Alenia Aeronautica is one of three companies within the Italian Finmeccanica group that deal with fixed-wing aircraft production. The others are Alenia Aermacchi, which is also active in both commercial and military aircraft, and Superjet International, the joint venture with Russia’s Sukhoi in the regional jet business. The company is eagerly awaiting the imminent maiden flight of the Boeing 787, which will open a new phase in the program.
“The Dreamliner is very important for us, as we produce the center and the central-rear fuselage sections, as well as the horizontal stabilizer, adding up to 14 percent of the overall structure,” Giovanni Bertolone, Alenia Aeronautica’s CEO, told AIN. Moreover Global Aeronautica, the 50-50 joint venture between Alenia North America, wholly controlled by Alenia Aeronautica and Boeing, is responsible for assembly, integration and testing activities on over 60 percent of the fuselage. “Despite the difficulties [well-documented delays to the program], which are usual for a wholly innovative project,” Bertolone added, “Alenia Aeronautica continued to produce on time and on quality all the aircraft components for which it is responsible.”
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