In constructing its new A380 model, the European Airbus consortium (Toulouse, France) is maximizing the airplane's performance and incorporating efficient manufacturing techniques to compete in an increasingly competitive marketplace. To this end, Airbus is using titanium MaxiBolt Plus blind bolts from Textron Fastening Systems (Troy, MI) in a number of wing and fuselage assemblies.
To save weight in the airplane's tail, MaxiBolts are replacing the stainless steel bolts originally specified for the design. In all, nearly 9,000 of these bolts will be applied to each carbon fiber vertical tail plane section, with a resulting weight savings of 18.7 pounds. Tail plane assembly is being performed at the Airbus Deutschland Stade plant in Germany.