Messier-Dowty

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Messier-Dowty is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of all types of aircraft landing gear. It also encompasses customer support and a comprehensive manufacturing overhaul. The company projects are divided into three business units: Airbus, Boeing/Military and Regional/Business aircraft.

Messier-Dowty was purchased outright by the Snecma Group in 1998. It was previously a 50/50 joint venture between the French company and TI Group. Messier-Dowty is now part of the SAFRAN group.

SAFRAN is a French aerospace/communications group which was created as the result of a merger between SAGEM and SNECMA. SAFRAN is known for businesses in aerospace propulsion, aircraft equipment, defense security and communications.

Messier-Dowty has manufacturing sites across the globe. The sites are located in Asia (Singapore, Suzhou), Europe (Vélizy, Bidos, Gloucester), Canada (Toronto, Montreal) and United States (Seattle). The main headquarters is located in Vélizy.

1 Sites
2 Projects
- 2.1 Current
- 2.2 Historical
3 External links

[edit] Sites

Each site is responsible for certain aspects of landing gears.

Bidos: responsible for the production of large components (bogies, main fittings, integral axles) for large commercial, business, commuter aircrafts and helicopter gears.

Gloucester: Design, research and systems integration together with manufacturing capability. This site is focused on the manufacture of complex major structural components such as main fittings and bogies for large commercial aircraft together with main fittings and large components for military and commuter aircraft platforms. The Gloucester site is also home to one of the largest landing gear test facilities in the western world, capable of the structural and systems testing of large commercial landing gears.

Montreal: manufacturing, heat treatment, special processing and assembly equipment

Toronto: design and development of fully integrated landing gear systems. It also focuses on ancillary systems such as steering control, landing gear control and indication, emergency control, brake control, wheels, brakes, tires, door mechanisms and electrical harnesses. This site is the final assembly area where landing gear systems for many aircrafts are fully assembled and tested before shipping to the customer. It has test facilities for development and certification.

Seattle: this is a new site where the focus is on the Boeing 787

Suzhou: manufacturing landing gear components of medium size for business and regional jet programs

Singapore: procurement and customer support base for the Asia Pacific region

[edit] Projects

[edit] Current

The majority of Dowty's business comes from its involvement in the Airbus supply chain. Its inclusion in the Boeing 787 programme is an important breakthrough for the company.

Airbus A320
Airbus A330/A340 family
- Entire landing gear
Airbus A380
- Nose landing gear
Airbus A400M
- Entire landing gear system
Boeing 787
- Main and Nose landing gear structure
Bombardier
- Global Express
- Global 5000
- Challenger 604
- Challenger 300
- Regional Jet (CRJ200)
- DASH 8 Series 100, 200 and 300
Raytheon
- 800XP
- Hawker 4000
Eurocopter
Bell/Agusta
- 609