Delivering to the customer
A380s for Qantas and Singapore Airlines are ready for handover from Airbus’ delivery centre in Toulouse.
Before taking delivery of an aircraft and signing the transfer of the title, the customer airline carries out a complete and detailed check. It is represented by a team of experts whose assignment is to check the conformity of the aircraft with the contractual specification. They are assisted in this by the Airbus Delivery team.
The delivery phase is spread over four or five days on average, dependent upon the aircraft programme. A standard delivery procedure takes place as follows:
1st day: ground checks: external surfaces, bays and cabin visual inspection, static aircraft system and cockpit checks, engine tests.
2nd day: acceptance flight: checks during flight of all aircraft systems (including cabin systems) and aircraft behaviour in the whole flight envelope.
3rd day: physical rework or provision of solutions for all technical and quality snags open in delivery.
4th day: completion of technical acceptance. Technical closure of the aircraft and all associated documents attesting the aircraft’s compliance to the type certificate and conformity to the technical specification allowing the issuance of the Certificate of Airworthiness.
5th day: transfer of the aircraft's title deeds to the customer airline: the aircraft changes owner. Preparation of the aircraft for the ferry flight to its home base.
Each representative appointed by the customer airline has responsibility for a specific number of tasks. A typical team consists of around seven people (from engineering, quality, maintenance, flight operation, etc.) placed under the authority of a delivery team leader who centralises all the issues.
Airbus also offers the customer airline a series of presentations about its aircraft throughout the production process, from major component assembly to painting and cabin furnishing, so that it can check that the terms of the contract have been met.