This Training Center Is Building Up A Workforce For Airbus In Mobile, Alabama
MOBILE Alabama July 7, 2025 The Alabama city of Mobile has been steadily growing as a hub for Airbus training and stateside production since it first opened in 2014.
Today, the AIDT Aviation Training Center works in tandem with Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley as the top workforce development unit in Alabama.
The facility was proud to deliver the first American-made A220 just a few years after opening, in 2020.
The Mobile commercial aircraft manufacturing facility is focused on Airbus’ staple narrowbody families that are flown by many carriers in the US, the A320 and A220 series. Production began in 2015 and has delivered hundreds of jets made in the USA since then.
The AIDT training facility uses full-scale aircraft sections and tooling systems to deliver first-class training as Airbus continuously expands the Mobile assembly lines.
Built specifically to teach workers the high-precision skills required to produce A320 and A220 aircraft, the facility represents a $7 million investment. From fuselage joining and quality control to precision drilling and avionics installation, AIDT provides practical training that equips learners to get started right away.
Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, commented on the importance of the Aeroplex and AIDT in a report for Made In Alabama. Just before departing for her business development mission to the 2025 Paris Air Show, she said:
“The AIDT Aviation Training Center is a powerful example of Alabama’s commitment to workforce excellence. This training facility not only supports one of the world’s top aerospace companies but ensures that Alabamians are first in line for high-quality, high-wage careers in this vital industry. And it shows the world that for Alabama, the sky isn’t the limit — it’s just the beginning.”
Not just in the US, but in the world, Delta Air Lines is currently the largest A220 customer, with a total of 131 A220 aircraft in firm orders. Delta was the first carrier in the Americas to fly both the A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft types. According to Planespotters data, 73 of those jets have been delivered so far. As a clean-sheet design, the A220 achieves 25% lower operating costs per seat compared to previous-generation aircraft.
Originally developed as the Bombardier CSeries, the A220 is the quietest and cleanest aircraft in its category. The plane was rebranded after the program was adopted by Airbus. The jet has a 50% lower noise footprint than previous generations of regional jets and a 25% lower fuel burn per seat. Emissions are 50% lower than industry standards demand.
The A220 is billed by Airbus as a great aircraft for neighborhood airports with the lowest tolerance for noise pollution. The manufacturer describes the cabin as having a widebody feel thanks to its large seats, first-in-class overhead storage, large windows, and tall cargo belly bay. The A220 is set to edge out competing models from Embraer and even Bombardier, which began its development.
The aircraft is incredibly versatile and provides the airline with a unique advantage.
The single-aisle, narrowbody Airbus A320 has been steadily gaining market share due to reduced Boeing 737 production in the last few years. The number of US-based carriers with large A320 family fleets includes the big three of Delta, American, and United Airlines. Then there are the US’s low-cost carriers(LCCs) that are almost exclusively flying Airbus jets like JetBlue,Spirit, and Frontier Airlines.
As Boeing has struggled to make enough of the 737 MAX series to satisfy its loyal customers, it has lost ground to the efficient European narrowbodies. Airbus has reliably been producing A320neo jets for years, as the latest iteration of Boeing’s best-selling jet is bottlenecked due to quality control issues that caused tragic crashes.
The 737 is still the most prolific jet in the world and the most mass-produced commercial jet in history, but as Boeing stalls, Airbus is catching up. We may see the A320 family surpass the 737 in the near future as the most popular airliner if Boeing is unable to make up for lost time and opportunity.
SimpleFlying.com
