Airbus Canada can still meet its objectives at Mirabel, says boss

Quebec funding Airbus A-220 Quebec is putting more money into the Airbus A-220, the former Bombardier CSeries plane

Despite supply chain difficulties that have slowed the production rate increase of the A220 aircraft manufactured at Mirabel, the head of Airbus Canada says the company is capable of meeting the production and profitability targets it has set for around 2025.

"We have a plan that works to make 14 planes per month: 10 in Mirabel, [and] four in Mobile in Alabama in the middle of the decade, even after the adjustments to production to mitigate the difficulties of the supply chain that we have done recently," said Airbus Canada president and CEO Benoît Schultz, in a Friday interview on the sidelines of an event organized as part of the Manufacturer's Week by Manufacturiers et Exportateurs du Québec (MEQ).

The pace of A220 production at Mirabel and Mobile was disrupted in the second half of the year due to the supply chain. This headwind has affected all of Airbus' global operations.

Earlier in January, the French multinational revealed it had delivered 53 A220 aircraft, the former Bombardier CSeries, in 2022. This represents a monthly average of 4.4 aircraft. This is an annual increase of only three aircraft compared to 2021.

Adjustments were made to the A220 production line that allowed Airbus to catch up at the end of the year, Schultz says. The aircraft manufacturer has returned to a monthly rate of six aircraft.

Airbus is not disclosing delivery targets by program for 2023, but Schultz says he expects production to accelerate in the coming months.

"We've proven that we're capable of reaching the six-aircraft rate and we have activities to accelerate beyond six in 2023," he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 27, 2023.