Published On: 03.07.16 | 

By: Made in Alabama

First Alabama-made Airbus aircraft shows off JetBlue colors

Airbus Media Tour Sept. 13, 2015

This JetBlue piece for the first Airbus jet made in Alabama had been waiting at the $600 million plant since it opened last year. It's now on the plane as it is being readied for delivery to the airline. (Mike Kittrell/Alabama NewsCenter)

The first Alabama-made Airbus A321 is sporting JetBlue colors.

Airbus said Friday that painting of its maiden U.S.-built passenger jet has been completed in its paintshop at the company’s new, $600 million facility at Mobile Aeroplex. The aircraft emerged wearing JetBlue livery.

“This latest milestone shows that the first aircraft to be produced at the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility is progressing well on its route to first flight and delivery in spring 2016,” Airbus said in a release.

Airbus 321 enters the paintshop for its JetBlue paint job. (contributed)
Airbus A321 painted for JetBlue emerges from the paint shop in Mobile. (contributed)
JetBlue gets the first Alabama-built Airbus jet. (Mike Kittrell/Alabama NewsCenter)
Airbus A321 painted for JetBlue emerges from the paint shop in Mobile. (contributed)

The aircraft left the production floor at the Airbus Alabama campus last month for the paintshop, which is operated by Ireland-based MAAS Aviation.

Airbus’ Alabama workforce started assembling the first aircraft shortly after the plane’s major components arrived at the Port of Mobile last June via cargo ship from Europe. Airbus plans to assemble four to five aircraft per month at the Alabama facility once production ramps up. The manufacturing operation will eventually support 1,000 jobs in Mobile.

Also on Friday, another shipment of major aircraft components arrived at the Airbus campus.

— Airbus (@Airbus) March 4, 2016

Read more Airbus coverage here.

More on this topic