The Airbus Final Assembly Line (FAL) is located at the Brookley Aeroplex in Mobile, Alabama. Airbus USA’s facility is the final U.S. based assembly and delivery point for the A320 family of aircraft. The plant is designed to accommodate a monthly assembly and delivery capacity of up to eight aircraft per month.
Thompson Engineering served as the Civil Engineer of Record responsible for the civil design for the 104-acre site including airfields, aprons, new production hangars, associated buildings, roadways, and parking. Thompson provided overall design project management and served as design lead for the utilities, site grading, stormwater, and paving portions of the project. As one of four design packages, the civil/site package interfaced with all other projects. All engineers, architects, and general contractors involved in the project relied on Thompson Engineering for the grading, drainage,and utility connection requirements for their respective sites. This created a significant coordination effort that Thompson’s project team effectively managed throughout the project.
Our civil design services included all site infrastructure in support of the FAL and multiple ancillary facilities. Final grading and drainage included 82 acres of parking, airfields, aprons, and roadways incorporating Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Mobile Airport Authority (MAA) design criteria for paving, striping, lighting, security, and communications.
Construction features included drainage to a single 84” outfall pipe and the requirement for undercutting and fill resulting in the placement of 175,000 cubic yards of fill. Asphalt and concrete pavement with a stone subbase completed the site. The challenges at the site include hydraulic design to accommodate difficult minimal slope conditions and the single 84” outfall pipe.
The first aircraft assembled in Mobile was delivered to JetBlue in April 2016.
client
MOBILE AIRPORT AUTHORITY
location
MOBILE, ALABAMA
market
INDUSTRIAL
Service Specialties
- CIVIL
