Spirit AeroSystems Ships First Spar Component for Airbus A350 XWB

KINSTON, N.C., Dec. 10, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Spirit AeroSystems Inc., (NYSE: SPR) the world's largest independent supplier of commercial airplane assemblies and components, today shipped the first production leading edge spar component – an outer spar – for the Airbus A350 XWB program out of its Kinston, N.C., facility.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101210/CG15883)

A leading edge spar is a wing component, part of the fixed leading edge, and comprises six major sections: inner, mid and outer for each wing. The outer spar shipped today is the first of the group to be produced by Spirit, and makes up about 8 percent of the total spar weight. It is approximately 11.5 meters in length. Spar components are made of 100 percent carbon fiber material, and all six combined weigh about one ton (1,000 kg).

The subsequent five spar sections will be shipped in the coming months.

"This is the first production component of any kind we've shipped out of our Kinston facility," said Tom Greenwood, Spirit's A350 XWB spar program director. "This first unit was built at our new, state-of-the-art facility using automated composite fabrication technology and the technical expertise of Spirit employees."

Each set of spars will be shipped from Spirit's Kinston facility to Spirit's European plant in Prestwick, Scotland, where it will be integrated into the fixed leading edge.  From there, it will be delivered to the Airbus plant in Broughton, Wales, for integration into the wing box.

Spirit won a contract with Airbus in July 2008 to design and produce the A350 XWB's spar and fixed leading edge. Spirit is also designing and building the composite center fuselage section, Section 15, for the A350 XWB.

On the web: http://www.spiritaero.com

About Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.

Based in Wichita, Kan., Spirit AeroSystems is the world's largest independent supplier of commercial airplane assemblies and components. In addition to its Kansas facility, Spirit has locations in Tulsa and McAlester, Okla.; Kinston, N.C.; Prestwick, Scotland; Samlesbury, England; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and is developing a new manufacturing facility in Saint-Nazaire, France. In the U.S., Spirit's core products include fuselages, pylons, nacelles and wing components. Additionally, Spirit provides aftermarket customer support services, including spare parts, maintenance/repair/overhaul, and fleet support services in North America, Europe and Asia. Spirit Europe produces wing components for a host of customers, including Airbus.

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may vary materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to future levels of business in the aerospace and commercial transport industries or in the number of aircraft to be built; the success and timely progression of our customers' new programs; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed in Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

SOURCE Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.

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