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148-581: The Airbus A330neo ("neo" for " New Engine Option ") is a wide-body airliner developed by Airbus from the original Airbus A330 (now A330 ceo – "Current Engine Option"). A new version with modern engines comparable with those developed for the Boeing 787 was called for by operators of the A330ceo. It was launched on 14 July 2014 at the Farnborough Airshow , promising 14% better fuel economy per seat . It

296-619: A freighter version, stretching the A330-900 to carry more cargo over a shorter range, but retired passenger 767 and A330 aircraft provide a lot of conversion potential. Development costs for the proposed freighter would be lower than for a new program, as much of the engineering has already been done for the A330-200F. Airbus formally launched the tanker variant of the A330neo, dubbed as the A330 MRTT+, at

444-650: A type certificate for a new design of aircraft. These requirements are published by major national airworthiness authorities including the US Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency . Airports may also impose limits on aircraft, for instance, the maximum wingspan allowed for a conventional aircraft is 80 metres (260 ft) to prevent collisions between aircraft while taxiing. Budget limitations, market requirements and competition set constraints on

592-641: A -800 and US$ 296.4 M for a -900. The A330-900 first flight on 19 October 2017 was a debut of the 1,400 hours flight test campaign involving three prototypes plus the first production aircraft: 1,100 flight hours for the A330-900 and 300 flight hours for the A330-800, targeting mid-2018 EASA and FAA Type Certification. The 4h 15m flight reached 30,125 ft (9,182 m) and 502 kn (930 km/h). It should establish certain maximum operating points and achieve an initial handling qualities assessment including at high angle of attack . This first aircraft, MSN1795,

740-549: A 300-seat three-class configuration. The A350 was designed to be a direct competitor to the Boeing 787-9 and 777-200ER . The original A350 design was publicly criticised by two of Airbus's largest customers, International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) and GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). On 28 March 2006, ILFC President Steven F. Udvar-Házy urged Airbus to pursue a clean-sheet design or risk losing market share to Boeing and branded Airbus's strategy as "a Band-aid reaction to

888-712: A Common Type Rating for pilot training between the A350 XWB and A330. On 12 November 2014, the A350 received certification from the FAA. On 1 August 2017, the EASA issued an airworthiness directive mandating operators to power cycle (reset) early A350-900s before 149 hours of continuous power-on time, reissued in July 2019. In June 2011, the A350-900 was scheduled to enter service in the first half of 2014, with

1036-591: A choice of powerplant. It had a common fuselage cross-section with the A330 and also a new horizontal stabiliser . On 13 June 2005 at the Paris Air Show , Middle Eastern carrier Qatar Airways announced that they had placed an order for 60 A350s. In September 2006 the airline signed a memorandum of understanding with General Electric (GE) to launch the GEnx-1A-72 engine for the new airliner model. Emirates sought

1184-509: A distinctive cockpit windscreen to be featured on the A330neo, similar to that on the A350 , and promised a new interior concept offering a better passenger experience on the A330neo. Candidate engines included variants of Rolls-Royce's Trent 1000 and General Electric's GEnx-1B . Both engine makers were reportedly interested in winning an exclusive deal should a re-engined A330 be offered. The Trent 1000 TEN (Thrust, Efficiency, New Technology) engine

1332-453: A few changes to the landing gear and brakes, increasing its range by 700 or 1,000 nmi (1,300 or 1,900 km; 810 or 1,150 mi) compared to the current A330neo or A330ceo. The 251 t MTOW was confirmed by Airbus in November 2017. This gave the -900 a range of 7,200 nmi (13,300 km; 8,300 mi) and 8,150 nmi (15,090 km; 9,380 mi) for the -800. Test flights of

1480-435: A large number of light aircraft are designed and built by amateur hobbyists and enthusiasts . In the early years of aircraft design, designers generally used analytical theory to do the various engineering calculations that go into the design process along with a lot of experimentation. These calculations were labour-intensive and time-consuming. In the 1940s, several engineers started looking for ways to automate and simplify

1628-412: A maximum seating capacity of 440–475 depending on variant. The A330 and previous iterations of the A350 would only be able to accommodate a maximum of eight seats per row. The 787 is typically configured for nine seats per row. The 777 accommodates nine or ten seats per row, with more than half of recent 777s being configured in a ten-abreast layout that will come standard on the 777X . The A350 cabin

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1776-410: A maximum take-off weight of 242 t. The type design was frozen in late 2015. Boeing Vice Chairman and Commercial Airplanes CEO Ray Conner dismissed the A330neo as 2004 revamp which cannot match the 787's direct operating costs , being 20,000 lb (9.1 t) heavier and having a wing only slightly improved from the 1980s design, and claimed the 787-10 was almost 30% more efficient per-seat than

1924-453: A more efficient version for the airliner. Since then, the largest GE engines operators, which include Emirates, US Airways , Hawaiian Airlines and ILFC have selected the Trent XWB for their A350 orders. In May 2009, GE said that if it were to reach a deal with Airbus to offer the current 787-optimised GEnx for the A350, it would only power the -800 and -900 variants. GE believed it could offer

2072-431: A more improved design and decided against ordering the initial version of the A350. On 6 October 2005, the programme's industrial launch was announced with an estimated development cost of around €3.5 billion. The A350 was initially planned to be a 250 to 300-seat twin-engine wide-body aircraft derived from the existing A330's design. Under this plan, the A350 would have modified wings and new engines while sharing

2220-555: A new variant of the Trent turbofan engine for the A350 XWB, named Trent XWB . In 2010, after low-speed wind tunnel tests, Airbus finalised the static thrust at sea level for all three proposed variants to the 74,000–94,000 lbf (330–420 kN) range. GE stated it would not offer the GP7000 engine on the aircraft, and that previous contracts for the GEnx on the original A350 did not apply to

2368-491: A passenger or cargo payload, long range and greater fuel efficiency whereas fighter jets are designed to perform high speed maneuvers and provide close support to ground troops. Some aircraft have specific missions, for instance, amphibious airplanes have a unique design that allows them to operate from both land and water, some fighters, like the Harrier jump jet , have VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) ability, helicopters have

2516-439: A product that outperforms the Trent 1000 and Trent XWB, but was reluctant to support an aircraft competing directly with its GE90-115B-powered 777 variants. In January 2008, French-based Thales Group won a US$ 2.9 billion (€2 billion) 20-year contract to supply avionics and navigation equipment for the A350 XWB, beating Honeywell and Rockwell Collins . US-based Rockwell Collins and Moog Inc. were chosen to supply

2664-432: A project name, and did not state whether it would be an entirely new design or a modification of an existing product. Airline dissatisfaction with this proposal motivated Airbus to commit €4 billion to a new airliner design. On 10 December 2004, Airbus' shareholders, EADS and BAE Systems , approved the "authorisation to offer" for the A350, expecting a 2010 service entry. Airbus then expected to win more than half of

2812-405: A rate of 10 per month, and were going to keep the rate around nine to 10 per month, to reflect softer demand for widebodies, as the backlog reached 579 − or 5.2 years of production at a constant rate. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the decrease of A350 production from 9.5 per month to six per month, since April 2020. After the pandemic a ramp-up is planned, aiming to reach a rate of 9 per month by

2960-431: A six-panel flightdeck windscreen. This differs substantially from the four-window arrangement in the original A350 XWB design. The new nose, made of aluminium, improves aerodynamics and enables overhead crew rest areas to be installed further forward and eliminate any encroachment in the passenger cabin. The new windscreen has been revised to improve vision by reducing the width of the centre post. The upper shell radius of

3108-503: A target for high-density nine-abreast layouts for 386 seats over 6,000–6,500 nmi (11,100–12,000 km; 6,900–7,500 mi) at the 251 t (553,000 lb) MTOW, 500 nmi (930 km; 580 mi) more than a similarly loaded 787-8 and with up to 30 more seats. Production of the -800 beyond the prototype was in doubt, as Hawaiian was choosing between the Airbus A350-900 and the Boeing 787 -8/9. In February 2018, Hawaiian

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3256-574: A total of 252) with an optimised cabin featuring 18-inch-wide economy seats. The -800 should have a range of 7500 nmi (13,900 km; 8,600 mi) with 257 passengers (406 max). As the variants share 99% commonality , developing the smaller -800 has a negligible extra cost. After the first flight of the -900 on 19 October 2017, Hawaiian Airlines (then the only customer for the -800) considered changing its order to six -800s, seeking best to fit its current network to Asia and North America whilst allowing for future growth, possibly to Europe. Demand for

3404-462: Is 10 frames shorter (six forward and four aft of wing) than the −900 aircraft. It was designed to supplement the Airbus A330-200 long-range twin. Airbus planned to decrease structural weight in the -800 as development continued, which should have been around airframe 20. While its backlog reached 182 in mid-2008, it diminished since 2010 as customers switched to the larger -900. After launching

3552-515: Is 12.7 cm (5.0 in) wider at the eye level of a seated passenger than the 787's cabin, and 28 cm (11 in) narrower than the Boeing 777's cabin (see the Wide-body aircraft comparison of cabin widths and seating). All A350 passenger models have a range of at least 8,000 nmi (14,816 km; 9,206 mi). The redesigned composite fuselage allows for higher cabin pressure and humidity, and lower maintenance costs. On 1 December 2006,

3700-473: Is 6.8 t (15,000 lb) per hour within a 5,400 nautical miles (10,000 km; 6,200 mi), 11 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours early long test flight. Flight tests allowed raising the MTOW from 308 to 316 t (679,000 to 697,000 lb), the 8 t (18,000 lb) increase giving 450 nmi (830 km; 520 mi) more range. Airbus then completed functional and reliability testing. Type Certification

3848-587: Is a long-range , wide-body twin-engine airliner developed and produced by Airbus . The initial A350 design proposed in 2004, in response to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner , would have been a development of the Airbus A330 with composite wings and new engines. Due to inadequate market support, Airbus switched in 2006 to a clean-sheet "XWB" (eXtra Wide Body) design, powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB high bypass turbofan engines. The prototype first flew on 14 June 2013 from Toulouse , France. Type certification from

3996-447: Is a monthly rate of 20 A350neos, up from 10. In November 2019, General Electric was offering an advanced GEnx -1 variant with a bleed air system and improvements from the GE9X , developed for the delayed Boeing 777X, to power a proposed A350neo from the mid-2020s. In 2021, Rolls Royce signed an exclusive deal to supply A350-900 engines until 2030, following previous similar commitments for

4144-494: Is being changed for the wider, optimised spanload pressure distribution , and will be used for the Singapore Airlines A350-900ULR in 2018 before spreading to other variants. On 26 June 2018, Iberia was the first to receive the upgraded -900, with a 280 t (620,000 lb) MTOW version for an 8,200 nmi (15,200 km; 9,400 mi) range with 325 passengers in three classes. By April 2019, Airbus

4292-451: Is called design optimization. Fundamental aspects such as fuselage shape, wing configuration and location, engine size and type are all determined at this stage. Constraints to design like those mentioned above are all taken into account at this stage as well. The final product is a conceptual layout of the aircraft configuration on paper or computer screen, to be reviewed by engineers and other designers. The design configuration arrived at in

4440-509: Is derived from various factors such as empty weight, payload, useful load, etc. The various weights are used to then calculate the center of mass of the entire aircraft. The center of mass must fit within the established limits set by the manufacturer. The aircraft structure focuses not only on strength, aeroelasticity , durability , damage tolerance , stability , but also on fail-safety , corrosion resistance, maintainability and ease of manufacturing. The structure must be able to withstand

4588-578: Is exclusively powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 which has double the bypass ratio of its predecessor . Its two versions are based on the A330-200 and -300: the -800 has a range of 8,150 nmi (15,090 km; 9,380 mi) with 257 passengers while the -900 covers 7,200 nmi (13,330 km; 8,290 mi) with 287 passengers. The -900 made its maiden flight on 19 October 2017 and received its EASA type certificate on 26 September 2018; it

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4736-502: Is the exclusive powerplant, as Rolls-Royce offered better terms to obtain exclusivity. Customers bemoan the loss of competition among engine makers: Steven Udvar-Hazy , CEO of Air Lease Corporation , said that he wants a choice of engines, but Airbus has pointed out that equipping a commercial aircraft to handle more than one type of engine adds several hundred million dollars to the development cost. The head of Pratt and Whitney said: "Engines are no longer commodities...the optimization of

4884-404: Is the first slat 's dog-tooth. The wing twist and belly fairings are tweaked to approach the lowest drag elliptical span-wise pressure distribution changed by the larger sharklets, like the flap track fairings shape to lower form drag . Initially based on the largest 242t MTOW A330, Airbus is studying an improvement to 245 t (540,000 lb) MTOW for the A330neo, which would match

5032-407: The 737-9 are smaller and had less range, and that launching the A330neo would probably kill the smallest A350-800. John Leahy estimated that the A330-900 would have operating costs on par with the 787-9 , but would be available at 25% lower capital costs and could reach a production rate of 10 per month after a 7/8 per month rate at the production start. Both A330neo variants were expected to have

5180-471: The A340 and competes against Boeing's large long-haul twinjets , the Boeing 777 , its future successor, the 777X , and the 787 . Airbus initially rejected Boeing's claim that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner would be a serious threat to the Airbus A330 , stating that the 787 was just a reaction to the A330 and that no response was needed. When airlines urged Airbus to provide a competitor, Airbus initially proposed

5328-500: The A380 but was wary of having two major modification programs simultaneously. In March 2014, Delta Air Lines expressed an interest in the A330neo to replace its ageing, 20+-year-old Boeing 767-300ER jets. In the 250-300-seat market, CIT Group believed an A330neo enables profitability on shorter ranges where the longer-range A350 and Boeing 787 are not optimised. CIT said that the A350-800

5476-483: The Airbus A330neo at the 2014 Farnborough Airshow, Airbus dropped the A350-800, with its CEO Fabrice Brégier saying "I believe all of our customers will either convert to the A350-900 or the A330neo". He later confirmed at a September 2014 press conference that development of the A350-800 had been "cancelled". There were 16 orders left for the -800 since Yemenia switched to the -900 and Hawaiian Airlines moved to

5624-566: The Airbus Toulouse site with the joining of the wings to the centre fuselage at the station 40. In December 2016, the programme schedule slipped by six weeks due to marginal engine development at Rolls-Royce , and launch customer TAP Air Portugal projected its first A330neo would be delivered in March 2018. The first aircraft left the paint shop in December 2016, awaiting its engines. By April 2017,

5772-775: The Boeing 787 and the Lockheed Martin F-35 have proven far more costly and complex to develop than expected. More advanced and integrated design tools have been developed. Model-based systems engineering predicts potentially problematic interactions, while computational analysis and optimization allows designers to explore more options early in the process. Increasing automation in engineering and manufacturing allows faster and cheaper development. Technology advances from materials to manufacturing enable more complex design variations like multifunction parts. Once impossible to design or construct, these can now be 3D printed , but they have yet to prove their utility in applications like

5920-526: The Boeing 787 launch in 2004, Airbus' initial response was an improved A330. After negative feedback from airlines and lessors , the A350 XWB became a new design in 2006. After the A320neo launch in December 2010 and its commercial success, the largest airline of Malaysia – an all-Airbus operator – AirAsia asked Airbus to re-engine the A330. New engines like the GEnx or Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 developed for

6068-410: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on 30 September 2014. On 15 October 2014, EASA approved the A350-900 for ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operations Performance Standards) 370, allowing it to fly more than six hours on one engine and making it the first airliner to be approved for "ETOPS Beyond 180 minutes" before entry into service. Later that month Airbus received regulatory approval for

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6216-537: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was obtained in September 2014, followed by certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) two months later. The A350 is the first Airbus aircraft largely made of carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers . The fuselage is designed around a nine-abreast economy cross-section, an increase from the eight-abreast A330/A340. It has a common type rating with

6364-563: The Northrop Grumman B-21 or the re-engined A320neo and 737 MAX . Airbus and Boeing also recognize the economic limits, that the next airliner generation cannot cost more than the previous ones did. An increase in the number of aircraft also means greater carbon emissions. Environmental scientists have voiced concern over the main kinds of pollution associated with aircraft, mainly noise and emissions. Aircraft engines have been historically notorious for creating noise pollution and

6512-671: The landing gear and starting a 2,500 h flight test campaign. Costs for developing the aircraft were estimated at €11 billion (US$ 15 billion or £ 9.5 billion) in June 2013. A350 XWB msn. 2 underwent two and a half weeks of climatic tests in the unique McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base , Florida, in May 2014, and was subjected to multiple climatic and humidity settings from 45 °C (113 °F) to −40 °C (−40 °F). The A350 received type certification from

6660-424: The "A330-200Lite", a derivative of the A330 featuring improved aerodynamics and engines similar to those on the 787. The company planned to announce this version at the 2004 Farnborough Airshow , but did not proceed. On 16 September 2004, Airbus president and chief executive officer Noël Forgeard confirmed the consideration of a new project during a private meeting with prospective customers. Forgeard did not give

6808-463: The -800 as a shrink of the baseline -900 to simplify development and increase its payload by 3 t (6,600 lb) or its range by 250 nmi (460 km; 290 mi), but this led to a fuel burn penalty of "a couple of percent", according to John Leahy. The previously planned optimisation to the structure and landing gear was not beneficial enough against better commonality and maximum takeoff weight increase by 11t from 248t. The −800's fuselage

6956-446: The -800 fell to 3%. In contrast, the -200 commanded 40% of the CEO deliveries: its range advantage has eroded with the increased capabilities of the -900, and although it offers lower fuel per trip, fuel per seat is higher. As of 2017, demand for the -800 was limited by low fuel prices and the -200s it might replace after 2020 were still young (nine years on average). The Boeing 767-300s that

7104-561: The -800 is longer by 4 rows or 2.5 m (130 in). Airbus could limit its MTOW to 200 t (440,000 lb) and derate its engines to 68,000 lbf (300,000 N) to optimise for the shorter routes to be targeted by the Boeing NMA, with the A321XLR tackling the lower end of the same niche. The A330-800 received EASA type certification on 13 February 2020. The first aircraft, configured with 226 seats including 23 in business class,

7252-441: The -800 might replace are 15 years older, and while Boeing considered relaunching production of the 767-300ER , mainly as an interim for American and United Airlines, this was complicated by a 30-year-old design including obsolete cabin amenities. At this time, Boeing intends to launch its New Midsize Airplane no earlier than 2027, affording Airbus opportunities with the 95 operators of the A330ceo. Long-haul low-cost carriers were

7400-432: The -800 to enter service in mid-2016, and the -1000 in 2017. In July 2012, Airbus delayed the -900's introduction by three months to the second half of 2014. The delivery to launch customer Qatar Airways took place on 22 December 2014. The first commercial flight was made on 15 January 2015 between Doha and Frankfurt . The first A350-1000 was assembled in 2016 and had its first flight on 24 November 2016. The aircraft

7548-514: The 100th A330neo, an A330-900, to German charter airline Condor Flugdienst GmbH , which would lease it from AerCap. At that time, the A330neo Family flew in the liveries of 22 airlines on over 200 routes and destinations worldwide. Re-engine This article deals with powered aircraft such as airplanes and helicopter designs. The design process starts with the aircraft's intended purpose. Commercial airliners are designed for carrying

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7696-595: The 2024 Farnborough International Airshow . The A330 MRTT+ is based on the A330-800 and is intended to replace the A330 MRTT . The A330 MRTT+ also retains the 111,000 kg (245,000 lb) fuel capacity of the A330 MRTT. There are 144 aircraft in service with 20 operators as of October 2024. The five largest operators of A330neo are Delta Air Lines (31), TAP Air Portugal (19), Condor (17), ITA Airways (11) and Cebu Pacific (9). On 11 April 2023, Airbus delivered

7844-436: The 250-300-seat aircraft market, estimated at 3,100 aircraft overall over 20 years. Based on the A330, the 245-seat A350-800 was to fly over a 8,600 nmi (15,900 km; 9,900 mi) range and the 285-seat A350-900 over a 13,900 km (7,500 nmi; 8,600 mi) range. Fuel efficiency would improve by over 10% with a mostly carbon fibre reinforced polymer wing and initial General Electric GEnx -72A1 engines, before offering

7992-401: The 251 t A330-900 started from 28 February 2020. Airbus was expecting a short 30–40h test campaign, as multiple tests were conducted with the previous variant adapted to higher weight, including flight performance and noise assessment. The heavier structure allows a transpacific range and is balanced by a weight-reduction effort, keeping the same empty weight and payload. On 8 October 2020,

8140-424: The 251 t A330-900 was EASA-certified, before introduction by Corsair International . Retaining 99% spares commonality , it offers 6 t (13,000 lb) more payload while strengthening the landing-gear and extending the time before overhaul interval from 10 to 12 years. On 31 March 2021, Corsair took delivery of the first 251t Airbus A330-900 in a three-class, 352-seat configuration. The 251 t A330-800

8288-402: The 787 could offer a 12%–15% fuel burn improvement, and sharklets at least 2%. Airbus sales chief John Leahy 's argument was that the lower purchase price of an A330 even without new engines make the economics of buying an A330 competitive at midrange routes with that of the Boeing 787. An A330neo would accelerate the demise of the similarly sized A350-800 . Airbus also considered re-engining

8436-517: The 787", a sentiment echoed by GECAS president Henry Hubschman. In April 2006, while reviewing bids for the Boeing 787 and A350, the CEO of Singapore Airlines (SIA) Chew Choon Seng , commented that "having gone through the trouble of designing a new wing, tail, and cockpit, [Airbus] should have gone the whole hog and designed a new fuselage." Airbus responded that they were considering A350 improvements to satisfy customer demands. Airbus's then-CEO Gustav Humbert stated, "Our strategy isn't driven by

8584-465: The A330's fuselage cross-section. For this design, the fuselage was to consist primarily of aluminium-lithium rather than the carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) fuselage on the Boeing 787. The A350 would see entry in two versions: the A350-800 with a 8,800 nmi (16,300 km; 10,100 mi) range with a typical passenger capacity of 253 in a three-class configuration, and the A350-900 with 7,500 nmi (13,900 km; 8,600 mi) range and

8732-425: The A330. The airliner has two variants: the A350-900 typically carries 300 to 350 passengers over a 15,000 kilometre (8,100 nmi; 9,300 mi) range, and has a 283 tonne (617,300 lb) maximum takeoff weight (MTOW); the longer A350-1000 accommodates 350 to 410 passengers and has a maximum range of 16,500 km (8,900 nmi; 10,300 mi) and a 322 tonne (710,000 lb) MTOW. On 15 January 2015,

8880-451: The A330/A340. The cabin's internal width is 5.61 m (18.4 ft) at armrest level compared to 5.49 m (18.0 ft) in the Boeing 787 and 5.87 m (19.3 ft) in the Boeing 777. It allows for an eight-abreast 2–4–2 arrangement in a premium economy layout, with the seats being 49.5 cm (19.5 in) wide between 5 cm (2.0 in) wide arm rests. Airbus states that

9028-437: The A330neo in December 2014: eight for Aeroflot and eight for Asiana Airlines , both also having orders for the -900. In January 2017, Aeroflot and Airbus announced the cancellation of its -800 order, leaving Asiana Airlines as the only customer for the variant. After the negotiation between Airbus and Asiana Airlines, Asiana converted orders of eight A350-800s and one A350-1000 to nine A350-900s. In 2011, Airbus redesigned

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9176-412: The A330neo the most cost-efficient medium-range wide-body airliner. Airbus said that it could pursue demand for 4,000 aircraft and that there was an open market for 2,600 jets not already addressed by backlogs with operators already using A330s. Aerodynamic modifications would include a re-twisted wing and optimised slats . In 2014, The Airline Monitor ' s Ed Greenslet stated that the A330neo would have

9324-475: The A350 in a nine-abreast configuration. The 10-abreast seating on the A350 is similar to a 9-abreast configuration on the A330, with a seat width of 41.65 cm (16.4 in). Overall, the A350 gives passengers more headroom, larger overhead storage space, and wider panoramic windows than current Airbus models. The A350 nose section has a configuration derived from the A380 with a forward-mounted nosegear bay and

9472-453: The A350 programme had broken even that year. Airbus suggested Boeing's use of composite materials for the 787 fuselage was premature, and that the new A350 XWB was to feature carbon fibre panels only for the main fuselage skin. However, after facing criticism for maintenance costs, Airbus confirmed in early September 2007 that it would also use carbon fibre for fuselage frames. The composite frames would feature aluminium strips to ensure

9620-482: The A350 was changed, as a longer than anticipated development forced Airbus to delay the final assembly and first flight of the aircraft to the third quarter of 2012 and second quarter of 2013 respectively. As a result, the flight test schedule was compressed from the original 15 months to 12 months. A350 programme chief Didier Evrard stressed that delays only affected the A350-900 while the -800 and -1000 schedules remained unchanged. Airbus' 2019 earnings report indicated

9768-506: The A350-1000 with higher weights and a more powerful engine variant to provide more range for trans-Pacific operations. This boosted its appeal to Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, who were committed to purchase 20 Boeing 777-9s, and to United Airlines , which was considering Boeing 777-300ERs to replace its 747-400s . Emirates was disappointed with the changes and cancelled its order for 50 A350-900s and 20 A350-1000s, instead of changing

9916-655: The A350-1000. Airbus expected 10% lower airframe maintenance compared with the original A350 design and 14% lower empty seat weight than the Boeing 777. Design freeze for the A350-900 was achieved in December 2008. The airframe is made out of 53% composites: CFRP for the empennage (vertical and horizontal tailplanes), the wing (centre and outer box; including covers, stringers, and spars), and fuselage (keel beam, rear fuselage, skin, and frame); 19% aluminium and aluminium–lithium alloy for ribs, floor beams, and gear bays; 14% titanium for landing gears, pylons, and attachments; 6% steel; and 8% miscellaneous. The A350's competitor,

10064-430: The A350-900 was scheduled for mid-2013, with the -800 and -1000 following on 12 and 24 months later, respectively. New technical details of the A350 XWB were revealed at a press conference in December 2006. Chief operating officer, John Leahy indicated existing A350 contracts were being re-negotiated due to price increases compared to the original A350s contracted. On 4 January 2007, Pegasus Aviation Finance Company placed

10212-561: The Airbus A350 XWB. In 2008, Airbus planned to start cabin furnishing early in parallel with final assembly to cut production time in half. The A350 XWB production programme sees extensive international collaboration and investments in new facilities: Airbus constructed 10 new factories in Western Europe and the US, with extensions carried out on three further sites. Among the new buildings

10360-541: The Airbus board of directors approved the industrial launch of the A350-800, -900, and -1000 variants. The delayed launch decision was a result of delays to the Airbus A380 and discussions on how to fund development. EADS CEO Thomas Enders stated that the A350 programme was not a certainty, citing EADS/Airbus's stretched resources. However, it was decided programme costs are to be borne mainly from cash-flow. First delivery for

10508-464: The Americas and Africa. TAP made its first commercial flight on 15 December from Lisbon to São Paulo . The airline should receive 15 more A330neos in 2019 and fly the A330-900 from Lisbon to Chicago O'Hare and Washington Dulles from June 2019, both five times a week. On the occasion of the 19 October 2017 first flight, an increase to 251 t (553,000 lb) MTOW by mid-2020 was announced, with

10656-401: The Boeing 787, is 50% composites, 20% aluminium, 15% titanium, 10% steel, and 5% other. The A350 features a new composite fuselage with a constant width from door 1 to door 4, unlike previous Airbus aircraft, to provide maximum usable volume. The double-lobe ( ovoid ) fuselage cross-section has a maximum outer diameter of 5.97 m (19.6 ft), compared to 5.64 m (18.5 ft) for

10804-522: The Farnborough International Airshow, the redesigned aircraft was designated "A350 XWB" (Xtra-Wide-Body). Within four days, Singapore Airlines agreed to order 20 A350 XWBs with options for another 20 A350 XWBs. The proposed A350 was a new design, including a wider fuselage cross-section, allowing seating arrangements ranging from an eight-abreast low-density premium economy layout to a ten-abreast high-density seating configuration for

10952-472: The Trent 7000s were to be installed later during the summer so that the first flight was delayed until September. Due to the delay, TAP Air Portugal was not expected to receive the first A330neo until the end of the first half of 2018, or even in the third quarter. The engines were shipped to Airbus in June. The aircraft complete with engines showed at Toulouse in September before its first flight. Major structures of

11100-534: The Trent XWB engines were powered up on the A350 for the first time. Airbus confirmed that the flight test programme would last 12 months and use five test aircraft. The A350's maiden flight took place on 14 June 2013 from the Toulouse–Blagnac Airport . Airbus's chief test pilot said, "it just seemed really happy in the air...all the things we were testing had no major issues at all." It flew for four hours, reaching Mach 0.8 at 25,000 feet after retracting

11248-585: The XWB. Engine Alliance partner Pratt & Whitney seemed to be unaligned with GE on this, having publicly stated that it was looking at an advanced derivative of the GP7000. In April 2007, former Airbus CEO Louis Gallois held direct talks with GE management over developing a GEnx variant for the A350 XWB. In June 2007, John Leahy indicated that the A350 XWB would not feature the GEnx engine, saying that Airbus wanted GE to offer

11396-426: The ability to hover over an area for a period of time. The purpose may be to fit a specific requirement, e.g. as in the historical case of a British Air Ministry specification , or fill a perceived "gap in the market"; that is, a class or design of aircraft which does not yet exist, but for which there would be significant demand. Another important factor that influences the design are the requirements for obtaining

11544-460: The advantage of not being designed to fly 8,000 nmi, unlike the A350 and Boeing 787 which were thus less economical on shorter routes, although "the vast majority of long-haul markets is 4,000 nmi or less". He also believed that an "A330neo would enjoy a monopoly in its segment instantly", with the Boeing 767 "essentially out of production", the Boeing 757 not replaced while the A321neo and

11692-524: The advantage to 12%. Furthermore, fuel consumption per seat is improved by 2% due to the rearranged cabin (Space-Flex and Smart-Lav) with increased seating, offering a 14% fuel burn reduction per seat for the new −900 compared to the previous 235-tonne −300 version. The newer 242-tonne −300 is already 2% more efficient. Since the fan is enlarged from 97 to 112 in (250 to 280 cm), the nacelles are mounted higher, necessitating extensive CFD analysis to avoid supersonic shock wave interference drag , as

11840-448: The aircraft. The aviation operators include the passenger and cargo airliners , air forces and owners of private aircraft. They agree to comply with the regulations set by the regulatory bodies, understand the limitations of the aircraft as specified by the manufacturer, report defects and assist the manufacturers in keeping up the airworthiness standards. Most of the design criticisms these days are built on crashworthiness . Even with

11988-402: The calculation process and many relations and semi-empirical formulas were developed. Even after simplification, the calculations continued to be extensive. With the invention of the computer, engineers realized that a majority of the calculations could be automated, but the lack of design visualization and the huge amount of experimentation involved kept the field of aircraft design stagnant. With

12136-421: The conceptual design phase is then tweaked and remodeled to fit into the design parameters. In this phase, wind tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamic calculations of the flow field around the aircraft are done. Major structural and control analysis is also carried out in this phase. Aerodynamic flaws and structural instabilities if any are corrected and the final design is drawn and finalized. Then after

12284-453: The constraints on their design. Historically design teams used to be small, usually headed by a Chief Designer who knows all the design requirements and objectives and coordinated the team accordingly. As time progressed, the complexity of military and airline aircraft also grew. Modern military and airline design projects are of such a large scale that every design aspect is tackled by different teams and then brought together. In general aviation

12432-613: The design mission. The wing of a fixed-wing aircraft provides the lift necessary for flight. Wing geometry affects every aspect of an aircraft's flight. The wing area will usually be dictated by the desired stalling speed but the overall shape of the planform and other detail aspects may be influenced by wing layout factors. The wing can be mounted to the fuselage in high, low and middle positions. The wing design depends on many parameters such as selection of aspect ratio , taper ratio, sweepback angle, thickness ratio, section profile, washout and dihedral . The cross-sectional shape of

12580-401: The design process and comprise the non-technical influences on aircraft design along with environmental factors. Competition leads to companies striving for better efficiency in the design without compromising performance and incorporating new techniques and technology. In the 1950s and '60s, unattainable project goals were regularly set, but then abandoned, whereas today troubled programs like

12728-649: The development phase. Examples of this include the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with a delay of 4 years with massive cost overruns, the Boeing 747-8 with a two-year delay, the Airbus A380 with a two-year delay and US$ 6.1 billion in cost overruns, the Airbus A350 with delays and cost overruns, the Bombardier C Series , Global 7000 and 8000, the Comac C919 with a four-year delay and the Mitsubishi Regional Jet , which

12876-402: The electrical continuity of the fuselage, for dissipating lightning strikes . Airbus used a full mock up fuselage to develop the wiring, a different approach from the A380, on which the wiring was all done on computers. In 2006, Airbus confirmed development of a full bleed air system on the A350, as opposed to the 787's bleedless configuration. Rolls-Royce agreed with Airbus to supply

13024-402: The end of 2025. As the pre-pandemic rate of 10 monthly is aimed for by 2026, by April 2024 Airbus was planning a 12-monthly production rate by 2028 after securing 281 net orders in 2023. The first Trent engine test was made on 14 June 2010. The Trent XWB's flight test programme began use on the A380 development aircraft in early 2011, ahead of engine certification in late 2011. On 2 June 2013,

13172-412: The engine and the aircraft becomes more relevant." The decision to offer the aircraft with only one engine option is not unique to Airbus; the Boeing 777X will come equipped exclusively with General Electric GE9X engines, after Rolls-Royce made a bid with its Advance configuration but was not selected. The A330-800 retains the fuselage length of the A330-200 , but can seat six more passengers (for

13320-451: The engine flows to compare actual thrust with ground bench measurements. MSN1819 was to validate the Airspace cabin interior fitting with artificial passengers for ventilation analysis and cabin environment measurements. The second test aircraft made its maiden flight on 4 December, to be used to validate aerodynamic & engine performance and airline operations. By the end of January 2018,

13468-542: The engine must balance the drag at cruise speed and be greater than the drag to allow acceleration. The engine requirement varies with the type of aircraft. For instance, commercial airliners spend more time in cruise speed and need more engine efficiency. High-performance fighter jets need very high acceleration and therefore have very high thrust requirements. The weight of the aircraft is the common factor that links all aspects of aircraft design such as aerodynamics, structure, and propulsion, all together. An aircraft's weight

13616-433: The event of loss of cabin pressure, lockable luggage compartments, safety belts, lifejackets, emergency doors and luminous floor strips. Aircraft are sometimes designed with emergency water landing in mind, for instance the Airbus A330 has a 'ditching' switch that closes valves and openings beneath the aircraft slowing the ingress of water. Aircraft designers normally rough-out the initial design with consideration of all

13764-536: The expansion of airways over already congested and polluted cities have drawn heavy criticism, making it necessary to have environmental policies for aircraft noise. Noise also arises from the airframe, where the airflow directions are changed. Improved noise regulations have forced designers to create quieter engines and airframes. Emissions from aircraft include particulates, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), various oxides of nitrates and unburnt hydrocarbons . To combat

13912-499: The figure originally given for the Airbus A350-800 before it was sidelined in favor of the A330neo. This would give the -900 a 7,000 nmi (12,964 km; 8,055 mi) range to better compete with the 787-9 ’s 7,635 nmi (14,140 km; 8,786 mi) On the -800 at FL400, cruise fuel flow at Mach 0.82 and low weight is 4.7 to 5.2 t (10,000 to 11,000 lb) per hour at a higher weight and Mach 0.83. Airbus unveiled

14060-466: The final assembly line with the first 'Airspace' cabin interior being fitted. A330 production was cut to 50 deliveries in 2019, with more than half of them re-engined A330neos. In April 2020, the production rate decreased from 3.5 to 2 per month due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation , and finished planes were stored while waiting for deferred deliveries. In 2018, unit cost was US$ 259.9 M for

14208-573: The final certification step on 18 June: function and reliability tests or route proving, including ETOPS , diversion airport landing, and testing ground handling over 150 flight test hours, as the flight test programme reached 1,000 hours. Entry into service was planned for the third quarter of 2018 and ETOPS was to be approved in October for 330min. EASA granted the A330-941 type certificate on 26 September 2018, with ETOPS not yet approved. ETOPS 180 min

14356-439: The finalization of the design lies the key decision with the manufacturer or individual designing it whether to actually go ahead with the production of the aircraft. At this point several designs, though perfectly capable of flight and performance, might have been opted out of production due to their being economically nonviable. This phase simply deals with the fabrication aspect of the aircraft to be manufactured. It determines

14504-822: The first A330-800 were entering production in October 2017: high-lift devices are installed on the wing in Bremen , fuselage sections are built in Hamburg , the centre wing-box in Nantes , titanium engine pylons in Toulouse and sharklet wingtips in Korea . Its final assembly started in November 2017, on track for its planned first flight in mid-2018. Structural assembly was completed by February 2018, having its flight-test instruments installed and waiting for its engines before its 300h flight-test programme. At this time, production aircraft progressed through

14652-658: The first A350-900 entered service with Qatar Airways , followed by the A350-1000 on 24 February 2018 with the same launch operator. As of September 2024 , Singapore Airlines is the largest operator with 64 aircraft in its fleet, while Turkish Airlines is the largest customer with 110 aircraft on order. A total of 1,340 A350 family aircraft have been ordered and 623 delivered, of which 622 aircraft are in service with 40 operators. The global A350 fleet has completed more than 1.58 million flights on more than 1,240 routes, transporting more than 400 million passengers with one hull loss being an airport-safety–related accident. It succeeds

14800-434: The first aircraft, MSN59, for the flight envelope , systems and powerplant checks; 500 hours on MSN71 for cold and warm campaigns, landing gear checks and high-altitude tests; and 500 hours on MSN65 for route proving and ETOPS assessment, with an interior layout for cabin development and certification. In cruise at Mach 0.854 (911.9 km/h; 492.4 kn) and 35,000 ft, its fuel flow at 259 t (571,000 lb)

14948-400: The first firm order for the A350 XWB with an order for two aircraft. The design change imposed a two-year delay into the original timetable and increased development costs from US$ 5.5 billion (€5.3 billion) to approximately US$ 10 billion (€9.7 billion). Reuters estimated the A350's total development cost at US$ 15 billion (€12 billion or £10 billion). The original mid-2013 delivery date of

15096-602: The first fuselage barrel began in late 2010 at its production plant in Illescas , Spain. Construction of the first A350-900 centre wingbox was set to start in August 2010. The new composite rudder plant in China opened in early 2011. The forward fuselage of the first A350 was delivered to the final assembly plant in Toulouse on 29 December 2011. Final assembly of the first A350 static test model

15244-541: The first half of 2020 to launch operator Kuwait Airways . By late March 2019, it was halfway through the 300-hour flight test programme, having completed 44 flights in 149 hours. The -800 received EASA type certification with 180-minute ETOPS on 13 February 2020; ETOPS clearance beyond 180 minutes was awarded on 2 April. Leased from Avolon, the first A330-900 was delivered to TAP Air Portugal on 26 November 2018, featuring 298 seats: 34 full-flat business, 96 economy plus and 168 economy seats, and to be deployed from Portugal to

15392-457: The first half of 2020. On 8 April 2019, Uganda National Airlines Company firmed up its order for two -800s. Compared to the competing 787-8 with similar engines, the A330-800 has a 1% fuel-per-trip disadvantage (−5% for being heavier but +4% for the longer wingspan) but consumes 4% less fuel per seat with 13 more seats in an eight-abreast configuration, and 8% less with 27 more seats at nine-abreast with 17 in (43 cm) wide seats and aisles:

15540-425: The first logged almost 200h in 58 flights while the second had accumulated nearly 120h in 30 flights. Its flight envelope was fully opened including flutter and stall tests to complete powerplant calibration and strake configuration has been frozen. Airbus commenced autopilot , autoland and high-speed performance testing, and was to move on to hot- and cold-weather tests, as well as noise and icing tests, over

15688-467: The following three months. As of 10 April 2018, the two test aircraft had logged over 200 flights and more than 700 hours, testing −27 °C cold weather, natural icing , crosswind landing , 37 °C and 8,000 ft (2,400 m) hot and high operations. The first TAP Air Portugal aircraft made its first flight on 15 May 2018; it joined the two previous test aircraft to check the cabin systems: air conditioning , crew rest , etc. It started

15836-522: The fuselage length of the A330-300 and the similarly sized four-engined A340-300 . Cabin optimisation allows ten additional seats on the A330-900 (310 passengers) with 18-inch-wide economy seats. The -900 should travel 6,550 nmi (12,130 km; 7,540 mi) with 287 passengers (440 max). Delta expects a 20 percent reduction in operating cost per seat over the Boeing 767-300ER aircraft it replaces. Further reconfiguration of cabin facilities enables

15984-420: The greatest attention to airworthiness, accidents still occur. Crashworthiness is the qualitative evaluation of how aircraft survive an accident. The main objective is to protect the passengers or valuable cargo from the damage caused by an accident. In the case of airliners the stressed skin of the pressurized fuselage provides this feature, but in the event of a nose or tail impact, large bending moments build all

16132-471: The horizontal stabiliser actuator and primary flight control actuation, respectively. The flight management system incorporated several new safety features. Regarding cabin ergonomics and entertainment, in 2006 Airbus signed a firm contract with BMW for development of an interior concept for the original A350. On 4 February 2010, Airbus signed a contract with Panasonic Avionics Corporation to deliver in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems for

16280-415: The initial dispatch reliability was 98%. Airbus announced plans to increase its production rate from 10 monthly in 2018 to 13 monthly from 2019 and six A330 are produced monthly. Around 90 deliveries were expected for 2018, with 15% or ≈14 units being A350-1000 variants. That year, 93 aircraft were delivered, three more than expected. In 2019, Airbus delivered 112 A350s (87 A350-900s and 25 A350-1000s) at

16428-570: The many hazards that pose a threat to air travel. Airworthiness is the standard by which aircraft are determined fit to fly. The responsibility for airworthiness lies with the national civil aviation regulatory bodies, manufacturers , as well as owners and operators. The International Civil Aviation Organization sets international standards and recommended practices on which national authorities should base their regulations. The national regulatory authorities set standards for airworthiness, issue certificates to manufacturers and operators and

16576-503: The mid-2020s, after the A321XLR and a stretched A320neo "plus", potentially competing with the Boeing New Midsize Airplane . Service entry would be determined by ultra-high bypass ratio engine developments pursued by Pratt & Whitney, testing its Geared Turbofan upgrade ; Safran Aircraft Engines , ground testing a demonstrator from 2021; and Rolls-Royce, targeting a 2025 Ultrafan service entry. The production target

16724-410: The needs of the next one or two campaigns, but rather by a long-term view of the market and our ability to deliver on our promises." As major airlines such as Qantas and Singapore Airlines selected the 787 over the A350, Humbert tasked an engineering team to produce new alternative designs. One such proposal, known internally as "1d", formed the basis of the A350 redesign. On 14 July 2006, during

16872-420: The number, design and location of ribs , spars , sections and other structural elements. All aerodynamic, structural, propulsion, control and performance aspects have already been covered in the preliminary design phase and only the manufacturing remains. Flight simulators for aircraft are also developed at this stage. Some commercial aircraft have experienced significant schedule delays and cost overruns in

17020-551: The output of the new A350, prolonging the production run of the A330 could help to maintain profitability. After Emirates cancelled 70 orders for the A350, Airbus said it continued to work on re-engining the smaller A330. On 14 July 2014 at the Farnborough Airshow , Airbus launched the A330neo programme, to be powered by the new Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 . It would improve the fuel burn per seat by 14%. Airbus hoped to sell 1,000 A330neo aircraft. Its range would increase by 400 nautical miles (740 km; 460 mi) and although 95% of

17168-543: The parts would be common with the A330ceo, maintenance costs would be lower. New winglets , 3.7 metres wider and similar to those of the A350 XWB , still within ICAO category E airport requirements, along with new engine pylons, would improve aerodynamics by 4%. The A330neo's development costs were expected to have an impact of around −0.7% on Airbus's return on sales target from 2015 to 2017, an estimated $ 2 billion (£1.18 billion). Airbus stated that lower capital cost would make

17316-469: The pollution, ICAO set recommendations in 1981 to control aircraft emissions. Newer, environmentally friendly fuels have been developed and the use of recyclable materials in manufacturing have helped reduce the ecological impact due to aircraft. Environmental limitations also affect airfield compatibility. Airports around the world have been built to suit the topography of the particular region. Space limitations, pavement design, runway end safety areas and

17464-491: The possibility of a further stretch offering 45 more seats. A potential 4 m (13 ft) stretch would remain within the exit limit of four door pairs, and a modest MTOW increase from 308 t to 319 t would need only 3% more thrust, within the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 capabilities, and would allow a 7,600 nmi (14,100 km; 8,700 mi) range to compete with the 777-9's capabilities. This variant

17612-439: The previous A330-300 and that a new engine would not close the gap – but he acknowledged that it could be a threat as it put pressure on Boeing as it sought to break even after 850–1,000 787 deliveries. On 7 September 2015, Airbus announced that it had begun production of the first A330neo with the construction of its centre wingbox and engine pylon. Final assembly of the first aircraft, an A330-900, started in September 2016 at

17760-521: The rise of programming languages, engineers could now write programs that were tailored to design an aircraft. Originally this was done with mainframe computers and used low-level programming languages that required the user to be fluent in the language and know the architecture of the computer. With the introduction of personal computers, design programs began employing a more user-friendly approach. The main aspects of aircraft design are: All aircraft designs involve compromises of these factors to achieve

17908-461: The seat will be 1.3 cm (0.5 in) wider than a 787 seat in the equivalent configuration. In the nine-abreast, 3–3–3 standard economy layout, the A350 seat will be 45 cm (18 in) wide, 1.27 cm (0.5 in) wider than a seat in the equivalent layout in the 787, and 3.9 cm (1.5 in) wider than a seat in the equivalent A330 layout. The current 777 and future derivatives have 1.27 cm (0.5 in) greater seat width than

18056-454: The second unit expected in January 2021. Air Greenland took delivery of its only A330-800, named Tuukkaq, on 6 December 2022 and entered service on 19 December 2022 as a replacement for the Airbus A330-200. As of March 2024, there are seven A330-800s in revenue service with three operators, where Kuwait Airways is the largest operator with four aircraft in its fleet. The A330-900 retains

18204-511: The standards of personnel training. Every country has its own regulatory body such as the Federal Aviation Administration in USA, DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) in India, etc. The aircraft manufacturer makes sure that the aircraft meets existing design standards, defines the operating limitations and maintenance schedules and provides support and maintenance throughout the operational life of

18352-550: The stresses caused by cabin pressurization , if fitted, turbulence and engine or rotor vibrations. The design of any aircraft starts out in three phases Aircraft conceptual design involves sketching a variety of possible configurations that meet the required design specifications. By drawing a set of configurations, designers seek to reach the design configuration that satisfactorily meets all requirements as well as go hand in hand with factors such as aerodynamics, propulsion, flight performance, structural and control systems. This

18500-550: The unique location of airport are some of the airport factors that influence aircraft design. However changes in aircraft design also influence airfield design as well, for instance, the recent introduction of new large aircraft (NLAs) such as the superjumbo Airbus A380 , have led to airports worldwide redesigning their facilities to accommodate its large size and service requirements. The high speeds, fuel tanks, atmospheric conditions at cruise altitudes, natural hazards (thunderstorms, hail and bird strikes) and human error are some of

18648-417: The way through the fuselage, causing fractures in the shell, causing the fuselage to break up into smaller sections. So the passenger aircraft are designed in such a way that seating arrangements are away from areas likely to be intruded in an accident, such as near a propeller, engine nacelle undercarriage etc. The interior of the cabin is also fitted with safety features such as oxygen masks that drop down in

18796-556: The whole order to the larger variant. Assembly of the first fuselage major components started in September 2015. In February 2016, final assembly started at the A350 Final Assembly Line in Toulouse. Three flight test aircraft were planned, with entry into service scheduled for mid-2017. The first aircraft completed its body join on 15 April 2016. Its maiden flight took place on 24 November 2016. The A350-1000 flight test programme planned for 1,600 flight hours; 600 hours on

18944-650: The wing is its airfoil . The construction of the wing starts with the rib which defines the airfoil shape. Ribs can be made of wood, metal, plastic or even composites. The wing must be designed and tested to ensure it can withstand the maximum loads imposed by maneuvering, and by atmospheric gusts. The fuselage is the part of the aircraft that contains the cockpit , passenger cabin or cargo hold. Aircraft propulsion may be achieved by specially designed aircraft engines, adapted auto, motorcycle or snowmobile engines, electric engines or even human muscle power. The main parameters of engine design are: The thrust provided by

19092-522: The wing. MSN1795 was to undertake simulated icing tests and cold-weather tests in Canada, noise assessment, autoland testing and high angle-of-attack , minimum-unstick checks during rotation with a tail bumper. MSN1813 was to test natural icing conditions , assess hot and high conditions in the United Arab Emirates and La Paz , and fly 150h of route-proving; it has rakes and pressure sensors in

19240-486: The –900 to seat up to 460 passengers in an all-economy layout. This exceeds the existing 440-seat maximum exit limit allowed by the type certificate, and requires a modification of the Type-A exit doors to meet emergency exit requirements. In November 2019, maximum accommodation increased to 460 seats, through the installation of new 'Type-A+' exits , with a dual-lane evacuation slide. Amazon Air and UPS Airlines pushed for

19388-439: Was "simply undercut in price". In July 2018, a new memorandum of understanding from Uganda Airlines for two -800s revived interest in the shorter variant. A firm order from Kuwait Airways for eight A330-800s followed in October 2018, making it the largest customer of the type; it was subsequently confirmed that Kuwait Airways would be the launch customer for the -800, with certification expected in mid-2019 and first deliveries in

19536-534: Was a £570 million (US$ 760 million or €745 million) composite facility in Broughton , Wales, which would be responsible for the wings. In June 2009, the National Assembly for Wales announced provision of a £28 million grant to provide a training centre, production jobs and money toward the new production centre. Airbus manufactured the first structural component in December 2009. Production of

19684-423: Was announced, along with a wider interior cabin to offer 30 additional seats. The interior changes include moving the cockpit wall forward, moving the aft pressure bulkhead one frame further aft and resculpting the sidewalls to allow ten-abreast 17-inch seats. By November 2018, Airbus was hiring in Toulouse and Madrid to develop a re-engined A350neo. Although its launch is not guaranteed, it would be delivered in

19832-543: Was approved on 14 November, restricted to engines with fewer than 500 flight cycles. Airbus expects the FAA type certification with 180 min ETOPS by the end of 2018 and 330 min ETOPS in the first half of 2019. Beyond-180min ETOPS was approved by the EASA on 24 January 2019. The maiden flight of the -800 took place on 6 November 2018; the 4h 4min flight inaugurated a 350h test program aiming for mid-2019 type certification, for delivery in

19980-486: Was awarded by EASA on 21 November 2017, along FAA certification. The first serial unit was on the final assembly line in early December. After its maiden flight on 7 December 2017, delivery to launch customer Qatar Airways slipped to early 2018. The delay was due to issues with the business class seat installation. It was delivered on 20 February 2018 and entered commercial service on Qatar Airways' Doha to London Heathrow route on 24 February 2018. Airbus has explored

20128-478: Was certified by EASA in April 2022. The A330neo is advertised as having a 12% fuel burn advantage per flight over the older A330 variants. This advantage comes from the 11% gain from the Trent 7000 and its larger 112-inch fan, compared to the 97.5-inch Trent 700 engine. However, this gain is negated by 3% - 2% by additional weight, and 1% due to engine drag - but the sharklets and aero optimization regain 4%, restoring

20276-582: Was competing against a hypothetical 777-10X for Singapore Airlines. At the 2017 Paris Air Show , the concept was shelved for lacking market appeal and in January 2018 Brégier focused on enhancing the A350-900/1000 to capture potential before 2022/2023, when it would be possible to stretch the A350 with a new engine generation. In October 2017, Airbus was testing extended sharklets , which could offer 100–140 nmi (185–259 km; 115–161 mi) extra range and reduce fuel burn by 1.4–1.6%. The wing twist

20424-493: Was delayed by four years and ended up with empty weight issues. An existing aircraft program can be developed for performance and economy gains by stretching the fuselage , increasing the MTOW , enhancing the aerodynamics, installing new engines , new wings or new avionics. For a 9,100 nmi long range at Mach 0.8/FL360, a 10% lower TSFC saves 13% of fuel, a 10% L/D increase saves 12%, a 10% lower OEW saves 6% and all combined saves 28%. A350 XWB The Airbus A350

20572-470: Was first delivered to TAP Air Portugal on 26 November 2018 and entered service on 15 December. The -800 made its first flight on 6 November 2018 and received EASA type certification on 13 February 2020; the first two -800s were delivered to Kuwait Airways on 29 October 2020 and entered service on 20 November. As of October 2024, a total of 356 A330neo family aircraft had been ordered by more than 25 customers, of which 144 aircraft had been delivered. At

20720-401: Was not as efficient as it would like, and Air Lease Corp. added that the company did not consider it reasonable to take the A350-800 and A330neo as they saw no sustainable coexistence of the two aircraft. AirAsia X ended flights to London and Paris from Kuala Lumpur in 2012 because their Airbus A340s were not fuel-efficient enough and would try again with A330s. As Airbus gradually increased

20868-451: Was scheduled to perform 600 h and was to be joined the following month by the second, MSN1813, which will fly 500 h, before the third, MSN1819, the first customer aircraft for TAP Portugal with a complete cabin. Two flight test engineers and two engine specialists monitored the 60GB per hour output of 1,375 sensors and 98,000 parameters, including strips of microelectromechanical systems to measure aerodynamic pressure distribution across

21016-426: Was started on 5 April 2012. Final assembly of the first prototype A350 was completed in December 2012. In 2018, the unit cost of the A350-900 was US$ 317.4 million and the A350-1000 was US$ 366.5 million. The production rate was expected to rise from three aircraft per month in early 2015 to five at the end of 2015, and would ramp to ten aircraft per month by 2018. In 2015, 17 planes would be delivered and

21164-402: Was testing a hybrid laminar flow control (HLFC) on the leading edge of an A350 prototype vertical stabiliser, with passive suction similar to the boundary layer control on the Boeing 787-9 tail, but unlike the natural laminar flow BLADE , within the same EU Clean Sky program. On 30 September 2022, a 1.2 t (2,600 lb) weight reduction and a 3 t (6,600 lb) MTOW increase

21312-480: Was then delivered on 20 February 2018 to Qatar Airways, which had also been the launch operator of the -900. and entered the commercial service with a flight from Doha to London on 24 February 2018. The 60.45 m (198.3 ft)-long A350-800 was designed to seat 276 passengers in a typical three-class configuration with a range of 8,245 nmi (15,270 km; 9,488 mi) with an MTOW of 259 t (571,000 lb). In January 2010, Airbus opted to develop

21460-494: Was thought to be cancelling its order for six A330-800s, replacing them with Boeing 787-9s priced at less than $ 100–115m, close to their production cost of $ 80–90m, while Boeing Capital released Hawaiian from three 767-300ER leases well in advance. Hawaiian denied that the order for the A330-800 had been cancelled, but did not dismiss a new deal with Boeing. In March 2018, Hawaiian confirmed the cancellation of its order for six A330-800s and ordered ten B787-9s instead. Airbus says it

21608-474: Was to be a replacement for the 747-400, tentatively called the A350-8000, -2000 or -1100. At the June 2016 Airbus Innovation Days, chief commercial officer John Leahy was concerned about the size of a 400-seat market besides the Boeing 747-8 and the 777-9 and chief executive Fabrice Brégier feared such an aircraft could cannibalise demand for the -1000. The potential 79 m-long (258 ft) aeroplane

21756-499: Was to be delivered to Kuwait Airways in March, but the airline postponed delivery until the third quarter of 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic . On 29 October, the first two A330-800s were delivered to Kuwait Airways; the airline has six more -800s on order. The A330-800 then operated its first revenue flight on 20 November, flying the short distance between Kuwait and Dubai . Uganda Airlines received their first A330-800 on 21 December, with

21904-419: Was under development for the 787-10, but Rolls-Royce intended to offer a broad power range. The A330neo uses the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine, which is an electronic controlled bleed air variant of the Trent 1000 used on the Boeing 787-10 . It will have a 112 in (284 cm) diameter fan and a 10:1 bypass ratio. They deliver a thrust of 68,000 to 72,000 pounds-force (300 to 320 kN). The Trent

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