Titanium from ThyssenKrupp VDM will ensure safety in the new A 380 super-jumbo. The part itself is relatively small for such a huge aircraft, but it’s of crucial importance for the safety of the new Airbus A 380. Hidden away in the undercarriage of the double-decker super-jumbo is a dense forged part in which numerous holes have been drilled to form a pipe system. Without this titanium component, the plane’s brakes would not work. It is needed for the brake hydraulics of the world’s biggest and most advanced passenger aircraft, and it has to be able to withstand severe loads and pressures of 300bar. To meet these special requirements, the part is made from the titanium alloy Ti6Al4V, produced at ThyssenKrupp VDM’s Essen plant. The new Airbus A 380 is soon to start operating out of Germany for the first time. On June 11, scheduled flights will commence on the busy routes to Asia and North America. Five days earlier, the German national soccer team will depart for South Africa on board one of these aircraft to take part in the World Cup.
