GKN close to deal with Airbus on Filton

Up to 400 new aerospace jobs are likely to be created when GKN signs a joint venture with Airbus on the Filton site, according to the Bristol Evening Post. The deal includes establishing a new composites manufacturing operation, primarily for the A350 XWB airliner, at Easter Compton between the M49 and M5 and close to Avonmouth Docks. Wing design would continue at Filton.

US u-turn on air tankers contract

The Pentagon is reopening the competition for a new air-to-air refuelling tanker to serve the US Air Force after intense lobbying by Boeing, who lost out to a Northrop Grumman-Airbus bid. Wing design teams at Filton would have been heavily involved in work on converting the chosen airframe, the Airbus A330.

Airbus rolls out military transport

Airbus today rolls out the A400M military transport aircraft. Its wings are designed and built at Filton almost wholly from composite materials rather than metal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/7473838.stm