Abstract
The IET Viscount Nuffield/Mensforth Lecture 2015.
Bombardier's new CSeries aircraft is a competitive short-to-medium range, narrow-body passenger jet airliner, with significant innovative UK content.
The 520 million GBP investment in the research, design, manufacture and assembly of its advanced composite carbon fibre wings is one of the largest in the UK and the largest ever single inward investment in Northern Ireland.
The wings use a unique manufacturing process developed by Bombardier's Belfast engineers. This is the first time the patented Resin Transfer Infusion (RTI) technology, which involves 'dry' carbon fibre fabrics, has been used to produce aero-structures of this size.
It represents a step change in aircraft wing design and manufacturing, and ties in with the UK Aerospace Industrial Strategy by helping to strengthen the UK's strategic goal of being the world leader in aircraft wing design and manufacture.
In another industry first, the CSeries wing production takes place under one roof - right from receipt of the raw carbon fibre materials, through the RTI process, wing assembly and installation of all the systems and flight control surfaces, to delivery of a complete wing. The facility has outstanding environmental and sustainability credentials.
Resultant significant manufacturing time and operational fuel savings are helping to sustain more than 6.000 Bombardier Belfast jobs, as well as many others in its 200-strong UK company supply chain.
