The multi-site extended enterprise concept in the aeronautical industry

This article introduces the industrial deployment of multi-site extended enterprise concept within EADS AIRBUS SA for the development of the new AIRBUS. Between 1997 and 2000, EADS AURBUS SA, for the development of the A340 500 and 600 programmes co-located up to 600 persons on a common multidisciplinary platform (engineering, manufacturing, support, airlines involvement). The objectives were to reduce, in comparison with A340, the lifecycle of the development of 25%, to reduce the development costs of 30% and to reach, at the entry in service of the first aircraft, a maturity never seen (dispatch reliability of 99%). For that purpose, digital mock-ups were used and permitted to support all the actors involved all along the development and also during the assembly of the first aircraft. This approach continues actually with the involvement of all the parties of the new integrated AIRBUS company for the development of the A380 (very large aircraft) and the A400M (military transport aircraft).