Check out the $600-million Airbus Factory in Alabama where Planes Will Be Built for America

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This week, Airbus Industries officially launched its new North American assembly plant. The facility — located in Mobile, Alabama — began operations earlier this summer. The U.S. Final Assembly Line joins Airbus' network of assembly facilities in France, Germany, Spain, and China.

At this week's ribbon-cutting ceremony, the plant and its employees hosted a series of high profile dignitaries, including Ambassadors from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. In addition, state and local officials and high ranking Airbus executives were also present.

"Our commercial aircraft production in Mobile signifies two things: that Airbus has become the first truly global aircraft manufacturer, and that Airbus is now also a truly American manufacturer," Airbus president and CEO Fabrice Brégier said in a statement. "[The Alabama plant] enables us to grow our already significant presence in America – the largest single-aisle aircraft market in the world – and to be closer to our US customers and key supplier partners. "

The Airbus factory is located just a few minutes south of the heart of Mobile, AL.

REUTERS/Michael Spooneybarger

The 53-acre facility is situated on the grounds of the Brookley Aeroplex on Mobile Bay.

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The Mobile Final Assembly Line's main responsibility will be to build Airbus' wildly popular A320 jets for US airlines.

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Airbus says the A320neo is 15% more fuel efficient than the A320.


There's a good reason for Airbus to have a dedicated production facility for its US customers.

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Over the past 2 decades, the A320 family has become a popular workhorse for numerous US airlines such as American ...

... Delta ...

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... United ...

Flickr/Vince_Vega

 

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... JetBlue ...

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... Spirit ...

Flickr/Eric Salard

... Frontier and ...

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... Virgin America.

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According to Airbus, there is demand for as many as 4,700 aircraft similar to the A320 in the US market over the next 20 years.

REUTERS/Michael Spooneybarger

By 2018, Airbus expects the FAL to churn out between 40 and 50 jets a year.

REUTERS/Michael Spooneybarger

Airbus predicts the plant and its corresponding economic impact will generate as many as 3,700 jobs for the local economy.

REUTERS/Michael Spooneybarger

Earlier this summer, parts for the plant's first plane were shipped over from Europe.

 

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The front section of the jets are made in France.

REUTERS/Michael Spooneybarger

The rear fuselage is from Germany.

REUTERS/Michael Spooneybarger

As is the vertical stabilizer.

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Other parts, such as the wings and horizontal stabilizers, are from The UK and Spain.

REUTERS/Michael Spooneybarger

The US FAL is expected to deliver its first jet early next year.

REUTERS/Michael Spooneybarger

It will be a stretched A321 for JetBlue. In fact 49 of the first 50 jets to roll off of the line will be A321s.

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Here is its vertical stabilizer.

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Here is its nose section.

 

[Hurter]

Airbus isn't the only airplane maker to move into the deep South. A couple of years ago, Boeing opened a production facility in South Carolina — joining Lockheed Martin and Gulfstream, whose production facilities are each located in Georgia.

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[Indus Falcon]

@Jango You need to see this!!