Parker to supply XWB systems

Airbus has selected Cleveland’s Parker Aerospace to supply the fuel and hydraulic systems for its new A350 extra-wide body (XWB) aircraft through a contract worth more than $1bn (£529m) over the life of the programme.

Parker will provide the entire fuel system equipment package, including the inerting system, fuel measurement and management system, fluid mechanical equipment, and engine feed and transfer fuel pumps.

The fuel tank inerting system uses air separation modules with patented fibres. The air separation modules generate 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.

The 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 refuel.

The fluid mechanical equipment and the engine feed and transfer fuel pumps provide functions which include 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 hydraulic power generation and distribution system segment on the new A350 XWB including pumps, reservoirs, manifolds, accumulators, thermal control, isolation and software, which together provide the hydraulic system functions to power and control the aircraft.

Parker already supports current Airbus aircraft, including the A300, A310, A320, A330, A340, A340-500/600, and A380.