Airbus has begun fabricating the first carbon fibre rear fuselage barrel for the A350 XWB at its Illescas, Spain, plant.
The barrel, known as section 19, measures 5.5m in length and is 56sq m in area.
Unlike the majority of the A350 XWB’s fuselage, which will be made from long carbon fibre panels, Airbus says the barrel design is “optimum” for the tapered tail section.
