Winglet contract

The first of the contracts was awarded to GKN Aerospace. The company will design and manufacture a composite winglet for the new Bombardier CSeries aircraft in a deal that could be worth more than $100m (£64.5m).

The contract with GKN covers the period to 2025, with first winglet deliveries taking place in early 2011 to support aircraft that will enter service in 2013.

The second contract, with Cytec Engineered Materials of Wrexham, involves the supply of some of the advanced composite material for the CSeries aircraft wing.

The Cytec deal forms part of a wider contract awarded by Bombardier to Cytec Engineered Materials valued at up to $800m, to supply carbon-fibre composite materials for a number of Bombardier aircraft programmes.

Both companies will supply Bombardier in Belfast, which is responsible for the development, design and manufacture of the advanced composite wings for the CSeries aircraft.

Goodrich Actuation Systems, of Wolverhampton, and Senior Aerospace BWT, of Manchester, have already been selected by Bombardier for the CSeries aircraft programme. Goodrich is supplying the flap and slat actuation systems, while Senior Aerospace is providing the low-pressure air-distribution systems for the aircraft cabin and cockpit environmental control systems.

As part of the ongoing CSeries wing development programme, Bombardier in Belfast has successfully manufactured and assembled a pre-production demonstrator wing using its Resin Transfer Infusion process. This is currently being installed in a specially designed and constructed test rig in preparation for testing that is due to get underway within the next few weeks.

Michael Ryan, vice-president and general manager, Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast, said: ’The CSeries aircraft wing programme is progressing well and we are on schedule to produce the first composite wing in 2011.’

CSeries aircraft are optimised for the longer-range, single-aisle, 100- to 149-seat market.