country right now that can apply retrofit to A400M except Airbus. With this new step, Türkiye is making a significant contribution to the country's economy by strengthening its position in the aviation maintenance and repair sector.
Airbus is supporting and enhancing Türkiye's aerospace aspirations. Therefore, since 2014, Airbus has been partnering with TUSAŞ to develop the capabilities of the Tier2 supply chain by contributing to audits, supplier development, and qualification of suppliers and special processes used for Airbus products. This has been beneficial to SMEs working for TUSAŞ and now being also suppliers of other Airbus major Tier 1 partners (HMS for PFW, GKN, and FACC, KPA for Daher, Kale Aero for PFW, Uygur for Safran and Patria, Epsilon for Patria, Alp Aviation for Honeywell).
The Turkish industry is also a key player in engine parts manufacturing with a strong presence on Airbus A320neo and A220 engines from P&W and CFM through Kale P&W, Alp Aviation, and TEI.
Since the beginning of 2018, Airbus has been supporting the Turkish Airlines Air Transport Management master program delivered at the Turkish Aviation Academy. A support agreement is in place with Turkish Airlines and will start this year with the 6th cohort of students delivering lectures of compulsory and elective modules. As of today, more than 100 people have graduated with this master's program, essentially Turkish Airlines employees
