Fulfil Customer Order Process: Customization of Commercial Aircraft

Abstract

The aircraft industry has seen continuous growth over the past 20 years and is forecast to more than double over the next 20 years, representing a market of more than 30,000 new aircraft. The airline industry has become a very competitive market with new entrants challenging incumbents. The aspect of differentiation has become very important and airlines focus strongly on this when defining new aircraft fleets. While aircraft manufacturers are concerned about increasing production rates to meet future aircraft demand, the customization aspect has to be well considered to not become a tripping stone for aircraft deliveries. Already at aircraft design, the customization features must be taken into account to protect against later surprises and to avoid unnecessary supply chain risks. Comparing two major Airbus aircraft models, the A380 and the A350XWB, will give some insights on how customization has been addressed.