Parker Aerospace has been selected by Airbus to supply both the fuel and hydraulic systems for its new A350 extra-widebody (XWB) aircraft. The orders will be worth some $2billion.
Parker's orders for A350 XWB systems cover both fuel and hydraulics.
Parker will provide the entire fuel system equipment package for the A350 XWB, including the inerting system, fuel measurement and management system, fluid mechanical equipment, and engine feed and transfer fuel pumps. This contract will generate more than US $1billion over the life of the programme for Parker.
The fuel tank inerting system uses air separation modules with patented fibres. Each air separation module generates nitrogen-enriched air by removing the oxygen molecules from its air source and distributing the nitrogen to all the aircraft's fuel tanks, thereby reducing the flammability of fuel vapours in the fuel tank and increasing the aircraft's safety.
A fuel measurement system gauges the fuel quantity in the tanks located in an aircraft's wings and fuselage, as well as the fuel management system, which monitors the distribution of fuel while commanding pumps and valves in the fuel system to provide fuel transfer and refuelling.
The fluid mechanical equipment and the engine feed and transfer fuel pumps are new product wins for Parker Aerospace on Airbus aircraft. These products will provide multiple functions for the aircraft, including refuelling and defuelling, transfer, engine feed and fuel tank venting. During aircraft operation, the pumps transfer fuel from tank to tank and supply fuel to the engine. The Parker fluid mechanical equipment will provide the control valves for fuel shut-off, isolation, emergency shut-off, and venting air in and out of the tanks.
Parker Aerospace has also won the contract to supply the hydraulic power generation and distribution system on the new A350 XWB. This complex bill of material comprises seven individual work packages including pumps, reservoirs, manifolds, accumulators, thermal control, isolation and software. Together these products provide the hydraulic system functions necessary to power and control the aircraft. This system expands Parker's capability and product offering to the aerospace industry, including a newly designed engine-driven pump, an electric motor-driven pump with control and protection functions, an automatic air bleeding bootstrap reservoir, and hydraulic system control and health monitoring software to DO-178 Level B.
The contract will also generate over US $1billion for Parker over the life of the programme.
Bob Barker, president of Parker Aerospace, comments: "These are exciting wins for Parker and reflect three years of dedicated work from many Parker divisions and team members. We are pleased to be a part of this technologically advanced aircraft programme."
Parker supports many Airbus aircraft platforms, including the A300, A310, A320, A330, A340, A340-500/600, and A380.