Inside the Airbus Factory: A Rare Glimpse at How Planes Are Made

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Complex Process of Aircraft Manufacturing

Priya Bhadaurja August 29, 2024

0 56 5 minutes read

Get a rare look inside the Airbus factory and discover the intricate process of how planes like the A321neo are meticulously built.

This is a pivotal moment in the life of an airliner: the moment when its new owner signs off on it and takes it home, much like picking up a brand-new car from a dealership.

The aircraft in question is an Airbus A321neo, currently parked at Hamburg-Finkenwerder, a secondary airport in Hamburg, Germany. Airbus uses this site for testing, logistics, and the delivery of new airplanes to customers. Gathered around the plane are pilots, cabin crew, and two executives from Wizz Air, a Hungarian low-cost airline about to receive this new addition to their fleet.

While exact price of individual aircraft is a closely guarded secret—due to factors like number of planes ordered and the commercial relationship between the buyer and Airbus—it’s clear that buying a plane is a significant investment. Base price of an Airbus A321neo is estimated to be around $110 million.

This particular aircraft, registered as H9-WNM by Wizz Air, was built at Airbus’s factory in Hamburg in just over a year. Hamburg is one of Airbus’s four major production centers, known as final assembly lines (FAL). These massive workshops are where various structural parts, on-board electronics, hydraulic systems, mechanical components and other elements come together to create a fully assembled airplane. Other Airbus production sites are located in Toulouse, France; Mobile, Alabama; and Tianjin, China.

Before all the components of an Airbus A321neo come together in the Final Assembly Line (FAL), they first need to be manufactured. Some of these parts are made by Airbus itself, while others are produced by various suppliers around the world. This process involves dozens of factories and centers across the globe. Once parts are ready, there is a massive logistical challenge to bring them all together. This complex process requires shipping by boat, train, road, and air, with a fleet of special transport planes called Belugas playing a crucial role. These planes, named for their resemblance to beluga whales, were designed by Airbus to transport large aircraft components like fuselages, from one production site to another.

An Airbus A321neo consists of nearly half a million individual pieces, ranging from the large fuselage sections to tiny rivets. This makes assembling it one of the most intricate puzzles ever created. Before assembly, every single component must be thoroughly checked, tested, and recorded in a logbook that remains with the aircraft for its entire life. This logbook tracks the history and traceability of all its parts.

More than half of the A320 family aircraft produced by Airbus are assembled at Hamburg factory, which produces over 30 aircraft each month. Multiple assembly lines work simultaneously on different planes, but the most advanced part of the operation is found in Hall 245. Opened in 2018, this hall is one of the most innovative manufacturing environments in the global aircraft industry. Inside, two enormous robots, capable of moving on seven axes, drill holes in the fuselage. Meanwhile, a series of mobile tooling platforms, guided by lasers, move around the aircraft to complete other assembly tasks. These automated machines significantly speed up production, a crucial advantage given the high demand for A320 family of aircraft.

Due in part to the well reported problems with Boeing’s 737 Max, which have benefited Airbus, demand for these aircraft has surged. Additionally, Airbus has concentrated on creating airplanes that consume less fuel which appeals to airlines trying to cut expenses. In comparison to older aircraft types, A321neo, for example: uses thirty percent less fuel per passenger per kilometer.

The air transport sector is also evolving. Large, expensive, and inefficient wide-body aircraft are becoming less popular, while there’s a growing demand for more agile planes with narrow fuselages and a single aisle. These planes, like those in the A320 family, can operate from smaller airports, which is important for low-cost airlines that prefer point-to-point routes. Additionally, these planes are continually increasing their capacity and the distances they can fly.

Since 1988, Airbus has built 11,524 aircraft in A320 family, with 10,756 of them still in operation today—out of around 28,000 airliners currently flying. This remarkable success underscores popularity and reliability of the A320 family in global aviation industry.

Airbus is aiming to take things even further with its new A321XLR which has recently been approved for flight in Europe. This aircraft shares the same passenger capacity as the A321neo, holding up to 244 passengers and requires the same pilot certification. This means the operating costs are the same as the rest of fleet. However, A321XLR boasts a significantly greater range—8,700 kilometers compared to A321neo’s 7,400 kilometers. This extended range allows it to fly directly from cities like Rome to New York, London to New Delhi or Reykjavik to Dubai or Houston. With such long-haul capabilities becoming available to low-cost airlines, like Wizz Air, which expects to receive its first A321XLRs in January 2025, experts anticipate a significant shift in the market. In the near future, travelers might be able to fly affordably from Milan to Manila, with a stopover in New Delhi.

The A321neo I’m watching become delivered is Wizz Air’s 132nd plane, and it’s unique for two reasons. Initially, Wizz Air—which is celebrating its 20th anniversary—will receive this aircraft soon. To commemorate the airline’s 20th anniversary, a competition was launched to develop the winning design which is why this specific plane has a unique livery. Painting the livery of an aircraft is a significant expense, as it can require up to 100 kilograms of paint, and every bit of it is applied by hand. The Wizz Air executives present won’t reveal the exact cost of the paint job, but they jokingly compare it to the price of a nice house.

Significance of each new aircraft given to an airline is highlighted by this attention to detail and personalization which transforms it from a machine into a representation of company’s expansion and success. With its increased range and economical operation, the introduction of the A321XLR opens up an exciting new chapter for airlines such as Wizz Air, giving customers even more options for reasonably priced long-haul travel in the near future.

Once the aircraft is fully assembled, tested, checked, painted, and has completed its first flight, the only thing left is to hand it over to the pilots. In their hands, and with the help of many others, this A321neo will fly four to six flights a day across more than 200 Wizz Air routes. If history is any guide, it could continue doing this for many years to come.