Following the successful co-operation with eCube Solutions to deliver the demonstrator project for the A320 sharklet retrofit modification, Airbus Customer Services has returned to St. Athan. This time they are using an end-of-life A320 as the demonstrator for a rear door frame replacement modification, and to perform a fuel tank leak test on the same hull.
For Airbus, the eCube facilities provide a chance to experiment on production aircraft without having to worry about compromising future serviceability. It enables them to understand how repairable structures may be repaired or replaced, and to retrieve certain components for analysis which may not normally be available in a conventional MRO environment.