Airbus A350 XWB news

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Desert Rat
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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A little problem with the 350 is that the operator have to make a clear choice in their strategy to operate the A/C. Either medium range or long range. ..you cannot do both because of the optional CRC's.
And also the capacity of the galley.the customization of the A/C has to be very accurate...it is true for every A/C, but even more on the 350.

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Re: Airbus A350 news

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Airbus says it has a "Plan B" for the A350 batteries. Airbus has studied alternatives to lithium-ion batteries for its next jet, the A350, and has time to adapt to any rule changes prompted by the problems that have grounded Boeing Co's 787 Dreamliner.

Airbus had warned about the risks of lithium-ion batteries at a closed meeting of airlines in March 2011, but its engineers think they have resolved the problems about a year ago.

More from Reuters
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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A350 XWB’s Trent XWB engine achieves EASA type certification
Engine certification paves the way for A350 XWB first flight in the summer

The Airbus A350 XWB programme has achieved yet another important milestone with the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) award of the Engine Type Certification of the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofan. EASA presented the certificate to Rolls-Royce at EASA’s headquarters in Cologne, Germany.

This certification covers Trent XWB engines which will power the A350-800 and A350-900 variants. A higher thrust version of the Trent XWB is currently under development for the A350-1000.
800x600_1360244513_Trent_XWB_on_A380_close_up (1).jpg
Eric Schulz, President – Civil Large Engines, Rolls-Royce, said: “We are very proud to have achieved this significant milestone on the road to the A350 XWB’s entry into service. I would like to thank Airbus for their support and all of our partners and employees who contributed to the design and certification of the engine. Test results show we have produced the world’s most efficient large civil aero engine and we now look forward to the first flight later this year.”

Didier Evrard, Airbus’ Executive Vice President – Head of A350 XWB Programme said: “We congratulate our colleagues at Rolls-Royce on achieving this important milestone for the A350 XWB programme with the EASA certification of the Trent XWB engine.” He adds: “These new engines together with the aircraft’s advanced aerodynamics and airframe technologies will bring our airline customers a 25 percent step-improvement in fuel efficiency.

Certification confirms the engine has fulfilled EASA’s airworthiness requirements for flight and is the last major engine milestone prior to the first flight of A350-900 ‘MSN001’ later this year. The engines which will power that aircraft are now being prepared prior to installation of the fully integrated powerplant on the aircraft’s pylon.

The Trent XWB has already powered a series of test flights on Airbus’ A380 Flying Test Bed (FTB) aircraft since February 2012. These flight-test results indicate that the engine will meet Airbus’ extremely high efficiency and performance goals for the A350 XWB programme.

The A350 XWB is the all-new mid-size long range product line comprising three versions and seating between 270 and 350 passengers in typical three-class layouts. The new family will bring a step change in efficiency compared with existing aircraft in this size category, using 25 per cent less fuel and providing an equivalent reduction in CO2 emissions. Scheduled for entry-into-service in 2014, the A350 XWB has already won 617 firm orders from 35 customers worldwide.

7 FEBRUARY 2013 PRESS RELEASE
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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That's an A380 with an A350 XWB Rolls Royce engine?
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RoMax
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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quixoticguide wrote:That's an A380 with an A350 XWB Rolls Royce engine?
Indeed, it was used for the flight tests of the engine.
Like GE uses a 747 for their big engines (like the GEnX for the 748i and 787).

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Re: Airbus A350 news

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Airbus plan could switch batteries to sidestep 787 woes

Airbus is developing plans to use standard batteries in its new A350 model and jettison the lithium-ion power source that grounded Boeing's rival 787 Dreamliner.

The step is being considered to avoid any similar problems or certification issues with the A350. No final decision on the matter has been reached.

Airbus has said earlier that the electrical design of the A350 and its lithium batteries would be more conservative than in the Dreamliner.

Should Airbus opt to switch to a traditional battery now, the change could be accomplished with a few months' delay, while waiting until Boeing resolves the 787 issue could put back the A350 significantly.

Airbus is currently aiming for test flights with the A350 mid-year, followed by entry into service by the end of 2014.

Airbus Chief Executive Fabrice Brégier said last week that while the A350 has a "robust design," there's nothing to stop the company returning to a "classical plan" if need be.

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/08/445 ... rylink=cpy
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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Airbus confirms that it will be dropping lithium-ion batteries for the A350 and go back to nickel-cadmium to preserve entry into service (EIS) schedule due to certification uncertainty.

Airbus is planning to keep the Saft lithium-ion batteries for the initial test flights scheduled in summer 2013, then switch to a Saft nickel-cadmium battery during flight trials and ahead of EIS. The A350 is due to enter service in the second half of 2014.

Airbus fears that investigations into Boeing's battery problems would lead to changes in regulations.

See Airbus press release: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=49882
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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Airbus has installed the winglets on the A350XWB first flight-test aircraft, revealing the full shape of the 32m wing!

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Re: Airbus A350 news

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And it looks sweeeeeeeet!

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Re: Airbus A350 news

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Any news on when we will see the completed aircraft?

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Re: Airbus A350 news

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First flight foreseen at end of Q2 or begin of Q3 (2013 of course).
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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Another A350 XWB takes shape in Toulouse

Build-up of the third A350 XWB is now underway at Airbus’ Toulouse, France final assembly line as preparations continue for the next-generation jetliner’s upcoming flight and certification campaign.

Designated MSN3, this aircraft will be deployed for a variety of A350 XWB testing – including performance at high and medium altitudes, in cold weather and hot temperatures and on long-range flights.

Build-up activity for the no. 3 A350 XWB commenced during February on the final assembly line, where the aircraft’s three fuselage sections were transferred following their arrival in Toulouse aboard a Beluga transporter. It joins the MSN5000 aircraft at Toulouse, currently undergoing preparations for static testing in another hangar, and MSN1, which is completing indoor ground evaluations.

Initial assembly steps for MSN3 included installation of the jetliner’s 50-metre-long electrical harness for flight test measurements, which – along a complement of electrical cabinets – forms an advanced “supercomputer” called METRO. This was followed by the fuselage sections’ successful moulding at the final assembly line’s Station 50.

There are two such Station 50 locations for fuselage join-up on the A350 XWB Final Assembly Line: the first, which is designated Station 50A, and another called 50B. MSN3 was the first aircraft joined on Station 50B, which had a higher readiness level thanks to debugging that followed the initial two jetliners’ assembly on Station 50A.
800x600_1361351724_A350XWB-MSN3-assembly-startup_2.jpg
Airbus, 20.02.2013
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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Air France will finalise its order for 25 A350 aircraft later in 2013. It had previously indicated the order would be finalised by the end of the first quarter.

In September 2011, Air France signed a tentative agreement for 50 aircraft, evenly divided between the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787. It has since firmed up its Boeing order, but the A350s have not yet been confirmed.
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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First A350 XWB with wings complete emerges for outdoor testing

The first A350 XWB – MSN001 – now showing its completed wings, has moved to its next phase of ground testing, from Roger Béteille A350 XWB FAL “Station 30” to the Clément Ader area “Station 18” in Toulouse. The aircraft is structurally complete and shows the installed winglets, belly fairing panels, main landing gear doors.

Image

The aircraft has recently completed successfully a series of indoor ground tests as well as stability tests on ‘movable’ elements such as rudder, elevators, ailerons and wing spoilers and landing gears extraction/retraction. The next steps which will take place outdoors at the Station 18 ground test station will include three planned families of tests: Fuel tanks testing – including levels, flows, sealing and internal fuel transfer functions; pressure testing of the fuselage; and radio equipment testing.

26 FEBRUARY 2013 PRESS RELEASE
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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Airbus A350 first flight will be July or Aug, EADS CEO Enders tells reporters in NYC.
In time for Paris? Would take a "miracle," he says.
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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According to the ceo of Qatar Airways, Airbus will drop the A350-800 (the smallest version). Many airlines already decided to convert their order to the bigger versions in the past years. But Airbus still denies this...for now.
The -800 is a shrink of the -900 and as a result it doesn't have the great economics of the -900 and the -1000 (it's a quite heavy airplane for the payload it can carry).

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Re: Airbus A350 news

Post by Unilitha2 »

Accordingly to Bloomberg, Airbus is not willing to give up on the -800 because it would leave too big a gap between the -900 and the 787 and therefore Airbus would leave Boeing alone on this segment ...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-0 ... oceed.html

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Re: Airbus A350 news

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Unilitha2 wrote:Accordingly to Bloomberg, Airbus is not willing to give up on the -800 because it would leave too big a gap between the -900 and the 787 and therefore Airbus would leave Boeing alone on this segment ...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-0 ... oceed.html
Yes but I wonder what they'll do if for exemple US Airways converts to -900. They'll soon be American...which already has 22 787-9's on order. So why have two same sized long haul aircraft in the same fleet, it's more logicall they'll convert them all to the larger A350-900.
Airbus has about 90 firm orders for the -800, in the case US converts to -900, they'll have about 70-75...that's not much. Especially when you know airlines are converting to 787-9 (from the 787-8), while in the latest years numerous airlines are moving away from the A350-800 (Qatar Airways, TAP, ...) either cancelling them or converting them to -900's.

Even if they decide to go on with the project, I think they should really focus more on the A350-1000 which struggles to get new sales because it lacks early production slots. If they stop or delay the -800 development, they can use more recourses on the -1000 to increase the production of that one. Most airlines that want an aircraft in the 787-9/A350-800 size, prefere the 787-9 unless they are really bound to the A350 and really need an aircraft in that size. The A350-1000 on the other hand could be much more popular if it has more 'early' production slots.

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Re: Airbus A350 news

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Japan Airlines may buy 20 Airbus A350 jets

Japan Airlines Co may buy about 20 A350 jets from Airbus for around 400 billion yen, the Nikkei daily reported on Sunday, a move that would reduce its reliance on Boeing.

The Japanese carrier is considering using A350-1000 jets on flights to Europe and the United States to replace its Boeing 777 jets, and is set to make a final decision on the purchase by around June, the newspaper said, without citing sources.

The deal for the 350-seater planes would be the first with the European aircraft maker.

Full story from Reuters
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Re: Airbus A350 news

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A milestone for the A350, with the installation of two flight ready Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines on the first A350XWB flight test aircraft (MSN001).

Image

Simultaneously, Airbus is also installing the new Honeywell HGT1700 auxiliary power unit (APU), which has greater power density and higher efficiency than the previous generation APUs.
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