Sections for 200th plane reach FAL

The Airbus assembly line in China's Tianjin has received parts for the 200th A320 family aircraft, which will be delivered to China Eastern Airlines in December, Airbus said. Sections including the forward and aft fuselage, horizontal and vertical tail, main landing gear doors, inner flaps and engine pylons reached the final assembly line on Tuesday. Those parts and components were produced at different Airbus sites in Europe and carried by a commercial cargo vessel from Hamburg to Tianjin, Airbus said. The wings for the jetliners assembled in Tianjin are produced in Tianjin by Xi'an Aircraft Industry (Group) Co., while the engines will arrive at a later date directly from the engine supplier. (Source: Xinhau via Global Post, 09/02/14) Gulf Coast note: Airbus is also building an A320 final assembly line in Mobile, Ala., that will open in 2015.