magazine "take off" - issue 28

takeoffeeF A C C C U S T O M E R M A G A Z I N E

2808.11

”Vision 2020“ Looking into the future

Liquid Resin Infusion:FACC setting new standards

COMAC C919:FACC designs, develops and manufactures passenger cabin

New Order:Blendes Winglets for Falcon and Hawker

2 takeoff F A C C C U S T O M E R M A G A Z I N E

CONTENTS

Published by: FACC AG, Fischerstraße 9, A-4910 Ried/Austria. Editorial Staff: Walter Stephan, Thomas Pleli, Robert Machtlinger, Andrea Schachinger.

Photos: Manfred Lang Klagenfurt, SCAC Moskau, Pointecker Mehrnbach, FACC Ried, shutterstock.com, Dassault Aviation, AVIC APC, Boeing Seattle, COMAC Shanghai,

Leopold Museum Wien. Design and Composition: Oskar Pointecker, 4941 Mehrnbach.

04 Looking into the future: ”Vision 2020“ strategy

07 Strategy implementation: New composite facility in China

08 Liquid Resin Infusion: FACC setting new standards

10 COMAC C919: FACC to design, develop and manufacture passenger cabin

12 Dassault Aviation: Family-pioneer – market leader

15 New order: FACC manufactures Blended Winglets for Falcon and Hawker

16 Modern and appealing: A new passenger cabin for the SSJ100

18 The best of the best: FACC Supplier Award

19 Egon Schiele: Exhibition to mark ”10 years of the Leopold Museum“

04 “Vision 2020” strategy

12 New customer: Dassault Aviation

10 Passenger cabin COMAC C919

3takeoffF A C C C U S T O M E R M A G A Z I N E

xxx

Dear readers,

We are currently experiencing one

of the most successful phases in the

history of the FACC AG as well as its

environment, the aviation industry.

FACC was able to significantly

increase its turnover, profit and

most especially its order back-

log in the past fiscal year. We have

reached an important milestone

with the successful development

and manufacturing of a wing box

made of fiber-reinforced plastics

for the new Russian airliner MS-21,

thus allowing us to enter the mar-

ket for primary aerostructures. The

”masterpiece“ will be presented to

the public at the air show in Moscow

next month. Particularly gratifying is

also the fact that our customers’ air-

craft programs have been develop-

ing very positively. The manufactur-

ing lines of the A380 and Boeing 787

have been stabilized, the new wide-

bodied Boeing 747-8 aircraft are yet

being delivered to airlines, and the

production rates for the A320, A330,

Boeing 737 and 777 have been in-

creasing drastically. FACC also prof-

its from these developments! As a

direct consequence, we will now be

raising our developmental expenses

to 60 million EUR, primarily investing

in a new engineering center as well

as new projects.

The first half year of 2011 has

also proved to be extraordinary in

the aviation industry. Upon conclu-

sion of the Paris Air Show, the indus-

try is showing new orders that cor-

respond to the level of the last peak

phase in 2008. Airbus now holds an

order backlog of eight years with the

A320 and the improved A320neo.

From my viewpoint, the existing

duopoly in the segment of medium

range aircraft remains intact. Boe-

ing and independent analysts are

predicting a stronger rate of growth

in the industry than in the year be-

fore, with a concentration being

placed on the Eastern hemisphere,

especially Russia, India and China

– countries in which FACC has be-

come intensively involved in recent

years, having developed promising

market opportunities for itself.

We are embracing the future of

the aviation industry and thus, per-

ceive the future of FACC to be per-

fect. Or does the reality of it all actu-

ally look somewhat different?

We are confronted with daily

worldwide events that provide a

somewhat less optimistic picture.

We have the financial crises of Euro-

pean countries such as Greece, Ire-

land and Italy, the debt problems in

the USA, the political unrest in North

Africa and in the Middle East and of

course the earthquake and ensur-

ing nuclear disaster in Japan. These

are macroeconomic events that

could massively slow down the still

quite delicate upswing in the world

economy and with that, could put a

barrier on the growth of worldwide

aviation. Even for FACC, I see vari-

ous negative influences, for exam-

ple, the currently high volatility of the

US Dollar. Our experts from the fi-

nance department are making many

efforts with goal-oriented financial

control instruments to successfully

absorb the effects of this currency

instability. We are also hit by the ever

tightening conditions in the supply

chain. On the one hand, the global

competition is raising the cost pres-

sure and with that, the risk readiness

of many suppliers, often coming at

the cost of quality and service. On

the other hand, the monopolistic

structure of some established sup-

pliers is leading to higher procure-

ment spending. For this, we’ll spend

the next few months putting in a

great effort to pursue new and inno-

vative ways of cooperation with the

supply chain. Our attention is being

placed on our suppliers remaining

competitive with respect to quality,

service and costs while also main-

taining the capability to provide tai-

lored solutions in a timely manner. It

is our goal to promote or establish a

long-term relationship with existing

and potential partners while ensur-

ing a win-win situation for all those

involved – customers, suppliers and

FACC.

The aviation industry is develop-

ing in a favorable manner. Still, this

doesn’t mean that we no longer have

big challenges to face in the near fu-

ture. „Mind the Gap“ – we’ll be mak-

ing sure to pay attention to the gap

between perception and reality and

apply our usual consequent and de-

liberate performance in pushing the

success of FACC forward.

Many measures come together

to build the foundation for this suc-

cess. We’d like to present some of

them to you on the following pages.

Here’s hoping you enjoy reading this

issue of take off.

Yours truly,

Walter A. StephanChief Executive Officer of the FACC AG

”Mind the Gap“:A gap between perception and reality?


”Vision 2020“ strategy

General conditions

According to predictions, air traffic

will grow at an average of 5% annu-

ally in the next 20 years, whereby

the use of composite materials will

increase over-proportionally. How-

ever, this positive development

should not lead us to forget that

aviation supplier companies are

facing considerable challenges.

The supplier industry is extremely

competitive, whereby among the

well-established companies there

is a process of consolidation and

convergence. On the other hand,

due to advanced globalization

and an above-average increase in

the number of passengers in the

growth markets of the BRIC states

Brazil, Russia, India and China, new

competitors, mainly with low wage

countries, are trying to break into

the market. At the same time the air-

plane manufacturers are demand-

ing more and more of their partners

to partake in risk sharing and are

shifting larger and larger shares of

the creation of value to their suppli-

ers, which requires higher financial

and intellectual resources.

Strategy elements

As an international aviation sup-

plier, FACC AG is therefore required

to adapt its strategic orientation

to meet these new demands and

to strengthen and further expand

its solid position on the market as

a leader in technology, cost and

quality on a long term basis. The

highest goal of the company is to

ensure increase in value, high prof-

itability and long term growth.

Under the title “Vision 2020” six

central strategy elements are defi-

ned. The new ownership structure

of FACC creates the best possible

business environment and the ne-

cessary financial power to imple-

ment the strategic measures and to

be able to meet the increased mar-

ket demands:

Looking into the future:

Vision 2020 has defined how FACC intends to further develop in the next few years. The strategy in the vision sets as a priority the goal of positioning FACC among the world leaders of technology and tier-1 suppliers in the area of composites for the aviation industry.


”Vision 2020“ strategyLooking into the future:

Address three global markets – Aerostructures, Engine Structures and Aircraft Interiors

FACC is a leading globally posi-

tioned aviation supplier that spe-

cializes in the design, development,

production and integration of light-

weight fiber composite compo-

nents and systems for airplanes and

helicopters. We focus on the three

business areas of Aerostructures,

Engine Structures and Aircraft In-

teriors in which we have earned a

leading position in the world. We

want to consistently expand and

further develop in these areas in

the future and so strengthen our

role as a tier-1 for OEMs and their

sub-suppliers on a long term basis.

Invest in technology, infrastructure and capability

FACC makes use of its funds and

resources efficiently in order to ad-

vance progress in the area of com-

posite technology and to develop

new technological concepts. At the

same time we continually invest

in the optimization of technology,

processes and procedures. A high

priority for us is the automation of

production to ensure the produc-

tivity of our modern production fa-

cilities and to raise the competitive-

ness of the entire company. We are

increasing the performance of the

company by implementing accom-

panying measures regarding devel-

In its strategic orientation, the FACC AG as a leading globally positioned aviation supplier of lightweight fib-er composite components and systems focuses on the three business areas Aerostructures, Engine Structures and Aircraft Interiors.

opment and structure of our organi-

zation as well as the qualifying and

further training of employees.

In addition, we regard a com-

pany-wide technology transfer

within the entire value added chain

to be important. We not only intro-

duce newly developed technology

in our Austrian facilities, but also

apply them in our international

joint ventures and supplier part-

ners.

Expand the competitive portfolio of products

By being even more innovative,

FACC wants to intensify and ex-

pand its current product portfolio.

By increasing research and devel-

opment resources, we can expand

our technological capabilities in all

business areas. The focus is on de-

velopment, production and indus-

trialization of primary structures in

the area of wings as well as the use

of liquid moulding methods that

make it possible to replace metals

with fiber composites.

At the same time we want to en-

large our product and service range

by acquiring companies with rela-

ted fields of activity.

Grow market share and open up international growth markets

FACC is striving to expand its mar-

ket share, to increase its coopera-

tion on the current airplane pro-


With its strategy „Vision

2020” the FACC AG pur-

sues as a priority the

objective to further ex-

pand its solid position

as a highly profitable

supplier partner for

design, development,

manufacture and inte-

gration of lightweight

structures and to con-

sequently strengthen

its position as a leader

in technology, cost

and quality.

grams of its customers and to be

active in future airplane programs

of current and new customers as a

development and production part-

ner.

Furthermore, we will be more

involved in the growth markets of

Asia and Russia, where there is a

large business potential due to the

sharp increase in their air traffic.

Add value for our customers through the provision of product related services

FACC wants to be established as

a key supplier for all OEMs and to

further expand its position as sup-

plier of innovative, cost efficient

and high quality complete solu-

tions. We offer our customers a

business model that covers the

entire process chain of modern

supplier production and risk shar-

ing, active program management,

design, development, qualifying,

series production, global procure-

ment and customer support. Our

worldwide network of locations for

engineering production and cus-

tomer support as well as our well-

positioned supply chain with part-

ners in Europe, the USA, China,

Malaysia, India and the United Arab

Emirates put us in the ideal position

to fulfil the demands of the aviation

market as well as possible and to

be able to support our customers

in their strategies for both interna-

tionalization and in fulfilling their

counter trade agreements in their

sales markets.

Observe the market with regard to composite applications outside of the aviation industry

In the future, composites will in-

creasingly find their way into fields

other than the aviation industry,

especially in the area of transpor-

tation. FACC will carefully observe

the trends and where there is need

consider entering the market for

non-aviation applications. This is

where we would like to take advan-

tage of the resulting synergies be-

tween non-aviation transportation

concepts and aeronautic concepts

and aim for increased profitability in

the area of aviation. If need should

be we will establish subsidiaries

that work with composites in the

area of transportation.

STRATEGY ELEMENTS

Address three global markets – Aerostructures,

Engine Structures and Aircraft Interiors

Invest in technology, infrastructure and

capability

Develop a competitive portfolio of products

Grow market share and open up international

growth markets

Add value for our customers through the provision

of product related services

Observe the market with regard to composite

applications outside of the aviation industry

SOLUTIONS IN COMPOSITE

Leader in technology, cost and

quality

Tier-1 supplier

Global customers, development and

production network

Increase in value, high profitability

and long term growth

GOALS


INFO

The FACC AG has established a

joint venture with a Chinese partner

to build a composite manufacturing

facility in Zhenjiang (about 250 km

north-east of Shanghai). As part of its

strategy „Vision 2020“, FACC lays the

cornerstone for a production plant in

China and creates the precondition

for supplying the growing aviation

market in China, close to the cus-

tomer. The plan is that the new pro-

duction facility, after its completion

and start-up, will operate as a 100%

subsidiary of FACC. “This investment

will significantly expand our position

in Asia,” says Walter Stephan, CEO

of FACC AG. “We are building a mod-

ern production facility in Zhenjiang

on which our team will work closely

together with our customer and see

them along in their dynamic growth.”

In the first stage of construction

the facility will reach a production

area of 16,000 m² and be equipped

with a technology that will allow for

the production of interior and struc-

tural components. Construction is to

begin in 2011. Production will start in

the fiscal year 2012/13. The invest-

ment volume amounts to 85 million

Euros.

The facility in China is an impor-

tant milestone for FACC for two rea-

sons. Firstly, FACC will have its own

production in US dollars in a growth

market, increasing the earning power

and profitability of the company on

a long term basis. Furthermore, with

the decision to establish a subsidi-

ary in China, FACC is taking a fur-

ther step towards being able to suc-

Strategy implementation:New composite facility in China

Leader in technology, cost and

quality

Tier-1 supplier

cessfully continue to act as a global

company in a worldwide networked

aviation industry. “In addition to the

necessity of having cost-efficient

production, these measures also

help us to fulfill the requirements of

our most important customers, to

follow them with the production of

various components in their impor-

tant sales markets and to support

them in fulfilling their offset commit-

ments,” said Stephan, emphasizing

FACC´s strengthened internationali-

zation strategy. “A basic requirement

on the aerospace market is that in the

future the manufacture of airplanes

will to a large degree take place in

the regions in which the airplane will

be used; and FACC is willing to meet

this requirement.”


The name FACC has always stood

for outstanding competence in the

development and serial production

of fibre-reinforced components

manufactured from pre-impregnat-

ed fibres (known as “prepegs”). For

as long as ten years the Research

and Development division at FACC

has also been working on produc-

ing components using liquid resin

infusion. The advantage of this

technology is that the semi-finished

fibre products can be processed

over a longer period of time and no

autoclave is required.

It doesn’t always have to be prepreg: particularly in the production of large-scale, thick-walled and integrally manufactured composite components, liquid resin infusion technology has definite advantages. Here too, FACC is a cut above the rest.

Two such processes are RTM

(Resin Transfer Moulding) and RIFT

(Resin Infusion under Flexible Tool-

ing). FACC has been using RTM in

serial production for over a decade

now in the manufacture of centre

hinge fittings, an integral compos-

ite fitting for connecting the spoiler

to the wing, for the Airbus A330/

A340. In addition, the centre hinge

fittings for the Airbus A350 XWB

are to go into production before the

end of this year. A wealth of expe-

rience in the fields of tool design,

component geometry, material and

process technologies have con-

tributed to the development of this

new component, which is currently

in qualification.

Ideal for complex components

The technique of liquid resin in-

fusion was developed mainly in

research projects. “The central is-

sue here is production of complex,

partly integral composite compo-

nents for the sectors of Engine &

Nacelle and Structures,” reports

Liquid Resin Infusion:FACC setting new standards


Gernot Schneiderbauer, who is

jointly responsible for development

of the resin infusion technology at

FACC. He adds that the differences

in the materials used in aviation

technology required fundamental

examinations of dry semi-finished

fibre products.

These are mainly multi-axial

textiles and fabrics of various tex-

tures to which thermoplastic bind-

ing agents are added. This enables

the manufacture of multi-curved

preforms and guarantees sufficient

stability for further processing.

Even the draping properties were

investigated and stored in an evalu-

ation matrix. The results, worked up

in the course of a research project

sponsored by the EU, were utilised

first in production of the FACC In-

tegrated Outer Ring, the outer ring

in the cold bypass section of a jet

engine.

Thanks to numerous analyses

and research programs, the R&D

division of FACC now has compre-

hensive expertise on liquid resin

infusion technology and its particu-

lar advantages. This is all the more

important when the standard, gen-

erally autoclave-based processes

for serial production of composite

components cannot be used in the

manufacture of large and integral

primary structures with complex

geometry.

Trend towards integral construction methods

It is exactly these integral con-

struction methods that are winning

out over the differential construc-

tion techniques in current aviation

technology. That means that vari-

ous components – e.g. shells and

their stiffeners, such as frames and

stringers – are no longer hardened

separately and then bonded or

bolted together: increasingly today

the shell with its stiffening structure

is fully assembled, infused with-

epoxy resin and hardened in one

piece – “all in one shot”.

The R&D division at FACC has

developed the infusion concept

MARI (Membrane Assisted Resin

Infusion) and applied for patent

registration so that these demands

are fulfilled in the highest quality. “It

is based on the principle of depth

infiltration, i.e. the component is

saturated in resin from the surface

inwards,” explains Johannes Nois-

ternig, Head of the Research and

Development division at FACC,

because in the case of high wall

thicknesses - which often also vary

in large components (panel area

> 30 m²) - the resin can no longer

infiltrate in the x-direction and y-

direction. With MARI on the other

hand, the widest range of compo-

nents have already been manufac-

tured perfectly, including geometri-

cally variable panels stiffened with

stringers in wall thicknesses of up

to 40 mm.

Highest standards fulfilled

“In close cooperation with the tool

construction division, even the

highest geometric quality stand-

ards were fulfilled, both in terms of

wall thickness and the associated

fibre volume content and also of

component dimensions, e.g. the

distance between the stringers,”

according to Gernot Schneider-

bauer.

The extensive research and de-

velopment work at FACC thus con-

firms the advantages of the liquid

resin infusion technique, above all

in the case of integral production

of complex, large-scale structures

which also have thick walls. Now

FACC’s R&D division must pay par-

ticular attention to the stability of

the production process and optimi-

sation of the necessary equipment.

FACC already successfully employs the liquid resin infusion technology in production: (from left) Centre hinge fitting for the

spoiler of the Airbus A330/A340, integrated outer ring, MS-21 wingbox.


The figures are impressive: China

will need more than 4300 new air-

craft in the next 20 years to cope

with the country’s increasing de-

mand for air travel. Whilst accord-

ing to experts the aviation industry

worldwide can expect an increase

in passenger demand of 4.8 per

cent per annum, the People’s Re-

public will achieve disproportional

growth rates of 7 per cent or more.

Inland traffic in China uses mainly

short and mid-range jets – an air-

craft segment whose sales num-

bers are remaining strong world-

wide. It is this market that Chinese

aircraft manufacturer Commercial

Aircraft Company of China (CO-

MAC) wants to exploit and it is

developing the new passenger air-

craft C919 for this category.

The colours of Austria in the new C919

When the C919 is delivered to an

airline company for the first time in

2016 it will also have Austrian ex-

pertise on board: FACC has been

chosen by COMAC as its partner

for the development and manu-

facture of the whole cabin of the

new Chinese mid-range aircraft.

FACC’s responsibilities within this

project are the industrial design,

development, testing, qualification

and manufacture of the interior.

The interior system includes flight

The aviation market in China is booming. The new civil aircraft C919 is a significant step by the Chinese aviation industry towards covering the increasing demand with aircraft that are also produced domestically. Partnerships with international suppliers – including FACC – guarantee application of the latest technologies.

deck, passenger cabin, entrance

area and the on-board galleys and

lavatories. The order package also

includes development and produc-

tion of various manufacturing tools

and equipment. The contract has

an order value of over one billion

USD and provides for deliveries

over the whole lifespan of the air-

craft. Plans are that FACC will de-

liver the first cabin in 2014. FACC

is currently working with a team in

Shanghai on the interfaces, techni-

cal specifications and definition of

the construction spaces. The in-

dustrial design is being developed

in parallel to this.

With the development, definition

and manufacture of the whole C919

cabin, FACC is making an impor-

tant technology leap as cabin inte-

grator, both as regards scope and

complexity and in terms of tech-

nology and logistics. FACC is thus

consolidating its position as a top

tier supplier for complete cabin

systems. This in combination with

the establishment of a local manu-

facturing location in China, which

was agreed as part of the contract,

has strengthened FACC’s com-

petitiveness in the market. “FACC

has considerable experience and

competence in the design, devel-

opment and manufacture of mod-

ern passenger cabins. We want

to bring this to the new Chinese

C919 aircraft program and design

a visually appealing modern inte-

COMAC C919:FACC to design, develop and manufacture passenger cabin

The passenger cabin of

the C919 has Austrian

know-how on board:

FACC is a partner of

COMAC in the develop-

ment and production

of the complete cabin

of the new Chinese

medium-range aircraft.


rior conforming to the latest tech-

nology and which stands out for a

high level of comfort, convenience

and well-thought out details,” Ger-

hard Mörtenhuber, Vice President

Interiors of FACC emphasises the

services of the company’s interi-

ors sector. “We have been work-

ing very successfully with our cli-

ent COMAC for years now and are

proud to be actively involved in the

establishment and growth of the

Chinese aviation industry.”

The Comac C919 is the second

twin-engined passenger aircraft to

be designed and built in China fol-

lowing the ARJ21. The single-aisle

basic version currently in develop-

ment is designed for short and mid-

range flights and, depending on the

seating design, has a capacity of

156 to 174 seats. The maiden flight

of the C919 is planned for 2014, the

aircraft will probably go into ser-

vice in 2016. According to COMAC

prognoses, demand for aircraft of

the C919 family will amount to over

2300 aircraft over the next twenty

years.

FACC expands relations to China

This commission is the second

major order awarded to FACC by

the Chinese aviation industry. The

company first entered the Chinese

market in 2004 when it was com-

missioned by aircraft manufacturer

ACAC to develop and manufacture

the passenger cabin of the regional

jet ARJ21. Upon entry of XAC as

majority owner in December 2009,

the optimal strategic basis was cre-

ated for an expansion of the busi-

ness relationship with the Chinese

aviation industry, which has now

manifested itself in selection of

FACC as development and produc-

tion partner for the C919 aircraft

program.

The cockpit and front section of the passenger cabin was first introduced to the public

last November at the aviation exhibition in Zhuhai in the Southern Chinese province of

Guangdong, where it impressed both the national and international public. The image

shows leading representatives of COMAC in the main cabin. In March the C919 mock-

up was a highlight of the National Major Sci-Tech Achievements, a national Chinese

technology exhibition in the National Conference Center in Peking which presented the

scientific and technical achievements of the government’s 11th five-year plan period.

COMAC’s plans are to present a complete cabin at the next Zhuhai air show at the end of

2012. The air show in Zhuhai near Hong Kong has developed in parallel to the dispropor-

tional growth of the Chinese aviation industry into one of the largest and most important

in the world.

FACC delivered the first ca-

bin and cockpit components in

March and installed them in an

engineering mock-up which has

been used for presentations to

political decision-makers and

those of the client COMAC.

Mr. Zhou Liangdao, Vice-Chief Designer of Trunk

Liner and Ms Wu Zhixiang, Vice Team Leader of In-

terior System, both COMAC, at the inspection and

acceptance of the cockpit developed and manufac-

tured by FACC.

Mock-up of the C919: From exhibition to exhibition


After 75 years, Dassault Aviation is the last aviation group in the world still owned by its founding family and bearing its name. Founded in 1936 by the French air-craft industrialist Marcel Dassault, the private international group has been profit-able ever since. The company has a presence in more than 70 countries across 5 continents and is one of the major players in the global civil and military aviation industry.

Making aviation history

Born Marcel Bloch in 1892, Mar-

cel Dassault was a true pioneer.

One of his first products, the Èclair

aircraft propeller, was used by the

French army during World War I. In

1928, he founded the aircraft com-

pany Société des Avions Marcel

Bloch. Refusing collaboration with

the German aviation industry dur-

ing World War II, he was sent to an

extermination camp. Miraculously

he survived, returned to France

in 1945, and started to rebuild his

company. He changed his name

from Bloch to Bloch-Dassaut, then

to Dassault in 1949. Dassault was

the pseudonym of his brother,

General Darius Paul Bloch, a mem-

ber of the French Resistance. The

name derives from char d‘assaut,

the French word for tank. After

the war, Dassault built the Mystère

and Mirage military aircraft. Avions

Marcel Dassault became known as

‘the’ military aircraft manufacturer

in France.

The company continued to make

history when Charles Lindbergh

visited the Avions Marcel Dassault

factory in 1963. The American avia-

tor was part of a team sent by Pan

American World Airways, seeking

a business aircraft to market in the

United States. Charles Lindbergh

was so impressed by the Mystère

20 that Pan Am’s newly created

business jet division marketed the

Falcon 20 (known as the “Fan Jet

Falcon”) as the very first business

jet on his recommendation. With

increasing sales, Dassault and Pan

Am established the joint venture

company Falcon Jet Corporation

in 1972. In October 1980, Dassault

purchased Pan Am’s interest in the

Dassault Aviation:Family-pioneer – market leader


joint venture, making Falcon Jet a

wholly owned subsidiary. Until his

death in 1986, Marcel Dassault was

at the helm of S.A. Avions Marcel

Dassault-Breguet Aviation and led

a workforce of 16,000 employees.

Today, Dassault Falcon Jet is

the US subsidiary of Dassault Avia-

tion. It employs more than 3,000

people in five facilities. With 1,800

employees, the facility in Little Rock

counts among the largest comple-

tion centres in the world.

Revolutionary aircraft manufacturer

Structured to adapt its produc-

tion to market cycles, Dassault

Aviation co-operates with a vast in-

dustrial network of high-tech com-

panies in several countries. It is the

only group in the world to design,

manufacture and sell both combat

aircraft and business jets.

Dassault Aviation expertly com-

bines powerful entrepreneurial

skills with multidisciplinary design

optimisation and flexible produc-

tion facilities. As a renowned archi-

tect of complex airborne systems,

Dassault Aviation has perfect com-

mand of primary sovereign tech-

nologies. Customers thus benefit

from technological excellence and

the in-depth know-how of design

and operations that is based on the

cross fertilisation of civil and mili-

tary activities.

Worldwide, some 12,000 Das-

sault employees, as well as 8,100

in France, share their passion for

aviation. Dassault Aviation has to

date delivered more than 8,000 air-

craft and has logged over 25 million

hours of flight time. Its aircraft, the

Rafale, Falcon, nEUROn, Mirage,

and the Mystère have become liv-

ing legends.

A market leader’s secret of success

Taking advantage of a distin-

guished heritage and technological

innovations, such as digital flight

controls or the head-up display

used in the company’s combat air-

craft, the Falcon family keeps its

nose up in the wide-cabin, long-

range market segment. Falcons of-

fer the lowest fuel consumption in

their class: for equivalent cabin size

and performance, they use about

40% less fuel than their competi-

tors. CO2 emissions are similarly

reduced – an important aspect,

considering Dassault Aviation is a

member of the European “Clean

Sky” research project.

Over the past 10 years, Falcons

have accounted for about 63% of

sales generated. In 2010 alone,

77% of the company’s net sales

were Falcons. With better technol-

ogy, better economy, and being

better for the environment, Falcon

business jets are also renowned

for their exceptional good looks.

Marcel Dassault used to say: “For

an aircraft to fly well, it must be

beautiful.” Synonymous with the

“Falcon efficiency” and its elegant

design, the “Dassault Falcon” is a

best seller among top-of-the-range

executive jets.

Adding value to perfection

Ongoing research and develop-

ment, improvements and optimisa-

tion programmes add to Dassault

Aviation’s competitive edge. “The

winglet production programme on

which we work together with FACC

is an important step for expanding

our market presence with the new

Falcon serial production,” Didier

Bonnefoy, Senior Vice President

Industrial Policy of Dassault Avia-

tion, pointed out during an inter-

view held on the occasion of enter-

ing into a co-operation with FACC.

“The winglet is also one solution for

further optimising fuel efficiency,

boosting the Falcon’s extended

range and associated perfor-

mance,” Mr. Bonnefoy, a passion-

ate and experienced aerospace

engineer, explains.

Besides being responsible

for corporate and capital invest-

ments, Didier Bonnefoy focuses

on the Dassault Group’s make-or-

buy strategy, ensuring that supplier

products fully match the top quality

produced in-house. In striving to

continuously improve competitive-

ness, this is strategically important

for the company’s international

co-operation with build-to-specifi-

cation partnerships, market expan-

sion, and sourcing new partners in

terms of build-to-print and build-to-

specification. “As a new supplier,

FACC perfectly matches our strat-

egy and policy,” Didier Bonnefoy

emphasised. With FACC, Dassault

Aviation has not only won an ex-

pert to accompany long-term pro-

Didier Bonnefoy is

Senior Vice President

of Industrial Policy of

Dassault Aviation. Dur-

ing an interview with

take off the passionate

aerospace engineer

explains the secret of

success of the French

aircraft manufacturer.

“To stay ahead, we are working on new, environmentally friendly business jet models, with improved comfort and efficiency.”


grammes, but also a prime partner

for innovative processes, and future

cost-reducing and green solutions.

In a market driven by the US Dol-

lar, this first programme with Das-

sault Aviation is also an internation-

al, efficiency-enhancing solution

for exports from Europe. Further

benefits derive from FACC’s lean

management, solid background,

strong international presence, its

know-how of composite structures

beyond the production of winglets,

and the close geographical proxim-

ity to France. In the future, Dassault

Aviation expects to extend the part-

nership to include design engineer-

ing according to build to specifica-

tions.

Flight path of the future

“Dassault Aviation survived the

recent economic crisis without lay-

ing-off a single employee! One of

our trumps is our flexibility: we have

very high levels of competence, but

we are a small company with many

partners. They support our military

activities in France, and our Falcons

all over the world. Another asset is

our sister company, Dassault Sys-

tèmes. We are the world leader for

digital product lifecycle manage-

ment, including design, production

and maintenance. Our two fields of

activity, business and fighter jets

are another plus. Their economi-

cal cycles are different. While one

field undergoes a crisis, the other is

healthy,” Didier Bonnefoy proudly

highlights the company’s advan-

tages.

Dassault Aviation has always

maintained stability in manage-

ment and shareholding – both are

essential for a long term activities in

aeronautics. Since 1916, Dassault

has gained experiences in all types

of aircraft solutions, and has accu-

mulated an unrivalled competence

in designing and producing civilian

and military planes.

Dassault Aviation is the only

business jet manufacturer in Eu-

rope. Together with its competitors,

such as Gulfstream (USA), Bom-

bardier (Canada) or Embraer (Bra-

zil), it leads and shares the high-

end business jet market. For the 15

last years, business jets accounted

for about 70% of the company’s

consolidated sales. Didier Bon-

nefoy states that sales will further

increase because business jets

are globalisation tools. “Big coun-

tries like China, India and Brazil will

be strong future markets. To stay

ahead, we are working on new, en-

vironmentally friendly models, with

improved comfort and efficiency.

Already, our Falcons consume 40%

less fuel than their competitors.”

While the USA is the first business

jet market, a lot of business jets are

also sold in Europe, Russia, South

America and Middle East.

Internationally, Dassault Aviation

is one of the seven companies to

design a state-of-the-art fighter jet.

Its market share is between 10%

and 15%. In Europe, Dassault Avia-

tion is the only fighter jet manufac-

turer independent from the USA, as

other companies implement Ameri-

can components in their aircraft.

Main customers are traditionally

countries wanting to remain inde-

pendent from the USA or Russia.

Didier Bonnefoy is optimistic

that the civilian aviation sector will

further improve, and that the global

aviation business, although still well

below the buoyant level of 2008, is

growing. “The unprecedented wave

of order cancellations seems to

be over, while the pre-owned air-

craft market is beginning to show

signs of life. However, this trend

must accelerate for the demand in

new aircraft to really take off again,

because these sales are often fi-

nanced by the sale of the previous

aircraft,” he concludes.

Dassault Aviation has made

aviation history, and continues to

set standards which others follow.

Clearly, the family business is on

the flight path of the future.

Dassault Aviation is one of the major players in the global

aviation industry with a presence in more than 70 countries

across 5 continents.

• Products: Rafale, Falcon, nEUROn, Mirage.

• Over the past 10 years, exports have accounted on aver-

age for 73% of sales generated.

• Over the past 10 years, the Falcons have accounted on

average for 63% of of sales generated.

• Net sales 2010: 77% Falcon, 80% exports.

• Nearly 12,000 employees, with over 8,100 in France.

• More than 8,000 aircraft delivered.

• Over 25 million hours of flight time.

www.dassault-aviation.com

DASSAULT AVIATION – KEY FACTS


FACC’s winglet business segment is continuing its successful course: on the one hand, the cooperation with the inventor of the Blended WingletTM technology, the US company Aviation Partners Inc., was expanded. In addition, Dassault Aviation could be won as a new customer.

New order:FACC manufactures Blended Winglets for Falcon and Hawker

On the Falcon 2000LX business

jets Blended Winglets™ provide

a fuel and emissions reduction of

up to 7%.

Along with Boeing and Airbus

aircraft, the Falcon 2000, Falcon

900 and Hawker 800 business

jets will be flying with Blended

Winglets™ from the Austrian avia-

tion supplier. FACC has signed

contracts with Aviation Partners

Inc, Seattle, USA, the inventor of

Blended Winglets™ Technology,

as well as with the French aircraft

manufacturer Dassault Aviation for

the production of the fuel-saving,

efficiency-enhancing winglets for

these business jets.

The agreement with Aviation

Partners covers the supply of all

winglets for the Hawker 800 as well

as retrofit-winglets for the Falcon

2000 in-service aircraft. The agree-

ment with Dassault Aviation covers

the supply of the winglets for in-

production Falcon 900LX & 2000LX

business jets. This contract marks

the beginning of cooperation be-

tween FACC and Dassault Aviation.

The contracts represent winglet

shipsets for 500 business jets.

”FACC and Aviation Partners

Boeing have been successfully

working together for ten years. Dur-

ing this time we have been able to

supply over 3,000 Boeing 737 and

757 aircraft with winglets. The new

contracts for the delivery of Falcon

and Hawker winglets enable FACC

to further expand cooperation with

Aviation Partners and strengthen

its position as a high-performance

competency center for winglets,“

said Martin Boegl, Director of Aero-

structures Programs for FACC AG.

„We are very proud to welcome

Dassault Aviation as a new FACC

customer. We are looking forward

to a long, mutual beneficial coop-

eration, in which we can make use

of our comprehensive expertise in

the production of winglets and offer

our customer high-quality turnkey

solutions.”

On the business jets Blended

Winglets™ provide a fuel and emis-

sions reduction of 5 to 7%. This

means a measurable reduction in

environmental impact and signifi-

cant savings of operational costs

- benefits that airlines are taking

advantage of in times of rising fuel

prices. The winglets optimize aero-

dynamics because they drastically

reduce the wingtip vortices. With

winglets, aircrafts fly farther, higher

and more efficiently. Other benefits

include lower engine maintenance,

improved takeoff performance and

a reduction in noise near airports.


The Russian aviation industry has major plans for the Sukhoi Superjet 100: as well as the domestic market, the aircraft is also intended to achieve success on the international markets. In cooperation with Western partners, work is currently un-derway to redesign the passenger cabin of the regional aircraft. FACC is lending design support and is responsible for production of the whole cabin.

Modern and appealing:A new passenger cabin for the SSJ100

Alongside technology, cost-ef-

fectiveness and environmental is-

sues, a passenger cabin offering

passengers optimum comfort, an

appealing appearance and which

also embodies technical advances

can often contribute to an aircraft’s

acceptance on the market. Russian

aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi Civil

Aircraft Company (SCAC) aims to

satisfy these requirements to the

best of its ability and is radically re-

designing the cabin of its SSJ100.

Playing a leading role in the design

and development is Alenia Aero-

nautica. The Italian aviation group

is closely involved with the SSJ100

program in a strategic partnership

– it is part-owner of SCAC and the

majority shareholder in the Venice-

based joint enterprise SuperJet In-

ternational whose responsibilities

include the marketing and delivery

of the SSJ100 to the markets in

Europe, North and South America,

Africa, Japan and Australia.

Efficient production in focus

FACC was selected by Alenia

Aeronautica as its supply partner

in the SSJ100 program. Within the

project, FACC is responsible for

manufacture of the cabin equip-

ment both above and below deck.

The details of the order package

consist of a multitude of differ-

ent components from ceiling and

sidewall panels, overhead stowage

compartments, entrance area and

lavatories to the cargo compart-

ment. And FACC has also designed

and manufactured the production

tools. The scope of FACC’s activi-

ties also includes integration of the

system to distribute conditioned air

and connection of the interior to the

aircraft structure.

In the first phase of the project

FACC is lending support to the de-

velopment team from Alenia Aero-

nautica in working out the design

and can thus contribute their high

technical expertise to the project

at an early stage of the develop-

ment process. Here FACC helps

decide on selection of the materi-

als and definition of the manufac-

turing processes. The focus here is

on manufacture-oriented develop-

ment creating the precondition for

an aircraft cabin which on the one

hand takes account of the required

criteria of comfort, appearance,

convenience and safety, but also

can be produced more efficiently.

This well-engineered design also

means that the cabin components

can later be manufactured in a con-

siderably shorter time and for a sig-

nificantly lower cost. This ensures

optimal satisfaction of the central

task of the development team – the

user-friendly design of a modern

cabin at the best possible cost-

benefit ratio for manufacturer and

airline.

FACC will deliver the first com-

plete aircraft cabin to the Alenia

factory in Venice at the beginning

of 2012 and lend on-site support for

initial installation. After successful

certification of the new cabin, rapid

production is necessary with the

goal that FACC produces the cabin

equipment for six SSJ100 planes in

2012.


3 questions to Rudolf Hangl

Rudolf Hangl (40) is part of the

FACC program management team

and has design responsibility for

the new project SSJ100 aircraft ca-

bin. take off spoke to him during the

initial phase of the project about his

experience:

Alongside the projects for development of various movab-le parts on the wing and tail unit and of the cargo compartment, the aircraft cabin is the third ma-jor commission for FACC in the course of the SSJ100 program. What is the significance of the new project for the company?

I see two main points here. On

the one hand the project grants ac-

cess to the Russian aviation market

– a growth market since there is a

high demand for aircraft in Russia

due to the large geographical di-

stances. In addition over the next

few years many older aircraft there

will be replaced by new, more ef-

ficient models. On the other hand,

there is the first major collaboration

with Italian aviation group Alenia

Aeronautica. Both represent new

spheres of activity for FACC and

are therefore of considerable im-

portance for FACC.

Where do you see the gre-atest challenge in fulfilling the project?

One major challenge is certain-

ly to replace an already existing

cabin. Of course there are high

expectations upon the new cabin

as regards design and styling. In

redesigning an existing cabin sche-

duling is also always a challenge.

The SSJ100 is already in service

and is already in serial production.

Right from the start, the new cabin

must be delivered right on the re-

quired serial production dates.

With Russia, we have opened up another significant sales mar-ket in the international market spectrum. How do you assess the development of the Russian aviation industry?

Very good. The country has

sufficient resources and – as ex-

perience has shown – technicians

with excellent training. Of course

the reinvigorated Russian aircraft

industry still has a few obstacles to

overcome. But I personally believe

that it will gain importance in the

future.


The main nomination selection

criterion for an FACC “Excellent Supplier Award” is the continu-

ous provision of both High Quality

products and reliable adherence to

Delivery Requirements. Additional

factors also taken into considera-

tion are customer service, flexibil-

ity, co-operation and a willingness

to develop, accept and implement

The best of the best:FACC Supplier AwardPartnerships with the most productive and industrious suppliers play an impor-tant role in any company’s long-term success; and FACC AG – like many others - rely heavily on their own world-wide top-notch suppliers. Once again FACC has honoured three of their suppliers for exceptional commitment and exemplary per-formance with an “Excellent Supplier Award 2010” in Gold, Silver and Bronze. In addition, an organisation has also been chosen to receive a “Special Performance Award” in recognition of their services and total support.

cost-saving and process-optimis-

ing measures. The „Special Per-formance Award” is presented

to a supplier and/or organisation

whose performance cannot be

measured by conventional meth-

ods, but have consistently shown

outstanding commitment to both

FACC and its customers.

PPG Aerospace is the best supplier of FACC in 2010: FACC purchasing

manager Rudolf Leitner hands over the FACC Excellent Supplier Award

in Gold to Ulrich Krüger of PPG Aerospace, fltr Steffi Oseloff, Produc-

tion Planning; Ulrich Krüger, Managing Director ASC Hamburg; Wer-

ner Luedicke, Technical Service Manager; Dr. Karen Langner, Techni-

cal, Quality and EHS Manager; Dennis Meyerholz, Operations Manager;

Jakob Szablewski, Team Leader Customer Service; Rudolf Leitner, Pur-

chasing Director FACC and Evelyn Maisrimel, Purchasing Central Com-

modities FACC.

The following suppliers have received the 2010 awards:

Excellent Supplier Award in GOLD:

PPG AEROSPACE

Located in Hamburg, GermanyPPG Aerospace is a world-wide leading supplier of sealants, coatings, aircraft maintenance chemicals, and application systems. Serving manufacturers and providers for the commercial and general aviation in-dustries.

Excellent Supplier Award in SILVER:

PLASCORE INC.

Located in Michigan, United States of AmericaPlascore is a global manufacturer of honeycomb core and composite structures. Their honeycomb core is specified wherever high strength-to-weight ratio, en-ergy absorption or directional qualities are required.

Excellent Supplier Award in BRONZE:

HTP HIGH TECH PLASTICS GMBH

Located in Fohnsdorf, AustriaThe main business of HTP is the development and production of plastic lightweight components for the aviation industry; specialising in Injection Moulded Parts in particularly for Aircraft Interiors such as win-dow assemblies.

Special Performance Award:

ONTIME LOGISTICS

Located in Seekirchen, Austria OnTime Logistics are an international and select team of specialists who have redefined the mean-ing of „quality“ in the transport and logistics sector. Focussed on areas of Express, Special Delivery, Air Freight and Sea Freight, OnTime Logistics continue to provide a world-wide delivery service.


To mark the 10-year anniversary of its opening – the building first opened its doors as a museum on 21 September 2001 – the Leopold Museum is presenting an exhibition in autumn 2011 dedicated to a new presentation of the works of Austria’s most important Expressionist painter, Egon Schiele (1890-1918).

Schiele’s works are world famous

today and achieve top prices at

international auction. His paintings

are prized very highly by muse-

ums all over the world and attract

attention not only for their artistic

brilliance, but also for Schiele’s

reputation as a “premature genius”.

The largest collection of Schiele’s

works is to be found in the Leo-

pold Museum in Vienna’s Museum

Quarter. Besides his numerous

self-portraits, Schiele is famous

principally for his nudes, which de-

pict almost exclusively women and

children. However, his landscapes

and city paintings too are extremely

popular.

Major exhibition: »Egon Schiele: Melancholy and Provocation«

The exhibition »Egon Schiele:

Melancholy and Provocation« is

being shown from 23 September

2011. The focus of the exhibition is

a ground-breaking new presenta-

tion of the masterpieces of Egon

Schiele from the Leopold collec-

tion. Art collector Prof. Dr. Rudolf

Leopold (1925-2010) and his wife

Dr. Elisabeth Leopold assembled

the most significant collection of

Schiele’s works in just a few dec-

ades and this exhibition devotes

itself to the life and works of Egon

Schiele in a density and intensity

not seen up to now. More than 200

paintings and works on paper al-

low viewers to trace Schiele’s path

to become one of the most im-

portant European Expressionists.

But Schiele’s eventful life is also

charted in a particularly authentic

fashion through a large number of

letters and other objects from the

artist’s personal possessions.

Sensitive genius and provocateur

Egon Schiele is an artist of ex-

tremes. The masterpieces of this

brilliant painter and illustrator are

as provocative today as they were

in the artist’s lifetime. Although

Schiele died in 1918 at the age of

just 28, his work already showed

a remarkable maturity and a quiet

wisdom. This sensitive artist por-

trayed with exquisite empathy the

deepest human emotions: love,

fear and melancholy. Many of his

pictures have an aura of great sad-

ness and regret. Yet the means of

expression are modern, aggres-

sive, provocative and ruthless.

Egon Schiele:Exhibition to mark “10 years of the Leopold Museum”

Self-Portrait with

Striped Shirt, 1910The exhibition »Egon Schiele: Melancholy and Provo-

cation« is being shown from 23.09.11 to 30.01.12 in the

Leopold Museum. Further information under

www.leopoldmuseum.org

FACCA-4910 Ried/Austria, Fischerstraße 9

Tel. +43/59/616-0, Fax +43/59/616-81000

e-mail: [email protected], www.facc.at

The New „Queen of the Skies“Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental. FACC is on board.

On March 20, 2011 the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental made its inaugural flight

showcasing the talent and dedication of the Boeing team and its world class suppliers.

FACC has partnered with Boeing on this success. We are proud to help it fly.

FACC congratulates Boeing and offers best wishes for the future of the Boeing 747-8

Intercontinental.

magazine "take off" - issue 28

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