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Safran Nacelles A worldwide leader in aircraft engine nacelles and services

Safran Nacelles is a worldwide leader in aircraft engine nacelle integration. Our products and services equip all aircraft types: regional, business, short, medium, and long-range commercial aircraft. Our expertise covers nacelle design, manufacturing, integration, maintenance and services.

Our expertise

Commercial aircraft nacelles

Safran Nacelles has developed a range of nacelles for short, medium, and long-range commercial aircraft. Already partners with the main airframers, Airbus, Boeing and COMAC, we continue to offer evermore innovative nacelles: lighter, at the forefront of acoustic treatment, aerodynamic, safe, intelligent, and easy to maintain.

Regional and business jet nacelles

Safran Nacelles equips the regional aircraft and business jets from main manufacturers such as Bombardier, Dassault, Gulfstream, Textron Aviation, Irkout-Sukhoi and Embraer, etc. with nacelles and components at the forefront of innovation, including our Target (PERT®) and Butterfly thrust reversers.

Customer Support and Services

Safran Nacelles supports customers during the life of their nacelles, 24/7 and all over the world. NacelleLifeTM offers services and maintenance customized to the most specific requirements for some or all of the aircraft life stages, from pre-entry in service to operational retirement.

Thrust reversers

Our hydraulic reversers and Electrical Thrust Reverser Actuation Systems are designed to improve aerodynamics, reduce fuel consumption and aircraft operating costs, and increase braking performance.

Composite materials

Safran Nacelles has developed expertise in structural reinforcement using composite materials, which also reduce the weight of the nacelle.

Metallic alloy

Safran Nacelles has developed expertise in the design of metallic alloy nozzles, enabling weight reductions in high temperature surroundings.

Acoustic treatment

Safran Nacelles has developed expertise in acoustic treatments on composite and metal structures, through local and strategic treatment of the nacelles, reducing engine noise.

Assembly

Over the past 30 years, Safran Nacelles has developed expertise in the assembly of aerostructures, based on techniques and know-how which is on a par with those of airframers.

Integration capabilities

Safran Nacelles is a specialist in all nacelle components - air inlets, cowl doors, thrust reversers, exhaust systems, Engine Build Units (EBU) - as well as their integration with engines and aircraft.

The factory of the future

Virtual reality, augmented reality, smart trolleys, moving and pulsed lines, automation, infrared thermography… Innovation and digital technologies are at the heart of our Safran Nacelles factories.

Over 96,000 hours
flights per day
3,400
employees
One thrust reverser cycle every
1.8 seconds
Over 20,000
Safran Nacelles’ components currently in service
Over 30 years
of experience
Operational excellence

Across the globe, Safran Nacelles ensures its manufacturing and repair sites benefit from the most innovative processes and technologies to improve their operational performance.

Digital technology at the heart of our factories

Team meeting

Safran Nacelles draws on digital technology to improve its operational efficiency.

Factory 4.0 is already a reality for Safran Nacelles. The digital transformation of our factories is a vector of performance enabling us to meet our customers’ quality, cost and lead time requirements, and to support them in their own developments. We integrate digital technologies throughout our sites, both to increase production reliability through data collected via our industrial equipment, and to assist with monitoring our products through digital continuity covering design, manufacturing and in-service maintenance.

Robotization and automation

Robotic cell for marking an IFS A320neo composite

Safran Nacelles builds in automation to strengthen its agility and productivity

Safran Nacelles was one of the first manufacturers to use robots for complex composite manufacturing processes: lay-up, infrared thermography part. inspection, acoustic drilling, etc. Today, most of the assembly processes (e.g. drilling, riveting and milling) and finishing operations (painting) are automated. Our moving or pulsed lines contribute to our nacelles’ production cycles, whilst our “SmartTrolleys” reduce the engine integration time to about 10 minutes, i.e. almost 20 times less than with traditional handling equipment. The next step? Tomorrow, our cobots (collaborative robots) will bring together robot strength, precision and repeatability with human intelligence.

Work methods

Virtual reality room - Simulation of maintenance and accessibility operations

Working together with virtual and augmented reality

Safran Nacelles’ operational excellence largely lies with its collaborative work methods based on collective intelligence. This way, we can use the real-time information sharing possibilities offered by virtual reality to reduce our development times, validate new manufacturing and assembly methods more quickly, design ergonomic tooling, optimize the location of our industrial equipment or even develop interactive training on nacelle maintenance. In Safran, we are pioneers of augmented reality and we make use of this technology to optimize the nacelles’ composite panel inspection and to assist with engine integration operations.

Preparing for the future through innovation

Safran Nacelles significantly invests in research to develop the innovative solutions that will contribute to tomorrow’s integrated propulsion systems.

Reducing aircraft environmental footprint

Airbus A320neo

Safran Nacelles is behind numerous innovations for environmental and customer requirements.

Our composite materials and high-performance metallic alloys enable us to decrease the weight of our nacelles, thus reducing fuel consumption and aircraft carbon emissions. We have, amongst others, developed an expertise in Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) techniques used for Airbus A320neo and Falcon 7X/8X nacelles. We are also developing acoustic technologies that reduce noise emission by “trapping” the engine noise on strategic surface areas of the nacelle or the nozzle. This technology enabled the Airbus A380 to become one of the quietest aircraft in operation despite its size. Finally, we continuously improve our nacelles’ aerodynamics to reduce drag in flight.

Contributions toward a more electric aircraft

COMAC C919 O‐Duct Nacelle (Safran Nacelles)

Safran Nacelles is electrifying its nacelles’ functions to improve weight and reliability.

Utilized for the first time in the world on the Airbus A380, Safran Nacelles’ ETRAS® (Electrical Thrust Reverser Actuation Systems) is an efficient alternative for hydraulic commands, as well as improving the nacelle’s weight and simplifying maintenance. ETRAS® will also equip COMAC C919 medium-range aircraft nacelles that we are developing via our Nexcelle joint venture. Furthermore, we are developing nacelle electrical de-icing systems as a replacement for standard pneumatic technologies.

Increased thrust reverser performance

Innovative and patented solutions

Safran Nacelles patented several innovative architectures to meet the thrust reversion challenges – braking distance reduction, mainly in short, wet, icy or snowy runways. This is the case for the door thrust reverser (1981), the Butterfly thrust reverser (1995), the PERT® thrust reverser (1997). We are continuing to innovate with the O-Duct concept that will equip the COMAC C919, which will improve aerodynamic performance and fuel consumption (by 0.5 %, i.e. 300 kg per flight, or the equivalent of 5 additional passengers) and whilst also increasing the efficiency of the thrust reversers, thanks to its single-piece architecture.

Customer support and services

Through NacelleLife™, Safran Nacelles provides its customers with a flexible service package to support them throughout their nacelles’ life cycle.

A comprehensive service offer

Safran Nacelles team working on A380 nacelle

NacelleLife™ supports nacelles at every stage of their life.

Many offers on the market only deal with entry into service and major services, Safran Nacelles’ NacelleLife™ service portfolio embodies the comprehensive approach that fully encompasses airlines’ requirements. Their entire aircraft life cycle is covered, from pre-entry into service to operational retirement.

The objective is to maximize availability and to minimize maintenance costs at each step of the life cycle. NacelleLife™ is supported by a network of 13 sites, reinforced by partnerships and several MRO (Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul) centers, to ensure the proximity and the reactivity expected by our customers.

Find out more about NacelleLife™

Customized solutions

Maintenance on wing

NacelleLife™ meets the specific requirements of each operator

Spare parts, technical representatives, on-line documentation, fleet management, maintenance operation schedules, operational retirement transition support… The numerous services included in NacelleLife™ enable a wide range of requirements to be met with customized operator-specific solutions, encompassing all the nacelle components, including thrust reversers, anywhere in the world.

Find out more about NacelleLife™

Maintenance 4.0

Jetlife, the newsletters mobile app

Innovative solutions

Technological innovation is at the heart of NacelleLife™ services. The mobile application “JetLife”, integrated with the programmed maintenance service, provides real-time access to service bulletins and the option to report operations carried out, thus enabling Safran Nacelles to suggest predictive maintenance schedules. “Presto”, the overheating assessment tool, uses infrared thermography to evaluate the thrust reversers composite structure’s health, enabling underwing diagnostics to be carried out without the need to dismount the nacelle, thus minimising AOG (aircraft on ground) time. All these solutions apply to the full range of our nacelles, in service and/or in development.

Find out more about NacelleLife™

CUSTOMER SUPPORT CENTER

Contact the Safran Nacelles Customer Support Center (CSC)

Our subsidiaries

Innovative nacelle systems to travel in tomorrow’s world

A key player on the aircraft MRO (Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul) market in the Middle-East

Our rating on gender equality

0 89 / 100

Criteria
  1. 1.

    Gender pay gap

    39

  2. 2.

    Allocation of individual increases

    20

  3. 3.

    Difference in the distribution of promotions

    15

  4. 4.

    Number of employees increased upon return from maternity leave

    15

  5. 5.

    Parity among top 10 earners

    0

According to the French law of September 5, 2018, and its application decree of January 8, 2019, on "Freedom to choose your professional future" (Liberté de choisir son avenir professionnel), companies have to measure five gender equality indicators and publish their overall score. The primary aim of this law is to eliminate compensation discrepancies between men and women.

Rixain Law

Furthermore, the law to accelerate economic and professional equality between men and women from December 24, 2021 (called the Rixain Law) created a new requirement to have women in the executive bodies of companies with over 1,000 employees. Within Safran, the policy on the professional advancement of women, their access to positions of authority, the identification of talent, and assistance with professional development are priorities that we have also extended to our relations with engineering schools and universities in the past few years.

Within Safran Nacelles, the indicators relating to gaps in representation between women and men in positions of greater responsibility are as follows:

  • Percentage of senior executives who are women and men, respectively: 23 % / 77 %
  • Percentage of members of executive bodies who are women and men, respectively: 33 % / 67 %
NacelleLife logo

NacelleLife™

Customized services, adapted to the full range of our nacelles 

 

 

Discover the NacelleLife™ offerings and services
Medium range commercial aircraft nacelles
LEAP on A321neo
LEAP on A321neo
LEAP on A321neo
© Cyril Abad / CAPA Pictures / Safran Safran on board (not exhaustive): Engine…
LEAP on A321neo
LEAP on A321neo
LEAP on A321neo
© Adrien Daste / Safran
LEAP on A321neo
LEAP on A321neo
LEAP on A321neo
© Cyril Abad / CAPA Pictures / Safran Safran on board (not exhaustive): Engine…
COMAC C919 O‐Duct Nacelle (Safran Nacelles)
COMAC C919 O‐Duct Nacelle (Safran Nacelles)
COMAC C919 O‐Duct Nacelle (Safran Nacelles)
© Eric Drouin / Safran
CFM56-5B
CFM56-5B
CFM56-5B
© Pierre Soissons / Safran The CFM56-5 family jointly produced by Safran…
Long range commercial aircraft nacelles
Safran Nacelles team working on A380 nacelle
Safran Nacelles team working on A380 nacelle
Safran Nacelles team working on A380 nacelle
© Thierry Schneider / Safran
A380
A380
A380
© Adrien Daste / Safran Safran on board (Not exhaustive): Engine Alliance…
Maintenance on wing
Maintenance on wing
Maintenance on wing
© Eric Drouin / Safran
A330neo
A330neo
A330neo
© Adrien Daste / Safran
Regional aircraft nacelles
ERJ135
ERJ135
ERJ135
© Eric Drouin / Safran
Embraer 175
Embraer 175
Embraer 175
© Philippe Pons / Safran Embraer 175 during the Bourget Airshow (2005)
Embraer powered by CF4-8E5, operator HOP
Embraer powered by CF4-8E5, operator HOP
Embraer powered by CF4-8E5, operator HOP
© Alain ERNOULT - ERNOULT.COM / Safran
Business jet nacelles and thrust reversers
Global 7500 (Bombardier) - EBACE 2019
Global 7500 (Bombardier) - EBACE 2019
Global 7500 (Bombardier) - EBACE 2019
© Adrien Daste / Safran Safran on board (non-exhaustive): - Low pressure…
Falcon 7X
Falcon 7X
Falcon 7X
© Raphael Olivier / CAPA Pictures / Safran Safran on board : Wiring (Safran Electrical &…
Dassault Aviation Falcon 8X
Dassault Aviation Falcon 8X
Dassault Aviation Falcon 8X
© Adrien Daste / Safran
Gulfstream G550
Gulfstream G550
Gulfstream G550
© Adrien Daste / Safran Safran on board: Safran Electronics & Defense…
Bombardier Aerospace Global 5000 Zetta Jet
Bombardier Aerospace Global 5000 Zetta Jet
Bombardier Aerospace Global 5000 Zetta Jet
© Adrien Daste / Safran Safran on board : Main generation (Safran…
Bombardier Challenger 300 : nacelle motor Honeywell HTF7000
Bombardier Challenger 300 : nacelle motor Honeywell HTF7000
Bombardier Challenger 300 : nacelle motor Honeywell HTF7000
© Lionel Flusin / CAPA Pictures / Safran Safran Aircraft Engines, Microtourbo and Safran…
Gulfstream G280
Gulfstream G280
Gulfstream G280
© Adrien Daste / Safran Safran on board: Safran Nacelles Thrust…
Gulfstream G700 first flight
Gulfstream G700 first flight
Gulfstream G700 first flight
© Sofiène Roussillon / Safran
Thrust reversers
Airbus A380
Airbus A380
Airbus A380
© Adrien Daste / Safran Safran on board (Not exhaustive): Engine Alliance…
Airbus A330
Airbus A330
Airbus A330
© Adrien Daste / Safran
LEAP-1C - The sole Western powerplant for the COMAC C919
LEAP-1C - The sole Western powerplant for the COMAC C919
LEAP-1C - The sole Western powerplant for the COMAC C919
© Antonio Gomez / Safran LEAP-1C, the first member of the LEAP engine…
Gulfstream G550
Gulfstream G550
Gulfstream G550
© Adrien Daste / Safran Safran on board: Safran Electronics & Defense…
Safran Nacelles patented thrust reversers
Silvercrest® of propulsion
Silvercrest® of propulsion
Silvercrest® of propulsion
© Cyril Abad / CAPA Pictures / Safran The new Silvercrest® jet engine for Falcon 5X and…

Safran Nacelles : we make nacelles, rely on us

Safran Nacelles: We make nacelles, rely on us : 02 minutes and 22 seconds

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  • Maps are available under the Open Database Licence.
  • © OpenStreetMap contributors.
  • © Free-Lance's / Safran
  • © Patrick Boulen / Safran
  • © Antonio Gomez / Safran
  • © Sofiène Roussillon / Safran
  • © Lionel Flusin / CAPA Pictures / Safran
  • © Raphael Olivier / CAPA Pictures / Safran
  • © Alain ERNOULT - ERNOULT.COM / Safran
  • © Philippe Pons / Safran
  • © Pierre Soissons / Safran
  • © Cyril Abad / CAPA Pictures / Safran
  • © Safran Nacelles
  • © Thierry Schneider / Safran
  • © Eric Drouin / Safran
  • © Adrien Daste / Safran